Politics UK

Hmm doesn't sound ideal. I hear it's looking like Sinn Fein has increased their vote

The two traditionally moderate Unionist and Nationalist parties look like they've been obliterated. Even though the cross community Alliance Party (and the Greens, to an extent) are polling well, the shift towards the two extremes looks more complete than ever.

We're moving towards a 3 party system - Nationalist, Unionist and Other.

It'll be a late night in Fermanagh South Tyrone (my neck of the woods) as a recount has just been announced, with no one elected as yet. We're the constituency who elected an MP with a 20 vote majority in the last Westminster election - It's the most marginal constituency you can imagine.

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

We live in interesting times. Someone said that once, probably Edwin Poots.

DUP - 28
SF - 27

Without 30 seats the DUP can no longer automatically block something like equal marriage, which the majority of MLAs were in favour of last time it was debated. They'll need the support of another party, and I can't see that happening outside of the one-man-band TUV, the Jurassic Unionist Party, which will still leave them one short.

Lots of well known faces got eliminated last night and I couldn't help but smile when some got announced.

so let me understand, have they agreed to another power sharing government or are we not up to that bit yet?

3 weeks of negotiations before an Executive can be announced. The sticking point here is that the new SF leader in the North (which sounds kinda Game of Thrones, apt considering it's made here) has repeatedly said that they won't go into government with the DUP while Arlene Foster is still a leader with the cloud of the RHI debacle hanging over her.

A public enquiry has been started but even if that clears Arlene's (and I was driving past her house 20 minutes ago, with visions of her sitting on the sofa in her dressing gown eating Pringles and licking her wounds) name, it could take 12 months.

A period of direct rule looks likely but not a certainty - Foster's manner played a huge part in the upswing of Sinn Fein support and she's seen by many this morning as an even better recruiting sergeant for their cause than SF's own politicians.

Arlene is damaged goods and I wouldn't be surprised if she's asked by the 'men in suits' in the DUP to resign or at least stand aside for the duration of the RHI enquiry, thus removing Sinn Fein's major problem with power sharing.

It's a dirty business, to be sure, but it couldn't be happening to a more arrogant, condescending person.

yeah there's nothing that's going to bring people out to vote more than some wrong 'un hanging defiantly and unseemingly onto power.

What. The. Hell.

haha! well, it's a surprise, but it's hardly surprising if you know what I mean. She wants a mandate for the next four whole years so she can take Brexit through to some kind of conclusion.
and yeah, also, we're doomed

Strong and confident move. Let's hope for her it doesn't backfire.

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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019

Well, Labour's inevitable crushing defeat will spell the end for Corbyn. So there's that, anyway. With such a lead in the polls, the Tories would have been mad not to call an early election. The Brexit nonsense is a handy byline.

In less Anglocentric news, this means curtains for the Stormount talks as wagons will be circled once more with an even more nasty and divisive campaign than March's. I predict a border poll by 2020 and a coin toss as to which way it'll go.

Can anyone really be bothered though?

For what? A general election or a border poll?

Sinn Fein played a blinder in March's election, totally outmanoeuvring the unionists. They're on the up, whereas unionism is splintering into the hardliners (anyone voting for a party with a U in its acronym) and the non-crazys.

I'll be in America at the time of the election, might end up staying there seeing how this is going to end.

But I'm glad this will result in the end of Corbyn. I can't see it ending any other way for him or the party.

As a part of the Greens, I think we have a chance of picking up a couple of seats. I know they'll do everything they can to defend Caroline Lucas, and we have a strong candidate in Bristol West where we came a close second in 2015. I've been hounded to fund Natalie Bennett as well in Sheffield so who knows!

Sometimes I feel like I'm not going to see a Labour government again in my lifetime. I not got much time left !

Let's hope. Not a fan of the man and Labour in its current form right now...

I have no time for Corbyn and McDonnell's bland brand of Maoism-lite but it saddened me a little to see Jezza's opening Trumpist election salvo.

Anti-establishment? Corbyn? Labour?

What next? A secretly recorded conversation with Fred Dinenage where he admits to briefly touching Diane Abbot's knee? Twitter spats with Graham Norton?

Not a lot of people know this (/michaelcaine) but my cousin is MP for North Down. Just found out that she was one of only 13 MPs who voted against an election.

This election will be a cakewalk for the Tory's. The interesting one will be the next one after June 8th.

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Still laughing about that Labour party broadcast with the kids in the classroom. I thought it was a spoof at first it's that bad.

A friend of mine thinks Corbyn has such a Messiah complex he'll stay on as leader after the election. If it wouldn't be such a tragedy I'd love it to happen.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.