Not my words, Mr Speaker.
Petition of Concern, indeed.
Sinn Féin's predominance within the Nationalist vote in Northern Ireland now constitutes a pro-abortion veto at Stormont, which has kept open the first private abortion clinic on the island of Ireland.
Petition of Concern, indeed.
Sinn Féin's predominance within the Nationalist vote in Northern Ireland now constitutes a pro-abortion veto at Stormont, which has kept open the first private abortion clinic on the island of Ireland.
And what is becoming of the SDLP, which unlike Sinn Féin is constitutionally committed to the pro-life position, but which looks set to grant a free vote on the banning of abortions outside the NHS, where Northern Ireland's strict pro-life law can be rigorously enforced? That whole way of thinking could have had "SDLP" stamped on the top of it. When did that cease to be the case? How? Why? Who now speaks for it in the Nationalist community, if not the SDLP?
Sinn Féin's sheer power in Northern Ireland is also pertinent to the debate around the Falkland Islands. As surely as we pulled out of India a mere two years after the end of the War against Japan, we also ended our longest ever military operation by granting permanent places in government to people who believed the Provisional Army Council to be the sovereign body throughout Ireland.
The British Falkland Islanders need not assume that they can expect the slightest goodwill from Perfidious Albion because of a war which is already more than 30 years in the past, and which lasted for only 74 days. Sinn Féin has no monopoly on treachery.
The British Falkland Islanders need not assume that they can expect the slightest goodwill from Perfidious Albion because of a war which is already more than 30 years in the past, and which lasted for only 74 days. Sinn Féin has no monopoly on treachery.
As a member of SDLP, I tend to support the free vote concept. But pretty sure most if not all my colleagues would be anti-abortion.
ReplyDeleteAs indeed am I...more or less.
The SDLP has a better record on being life enhancing than Sinn Fein....if abortion is a form of murder then murder is a form of abortion.
But the effect of all this is to smoke out the pro and anti choice people in the Assembly.
And as a sidebar I should note that SF chose to announce their position AFTER they had safely won the Mid Ulster election last week.
They would have course have won anyway. But amusing to see how uncomfortable their MLAs look.
and of course they could not have got their Petition of Concern without the single Green MLA and one (Anna Lo) of the LetsGetAlongerist Aliance Party...not exactly democrats who participate in the DUP-SF carve up.
Curiously the Alliance Position in the 1980s was to extend British law to Norn Iron. But they are exceptionally reluctant to be specific this time around.
Anna Lo who is not actually from Norn Iron represents South Belfast arguably the most sophisticated secular constituency.
But Alliance already under pressure in its heartland over our celebrated Flegs dispute...has at least three Presbyterian elders in its eight person Assembly Party. And one highly active Catholic layperson.
Los stance has probably blown the Alliance credibility in South Belfast where they were targeting Dr Al.
The key thing in Norn Iron is that nothing happens in isolation. It's part of a bigger power play....and SF just got burned.
And SDLP will bank it.
Fitzjames Horse (J Mooney)
Last time I checked NI was part of the UK.
ReplyDeleteWhy is abortion not legal there?
Is Sinn Fein doing the true Unionist work of making NI a fully paid up part of the UK?
That has never been how the United Kingdom worked.
ReplyDelete