peterl
Green
Congratulations President Trump
Posts: 8,468 
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Post by peterl on Dec 26, 2019 16:27:39 GMT
The simplest reform would be to provide that if the Assembly is suspended, its members do not get paid. It would be back in session by the end of the month.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2019 16:41:20 GMT
I do hope I live to see Irish reunification.
The demographics are going that way and both communities need functioning government.
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neilm
Non-Aligned
Posts: 25,023
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Post by neilm on Dec 27, 2019 10:49:01 GMT
The methods of blocking legislation are too easy to implement, and need scrapping, but NI will not power share voluntarily, and dominance by one side or the other is not feasible. It's not politics for anywhere other than NI. I think one of the simplest things that can be changed is instead of requiring the largest parties from each community to do a power sharing deal, allow the two largest parties to do a deal with a smaller party from the other community (ie. SF-UUP or DUP-SDLP) or allow for the smaller parties to do a deal with each other (ie. UUP-SDLP-APNI). Would mean that the government is still 'cross-community', whilst allowing for different government options should the largest parties not be able to reach an agreement. ^This Although I'd go one step further and allow normal coalitions, they've got plenty of strands of opinion and given that no side really has a majority there's no point continuing this cross community stuff. That would focus them a bit: make a deal or you won't get the trappings of office. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2019 12:56:59 GMT
I am personally in favour of the current arrangement. I think forcing Sinn Fein and the DUP to work together is a good thing. The fact it isn't happening now while is letting down the people who elected them should not mean that we should abandon the current arrangement. Even if reunification happens I think the Assembly in Northern Ireland should continue to exist. I would actually like to see more of this not less and not just in Northern Ireland.
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Post by greenchristian on Dec 28, 2019 23:42:21 GMT
I am personally in favour of the current arrangement. I think forcing Sinn Fein and the DUP to work together is a good thing. The fact it isn't happening now while is letting down the people who elected them should not mean that we should abandon the current arrangement. Even if reunification happens I think the Assembly in Northern Ireland should continue to exist. I would actually like to see more of this not less and not just in Northern Ireland. Actually, the reform several of us are proposing makes it more likely they would work together. Under the current arrangements, either of them can basically suspend Stormont whenever it is politically advantageous. If alternative coalitions were possible then the choice changes from "work together or suspend Stormont" to "work together or let themmuns take power with someone else's help". |
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Post by lancastrian on Dec 29, 2019 1:07:18 GMT
The methods of blocking legislation are too easy to implement, and need scrapping, but NI will not power share voluntarily, and dominance by one side or the other is not feasible. It's not politics for anywhere other than NI. I think one of the simplest things that can be changed is instead of requiring the largest parties from each community to do a power sharing deal, allow the two largest parties to do a deal with a smaller party from the other community (ie. SF-UUP or DUP-SDLP) or allow for the smaller parties to do a deal with each other (ie. UUP-SDLP-APNI). Would mean that the government is still 'cross-community', whilst allowing for different government options should the largest parties not be able to reach an agreement. The major problem surely is that a DUP-SDLP or SF-UUP government would be a government that had been comprehensively rejected at the ballot box by one community or the other. The SDLP and UUP clearly do not represent the views of most in their communities. They'd probably get slaughtered at the next election if they joined such a coalition anyway. |
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Post by thinwhiteduke on Dec 29, 2019 18:51:26 GMT
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neilm
Non-Aligned
Posts: 25,023
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Post by neilm on Dec 30, 2019 16:29:19 GMT
I think one of the simplest things that can be changed is instead of requiring the largest parties from each community to do a power sharing deal, allow the two largest parties to do a deal with a smaller party from the other community (ie. SF-UUP or DUP-SDLP) or allow for the smaller parties to do a deal with each other (ie. UUP-SDLP-APNI). Would mean that the government is still 'cross-community', whilst allowing for different government options should the largest parties not be able to reach an agreement. The major problem surely is that a DUP-SDLP or SF-UUP government would be a government that had been comprehensively rejected at the ballot box by one community or the other. The SDLP and UUP clearly do not represent the views of most in their communities. They'd probably get slaughtered at the next election if they joined such a coalition anyway. So politics like it is in the rest of the world. If you only appeal to a small segment, and you piss them off, you'll get the boot: the Lib Dems, the FDP, parties in Spain, France and Italy are cases in point. |
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Post by edgbaston on Dec 30, 2019 18:43:48 GMT
Do party members in the constituency choose? |
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Post by Arthur Figgis on Dec 30, 2019 18:55:27 GMT
Do party members in the constituency choose? They can. But the Army Council then choose, and that is what matters. |
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obsie
Non-Aligned
Posts: 861
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Post by obsie on Dec 30, 2019 22:59:00 GMT
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Post by belleofbellevale on Jan 4, 2020 13:32:22 GMT
On the Northern Ireland Football League tangent: Cllr Brian Smyth (Green, Belfast Lishnasharragh) is yer go-to politico on local rivalries. At a Cliftonville Euro-tie at that other Green hotspot of Oswestry, he greeted me warmly as a deformed sexual deviant (ie, Crusaders fan) before we enjoyed a beer with ex-Scotland internationalist Graeme Sharp, whose son played for the home side.
