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Northern Ireland election

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Flare in the Square

  • Mark Devenport
  • 20 Feb 07, 05:07 PM

Have just got back from a day on the campaign trail with Ian Paisley. We've had the fuss on the bus and the brawl in the hall. So today was the day for the flare in the Lisburn Square (I confess I owe that to a colleague in the Belfast Telegraph whose cheque is in the post)

The Big Man was getting a uniformly positive reception from the shoppers in Lisburn when he turned a corner and ran into his current bete noire, Bob McCartney. Denied a head to head debate the UK Unionist leader pursued the DUP leader with cries of "where's the never, never, never" and "never, never, never, yes, yes ,yes". Like a liner which cannot alter its course, the Doc kept moving, refusing to take Mr McCartney under his notice. However his colleagues, who included Peter Robinson and Jeffrey Donaldson, variously taunted the UK Unionist as "a motormouth", "a maverick" and "a vote splitter".

Sounds bad, but it was pretty brief, and rather less physical than either the brawl in the hall or the fuss at the bus. For the video watch 91热爆 Newsline 6.30 tonight.

The DUP leader wandered on through the Lisburn market square, before heading to Galgorm Manor Hotel where he was shown how to flip pancakes. A politician not previously used to policy flip flops, maybe he's getting in some practice ahead of March 26th.

Comments   Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 07:40 PM on 20 Feb 2007,
  • The Craic Party wrote:

Mark: to go along with 'the fuss on the bus' and 'brawl in the hall', you might like to add 'mouth at the market' by none other than Bob 'babbling boy' McCartney! Where were the other five running mates? - those 'cunning cardboard cut outs'. I suspect they were on the 'I sell anything' stall, marked for sale, 'unbeatable value - six for the price of one'.

PS. One for Ian Knox. He could draw a cartoon of Bob behind a market stall, selling cardboard cut outs of himself!

  • 2.
  • At 12:31 PM on 21 Feb 2007,
  • Hazlett Lynch wrote:

It was most disappointing that Dr Paisley, who over the years challenged other politicians to a public debate, refused to talk to Robert McCartney, and indeed, he, and his 'minders,' treated Mr McCartney with utter contempt.

What has the DUP got to hide? Why is it refusing to answer sincerely asked questions by voters? Moreover, what reason lies behind its policy of keeping its councillors, and some MLAs, in the dark about what it has really agreed?

Dr Paisley, if his credibility is to be protected, must answer those who ask for a reason for his U-turn so far as PIRA/SF in government is concerned.

He is a man who claims to have always told the truth. But truth-telling requires not hiding the truth either.

It is a sad day for Northern Ireland, and for some victims of SF/PIRA terrorism, to be left shattered by those they voted for over many years, and particularly in 2005. It is unfortunate that some victims of McGuinness's terror machine now have no problems with terrorists in government, or with McGuinness being joint Prime Minister of the country he is still trying to destroy. Indeed, in Dr Paisley's absence, McGuinness will be in charge of Northern Ireland affairs! What a prospect!

Were those 2005 manifesto promises genuine? If so, why the U-turn? If d'Hondt is repugnant to, and a negation of, democracy, why is the DUP agreeing to it? If it was wrong in 2005 to have terrorist-related politicians in the government of our land, why is it right in 2007? What brought about this turnaround?

Dr Paisley has a case to answer. He must tell us why he has changed his mind. If he has been put under pressure, let him tell us. At least then we will understand. Tell us where the pressure is coming from - HMG, or from within his own party.

Our country cannot afford the dubious luxury of another round of terrorists governing our country. We have suffered too much, therefore we deserve much better.

  • 3.
  • At 11:28 PM on 21 Feb 2007,
  • gary blair wrote:

The reaction of the Doc in Lisburn has sadly become the norm for him nowadays. He strikes me as a man who knows he is wrong but now he has made up his mind to run with the SAA, he wont let go of it.

Michael Collins was very unhappy with the treaty. He signed it under duress and there was plenty in it that he wasn't comfortable with. However, when he returned to Dublin and was met with criticism, his inate arrogance forced him to become more and more protective of the Treaty.

I believe the Doc and Collins have a lot in common in that both brought back a "deal" they weren't happy with yet both took criticism of their respective deals as personal criticisms. Both then came out fighting in defence of something they didnt believe in.

The Doc's failure to engage in Lisburn is par for the course. He performed terribly on Insight and Hearts and Minds - like a man who didnt quite believe the merits of his own document.

  • 4.
  • At 11:38 AM on 26 Feb 2007,
  • Primaxuk wrote:

This time it is the most important election for our beloved country men and women lost their lives to protect what they held dear

And now the party (DUP) that we all gave our support has sold us and the ones who went before us a party who at every Opportunity Accused the UUP who I have no love for of a sell out and bad negotiation skills the latter is that the negotiators who Negotiated the st Andrews sell out is to coin a phrase from Bob McCartney that he would not trust them with Negotiating a sale of a second hand car deal never mind the constitutional affairs of our beloved country

This brings me back to the start of the sell out of our country 10 years ago when I and many other people went out and canvassed to bring the Belfast agreement down side by side with the DUP now the same party as to coin a phrase used by them they called the uup the u turn party when they came out with this agreement at st Andrews I could not believe my own ears the Rev Ian Paisley was going to sit in government with the IRA not only that he stated he would never sit in government with them under haunt Mechanism dreamt up by our American Friend George Mitchell were it gave the minority who for 35 yrs or so who murdered our kith and kin the right to places in government if you look at the Westminster the Conservative Party's has 198 seats but this does not give the right to government so why do we have to give a party like SF IRA who have 24 seats the right to the Executive

THAT'S WHY ON 7TH MARCH WITOUT "HESITATION" I WILL BE VOTING FOR BOB McCARTNEY NO 1 AND ASKING YOU TO VOTE UKUP WERE U CAN AND ANY OTHER ANITAGREEMENT CANDIDATES TO PUT A STOP TO THIS SELL OUT
THE DUP SLOGAN SHOULD BE GOT IT WRONG

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