Hokey Kokey Politics

Storming Castle the seat of the Northern Ireland Executive

Now they're out, then they'll be in, then they'll be out again.  That's how the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) are going to bring down our devolved government because the powers that be in London won't play their game and suspend Stormont.  So they've resigned their politicians, then they're going to renominate them next week, then they're going to have them resign again .... until matters are resolved ... to their liking.

Confused?

So are we .. Very

Let me explain in simple terms what's been happening here, as far as I can understand it.

We have power sharing in Northern Ireland - in theory.   Unionist and Nationalist (supposedly) working together.
Now, the police have suggested that a recent murder was committed by someone associated with the IRA, and people involved with the IRA are associated with Sinn Fein, the main Nationalist/Republican party here.   So the Unionist politicians refuse to carry on working with the Nationalists until this is cleared up.  Fair enough.  Talks are due to start on Monday, but the UK government won't do as the DUP ask so they're not going to be at the table - therefore the talks will be null and void.

This is coming on the heels of months and months of these same politicians not being able to agree on a budget, on how to deal with welfare and various other issues.  In fact it appears to the rest of us that they are not able to agree on anything.  It's like watching a group of children in the schoolyard - that's my ball and I'm not letting you play with it so I'm not going to talk to you anymore because you touched it!

It is sooooooo frustrating to watch.

For sure we do not want a return to paramilitary rule here.   I will leave if we return to that terror.  But by the same token we do not want to be ruled by one party who are holding everyone to ransom with schoolyard tactics, because they and their counterparts cannot compromise.

One political commentator suggested that we are suffering from the politics of conflict.  All these elected representatives are carrying the burden of the past.   We need young people who don't have that past in their psyche who can worry about basic needs of a people.  But those same young people that we need, are being driven out of the country by the carry on - it's a total status quo.   The universities are having to cut places due to lack of funding (bad management on the part of our politicians); young people have to leave to get work (companies laying off workers and new investment not coming our way due to the unsettled situation among other things) and on and on.

Our politicians have brought us to the world's notice many times in the past and all for the wrong reasons.  It's time they learned how to be grown ups.

And the worst part of all this, these people are still being paid!  Can you believe it!

Sorry for the rant, but I'm guessing that our news isn't making most international, even British, news channels.  So I thought it was my duty as an ordinary member of the public to have my say. After all, we've had years of being afraid to speak.