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Post by thinwhiteduke on Jan 7, 2020 11:25:28 GMT
Councillor Sinead McLaughlin selected to replace Eastwood as SDLP MLA for Foyle.
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Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,729
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Post by Chris from Brum on Jan 7, 2020 11:41:05 GMT
Councillor Sinead McLaughlin selected to replace Eastwood as SDLP MLA for Foyle. Will she be "double-jobbing" as councillor *and* MLA? |
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CatholicLeft
Labour
2032 posts until I was "accidentally" deleted.
Posts: 6,712
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Post by CatholicLeft on Jan 7, 2020 12:03:53 GMT
Councillor Sinead McLaughlin selected to replace Eastwood as SDLP MLA for Foyle. Serious question, given Colum Eastwood's reasons for standing for the leadership in the first place: can the leader of the SDLP be outside the Assembly and in the House of Commons? Also, does this mean Nicola Mallon become leader in the Assembly and favourite to lead the Party? |
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Post by thinwhiteduke on Jan 7, 2020 12:15:03 GMT
Councillor Sinead McLaughlin selected to replace Eastwood as SDLP MLA for Foyle. Will she be "double-jobbing" as councillor *and* MLA? No.. double jobbing was banned with the passage of the NI (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. |
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Post by edgbaston on Jan 7, 2020 12:20:22 GMT
Will she be "double-jobbing" as councillor *and* MLA? No.. double jobbing was banned with the passage of the NI (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. |
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CatholicLeft
Labour
2032 posts until I was "accidentally" deleted.
Posts: 6,712
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Post by CatholicLeft on Jan 7, 2020 14:36:08 GMT
Councillor Sinead McLaughlin selected to replace Eastwood as SDLP MLA for Foyle. Serious question, given Colum Eastwood's reasons for standing for the leadership in the first place: can the leader of the SDLP be outside the Assembly and in the House of Commons? Also, does this mean Nicola Mallon becomes leader in the Assembly and favourite to lead the Party? |
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Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,729
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Post by Chris from Brum on Jan 7, 2020 14:48:58 GMT
No.. double jobbing was banned with the passage of the NI (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. It is, but in GB we don't have the facility to replace by co-option, so any vacancy is filled by a by-election. If we banned double-jobbing, then I think we'd have to consider going down the co-option route as well, or risk vacancies not being filled until the party "owning" the vacancy deems it a good time to hold the by-election. |
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Post by thinwhiteduke on Jan 10, 2020 0:07:36 GMT
Councillor Sinead McLaughlin selected to replace Eastwood as SDLP MLA for Foyle. Serious question, given Colum Eastwood's reasons for standing for the leadership in the first place: can the leader of the SDLP be outside the Assembly and in the House of Commons? Also, does this mean Nicola Mallon become leader in the Assembly and favourite to lead the Party? Apologies for the late reply.. I fully recognize the potential hypocrisy in regards to Eastwood staying on as leader after being elected as MP, especially after his criticism for Alasdair McDonnell leading the party from Westminster. For the meantime, with the continued process of renewal within the party, I see him remaining as leader. There is no great fervor for him to step down. However, yes, Nichola will our leader within the Assembly, and her role as deputy leader will be expanded.. |
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