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PeteandSylvi wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:56 am
I don't agree that socialism has always failed. Communism - yes, but there are many successful socialist countries. It all depends on which definition of Socialism you wish to apply and the extent to which the country applies it.
Pete
It rather depends on which definition of 'successful' you apply!
Until recently socialists - including Corbyn and Owen Jones - were lauding Venezuela as the way forward, a model of how wonderful Socialism can be.
I note that they have been rather muted on the subject of late but want to implement the same policies that have failed there so disastrously.
May has done a deal with the DUP.... God only knows what that will encompass.... The DUP cannot form a power group in NI, but will be part of one in Westminster....
DUP cannot support a hard Brexit, or commit political suicide in event of another election.
Jimgward wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:34 pm
May has done a deal with the DUP.... God only knows what that will encompass.... The DUP cannot form a power group in NI, but will be part of one in Westminster....
DUP cannot support a hard Brexit, or commit political suicide in event of another election.
The cost of a deal with the DUP will be hefty....
I thought the DUP were all for a hard Brexit...?
Plus Sinn Féin are not taking up their seats which helps the numbers a bit...
The electorate as a whole has rejected the far right policies of the Conservatives and the far left policies of Labour. When will politicians come to realise that the majority of people are happy to remain somewhere in the centre ground? Although I'm no fan of Tony Blair, he realised this simple fact and dominated the Centre with his 'New Labour' party for 10 years gaining a landslide re-election in 2001.
We now have a situation where just 10 DUP MPs hold the balance of power in a country of 64 million people.
I think PeteandSylvi have hit the nail on the head, a lot of younger people turning out to vote this time. As I see it probably caused by Corbyn's promises of money, which even it he had won the election more than likely would never happen, and scaremongering over Brexit.
Theresa May has been very foolish in her threats of a Dementia Tax, a lot of people are affected by Dementia, what she was thinking is beyond me.
Jackie
It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.
No General Election until after Brexit.
T May to stand aside after the Queen's speech to be replaced by Amber Rudd.
A soft Brexit as insisted on by the DUP as a price for their support.
When we do get to the next election, my money is on Lord Buckethead.
josef k wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2017 3:14 pm
Prediction time from me.
No General Election until after Brexit.
T May to stand aside after the Queen's speech to be replaced by Amber Rudd.
A soft Brexit as insisted on by the DUP as a price for their support.
When we do get to the next election, my money is on Lord Buckethead.
Amber Rudd? God forbid. As rampant a right-wing, ignorant woman who is self-serving, as I've heard. Her treatement of the candidate in her local election hustings, was terrible. Taken to task over her and her husband's interests in Saudi.....
The DUP is set to prop up Theresa May's Conservative government, as she has confirmed she will be visiting the Queen to seek permission to form a government.
Many of us didn't read the Irish party's manifesto, and didn't think the Tories would need a second party to lend them the seats required to seize power.
So, who exactly are the Democratic Unionist Party? Here are things you may not know about them.
1. They have called for the return of the death penalty
In 2011, the party's five MPs called for a parliamentary debate on the death penalty.
They said: “Recent horrific crimes throughout the United Kingdom have led many to question whether there are certain criminals whose crimes demand such a sentence.
“With victims’ families having called for the death sentence as an appropriate punishment, we should be turning our minds to whether our justice system deals appropriately with certain criminals.”
Since this, more prominent figures in the party have asked for the issue to be looked at again.
2. They've faced concerns over their comments about LGBT people
The party is opposed to abortion and gay marriage, but it goes further than that.
Members of the party have described LGBT people as "disgusting" and an "abomination".
However, leader Arlene Foster takes a lighter approach and has said the party has many gay voters.
In 2015, their health minister faced concerns when he said “The facts show that you certainly don’t bring a child up in a homosexual relationship. That child is far more likely to be abused or neglected …”
3. They once had an MP in Basingstoke
Which is obviously not in Ireland.
Andrew Hunter MP defected to the party from the Conservatives in 2004.
Simon Hamilton, a party spokesman, told the Guardian at the time: "Mr Hunter has had an active interest in Northern Ireland for a long time. He's over here on regular jaunts nowadays."
4. The party is iffy on climate change
The party’s manifesto for this election made no mention of the environment or climate change and the DUP once appointed a climate change denier as Northern Ireland environment minister. It also counts a number of creationists among its senior members.
5. They want more public spending
Their manifesto says they want to"prioritise spending on our Health Service, create more jobs and increase incomes, protect family budgets, raise standards in education for everyone and invest in infrastructure."
Click to view : How the newspapers reacted
6. And to avoid a hard Brexit
Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, is keen to avoid a hard border with Ireland and has spoken against a "hard Brexit."
She has said: “No-one wants to see a ‘hard’ Brexit, what we want to see is a workable plan to leave the European Union, and that’s what the national vote was about – therefore we need to get on with that.
