From what I've read, Arlene Foster needs to be held to account over the half a billion pounds wasted in that cash for ash scandal. :)

It was her involvement in dodgy renewable energy investment that led to McGuinness quitting when he did, although he was dying any way so probably would have gone sooner rather than later.

Still, British politicians are forever getting involved with misappropriation of public funds and getting away with it. Why should Foster be treated any differently? Think about it though, what politician doesn't misappropriate public funds? It's called tax and spend....

I know it's simplistic. But the UK could have saved all that money. Not to mention a thousand young British soldiers that would be alive to today if you would just have left

The same could be said for the IRA, the UVF, and other paramilitary and criminal groups operating in Ireland. They could have just desisted. It's also really fucking naïve to expect the British government to let some bunch of murders just waltz off with a chunk of territory.

Why is that really? Once the ship building and linen mills were gone, the north ceased to be economically important. After WW2 with the increased range of aircraft and submarines the North's strategic importance as a forward base in the north Atlantic disappeared also.

Partition was a table scrap thrown to a loyal British dog. You needed the Orange man then, you used them in much the same way the southern aristocracy used poor southern whites in the American south. a cheap way to keep control. When their importance diminished after WW2, they became Britain's dirty little secret, a police state in modern, progressive western European democracy.

But why, when the the shit hit the fan in 1969, when you had a way out, you didn't, take it. Numerous calls for a UN brokered cease fire were ignored. Was it really worth it to sacrifice over a thousand young British lives to prop up your last colony? Medieval troglodytes like the orange order?

I had occasion to drink with four British soldiers on leave in the US. I was recently discharged myself, so we hit it off. this was the late '80s, yeah that dates me as an old fart.

given it was four to one, I kept my republican leanings to myself. But all four had served in the north, one had lost a friend. While they all had a virulent hatred for the IRA, but even more so was the feeling of let the fuckers kill each other, its not worth any more British lives.

What do you suppose would have happened if the North had been handed over to the Republic? Would the naïve, romantic notion of a "united" Ireland finally have been achieved? No, of course not. Do you seriously expect that loyalist populations would accept the Republican government?

You would be left with two possible scenarios. A civil war waged against an Irish government, with bombs going off in Dublin, Wexford and Cork pubs and shopping centres, instead of in London, Manchester and Guildford. Loyalist populations being persecuted by Irish paramilitaries and police, quite possibly the need for British military intervention, even war between Britain and Ireland.

Or, ethnic cleansing of the North, with Protestant/Loyalist communities forcibly removed from the province.

Seems that Sinn Fein, which wants the United Kingdom to stay in the European Union, could be at odds with a growing movement to see Ireland leave the EU along with the UK. Today a senior Irish diplomat has gone on television calling for an "Irexit" to maintain the strong ties between the two nations.

James Brokenshires speech in parliament today was meaningless. A complete waste of oxygen. Typical of Theresa Mays government, which can't make a decision on any thing.

Yes, the same as what's been happening to Catholics there for centuries. :)

I think that's an isolated view. Only a few months ago a poll in Ieland saw 90% want to stay in the EU. And the Irish are supposed to be dumb? I don't think so.

I'd like to see that poll. I seriously doubt if there is a population any where in the European Union that is 90% in favour of remaining there.

Ah, I think I found the poll! Commissioned by European Movement Ireland, an (according to RTE news website) NGO that works to build links between Ireland and the EU, 88% of people polled agreed that Ireland should stay in the EU, whilst 11% disagreed. 82% thought that Britain should not have voted to leave the EU. Hmmm.... Any one else smell a rat here? Probably polled its own workforce or some thing.

Actually yes it was 88%.

Same survey claims to have found that 99% of Irelands students support remaining in the EU.

Meanwhile, a teenager has been arrested for allegedly making threats of a violent and sexual nature against Arlene Foster, via Facebook.

He must need fucking glasses. I mean, Arlene Foster looks like a manster IMHO. Some guys have no taste.

Google Diane Abbot. That fat cow doesn't even look human, yet claims to have received threats of rape during the last general election campaign.

Haven't yet seen any news to suggest that the Glorious 12th passed off as any thing more than the celebration of British culture that it ought to be.

Perhaps the Provis are too busy trying to work out what their relevance is, since they are now neither terrorists, or democrats, to protest about people marching?

[QUOTE=FuckingRotter;1608511]Haven't yet seen any news to suggest that the Glorious 12th passed off as any thing more than the celebration of British culture that it ought to be.

Perhaps the Provis are too busy trying to work out what their relevance is, since they are now neither terrorists, or democrats, to protest about people marching


been away for a bit.

British culture on display? riot police and attack dogs needed to get the Celtic squad off the field from a racist mob.

British culture, a mix of racism and pyromania? numerous dwellings damaged by loyalist bonfires.

the homes shown in this pic are from the Shankill, so the silly cunts were probably waving their little union jacks as their homes burned. But lots of damage in mixed areas as well