“However, we need to do it in a way that respects the specific circumstances of Northern Ireland, and, of course, our shared history and geography with the Republic of Ireland.
"No-one wants to see a hard border, Sinn Fein talk about it a lot, but nobody wants a hard border.
“Certainly that’s not what the Dublin government want to see, not what the London government wants to see and not what Stormont want to see.”
7. They disagree with the Tories on key parts of the manifesto
The party’s manifesto reveals splits with the Tories over pensions and winter fuels payments.
The DUP pledges to maintain the pension triple lock, while the Tories jettisoned the 2.5 per cent rise safeguard.
Click to view : Key articles | Democratic Unionist Party
Add to these,
Here are five reasons that’s incredibly worrying:
1) Mervyn Storey
Mervyn Storey is the Chair of the DUP’s Education Committee.
He is also a member of the Caleb Foundation that believes, amongst other things, that the Earth is less than 10,000 years old despite the fact that is most certainly is not.
Disregarding science and reason, ‘Young Earthers’ as they’re known, subscribe to the literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, that the planet was created by God in six days.
A number of other prominent DUP members are also members of the Caleb Foundation and one survey found 40% of DUP activists believe in Young Earth creationism and want it taught in schools.
This group has considerable influence already in Ireland - in 2012 they lobbied the National Trust to include creationist theories alongside scientific explanations at the Giant’s Causeway visitor centre.
2) Abortion
A woman cannot have an abortion in Northern Ireland largely because of the DUP.
The group’s leader, Arlene Foster, last year vowed to retain a ban on terminations except when a woman’s life is in danger, only conceding to “carefully consider” cases where a pregnancy arises as a result of rape.
She told the Guardian: “I would not want abortion to be as freely available here as it is in England and don’t support the extension of the 1967 act.”
3) They are ambiguous on climate change
Their manifesto made no mention of the issue and they once appointed a climate change denier, Sammy Wilson, as Northern Ireland environment minister.
Whilst holding that position he banned government ‘Act On CO2’ adverts from TV as he thought they were “propaganda”.
4) They’re not keen on the LGBTQ community
Their opposition to to gay marriage is well documented but it gets worse.
In 2013 a DUP Assembly Member, Tom Buchanan, told children at a school that homosexuality is “an abomination”.
5) Links to terrorist sympathisers?
Some have highlighted the party’s awkward past, after Foster launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn.
She said: “There were many fine people who reached out to the IRA and asked them to desist.
“He actually supported them, he wanted them to win!”
However, Fostger herself has close links with the UDA and has met them many times. As have other DUP officials.
Well the text Jimgward provided from the Telegraph gives most of us an introduction to the DUP. Like most parties there are good bits and bad bits. The fact is May had no other survival tactic and she can move forward now. I've no doubt there are knives being sharpened everywhere and I doubt the Conservative/DUP relationship will remain a smooth ride for very long but most importantly it will keep the Corbyn circus at bay and out of power.
PeteandSylvi wrote: ↑Fri Jun 09, 2017 3:50 pm
Well the text Jimgward provided from the Telegraph gives most of us an introduction to the DUP. Like most parties there are good bits and bad bits. The fact is May had no other survival tactic and she can move forward now. I've no doubt there are knives being sharpened everywhere and I doubt the Conservative/DUP relationship will remain a smooth ride for very long but most importantly it will keep the Corbyn circus at bay and out of power.
Pete
Yes, little more than a smear job... I'm sure you could write the same thing about members of every political party.
Quite frankly, it is no more absurd to believe the Earth was created just 10,000 years ago than to believe that a sky fairy created it in six days some time earlier.
Because you'd have to exclude Corbyn too on that basis.... and Sinn Fein of course...
I wouldn't have any one from Ulster in the UK government, least of all proven terrorists.
Sinn Fein will never take part in UK government because they will never swear allegiance to the Crown.
As for Corbyn you're influenced not by facts but by conjecture.
Because you'd have to exclude Corbyn too on that basis.... and Sinn Fein of course...
I wouldn't have any one from Ulster in the UK government, least of all proven terrorists.
Sinn Fein will never take part in UK government because they will never swear allegiance to the Crown.
As for Corbyn you're influenced not by facts but by conjecture.
Did you check the link I provided...?
Point out please, which of the 100 are incorrect.
EDIT TO ADD:
BTW, you don't choose who gets to be in the UK parliament - Sinn Fein are not there because they choose not to take up their seats.
Sinn Fein cannot take up their seats without swearing allegiance which they will not do.
No I didn't check your link other than to notice it's origin.
I have no desire to be influenced by extremists be they right or left or anywhere else for that matter.
& Most certainly not by the opinion of a multiple convicted drink driver and most probably a drug pusher/dealer.
The interview May did with Jon Snow - very reluctantly, despite C4 having virtually a right as a major broadcaster.... and the fact Snow has interviewed every candidate for many year.... was car-crash TV. May avoided answering questions and fell back on 'strong and stable' to the point where it seemed a parody.
