You really don't have a clue, do you.
Support for Sinn Féin has never exceeded 29% of the popular vote.
Even you can work out that most of the people in N.I. don't support Sinn Féin.
Sinn Fein members elected to Westminster
- Thread starter Ihavenojob
- Start date
Support for Sinn Féin has never exceeded 29% of the popular vote.
Even you can work out that most of the people in N.I. don't support Sinn Féin.
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You omitted the all important second paragraph from that piece:
Why Were IRA Suspects Sent 'Comfort Letters'?
The letters sparked a political crisis after it emerged more than 150 suspects had been told they were no longer wanted.news.sky.com
The solution was a letter, informing "on-the-runs" they were no longer "wanted".
:: How did the letters come about?
In 2000, Tony Blair asked Gerry Adams to provide names for consideration by the Attorney General, police and Director of Public Prosecution.
In 2002, the Attorney General warned that the scheme could not become an amnesty.
In 2006, Blair wrote secretly to Adams, outlining mechanisms to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".
:: How did the scheme work?
In 2007, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) began reviewing the cases of those wanted in connection with terrorist offences to establish if there were grounds for arrest.
Peter Hain MP, then Northern Ireland Secretary, wanted the scheme kept secret but the PSNI prepared a media statement for use in the event of it becoming public knowledge.
:: How did it become public?
In February 2014, John Downey went on trial, charged with killing four soldiers in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.
When he produced a letter, stating that he was not wanted by the PSNI or any other police force, the judge ruled that the Donegal man could not be prosecuted.
The letter had been issued in error.
:: How many letters were issued?
Of the 288 names submitted for consideration, 156 people received a "letter of comfort" and 31 were informed in some other way that they were not wanted for questioning.
Drew Harris, now Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI, told the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee that 100 of the recipients are suspects in 300 murder cases.
:: What did the government inquiry find?
When NI First Minister, Peter Robinson, threatened to resign over the issue, David Cameron announced an inquiry.
Lady Justice Hallet concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and the scheme had been lawful.
But she found "significant systemic failures" in how it operated and branded Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake" by the PSNI.
:: What did the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee find?
The Committee, which established its own inquiry because it felt the government's was too narrow in remit and too private, concluded that the scheme was "questionably unlawful" and "distorted the process of justice".
Members called on the government to take all necessary steps, including legislation if necessary, to ensure the "comfort letters" have no legal effect.
"The scheme did not apply to those who had not been charged or who had been convicted but escaped."
A further paragraph explained why Downey was released:
"In February 2014, John Downey went on trial, charged with killing four soldiers in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing.
When he produced a letter, stating that he was not wanted by the PSNI or any other police force, the judge ruled that the Donegal man could not be prosecuted.
The letter had been issued in error."
That governments make mistakes should not come as a surprise.
My response to fillyboy on that specific topic.
it wasn't an intentional reprieve for Downey, it was a mistake.
Their Get Out Of Jail cards were issued by the MOJ.
"Why have prosecutors dropped Troubles-era murder charges against former soldiers who served in Northern Ireland?
..."
Troubles trials: why did they collapse, and what happens next?
Decision to halt prosecution for murder of two British veterans is likely to affect other cases
www.theguardian.com
Any amnesty must apply to ex-military, ex-PSNI and "terrorists" equally.
"The government is under pressure from Tories and veterans’ groups to shield veterans from prosecution, but a de facto amnesty would probably also apply to members of the IRA and other paramilitary groups."
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Your grasp of history is tainted by what you wish for.
"Henry II decided to invade Ireland with a big army to invoke the Laudabiliter, a bill passed some years ago to invade Ireland for church-reform reasons.
Common Questions about English Rule in Ireland
Q: When did the English first invade Ireland?
In the 12th century, England invaded Ireland, and English rule in Ireland followed shortly after.
Q: Which English king invaded Ireland?
King Henry II invaded Ireland in 1171 to establish control and English rule in Ireland.
..."
What the 12th Century Brought: English Rule in Ireland
When the Welsh conquered parts of Ireland under the command of an exiled Irish king, the English found a way to implement English rule in Ireland.
www.wondriumdaily.com
"The Irish News/Institute of Irish Studies/University of Liverpool poll shows a 1.6% increase for Sinn Fein from the Assembly election last May to lift its vote share to 30.6%."
Sinn Fein, DUP and Alliance consolidate NI electoral dominance, poll shows
Last year’s Stormont election saw Sinn Fein returned with the largest number of MLAs, becoming the first nationalist party in Northern Ireland to do so.
www.irishexaminer.com
"The poll suggests Jeffrey Donaldson’s party has slightly increased its share of the vote from last year by 2.6%, from 21.3% to 23.9%."
Given that currently Republicans hold 35 seats with a 39% of support, and Unionists aslo hold 35 seats with a 39% of support, but refuse to atend the Assemble, I'd say that Republicans represent well over half of the population.
As Sinn Fein are by far the largest Republican party, I think it's fair to suggest that they represent over 50% of the population.
Big mistake, a bit like the leak of psni data, unthinking bureaucracy is as dangerous as intentional actions.
Blup
Agreed, but Vinty and fillyboy implied it was intentional, and limited to non-military.
Perhaps it was forseen that the ex-military wouldn't need any letters.
Unionist parties are in the majority, the Alliance party by default are Unionist, which explains why the vast majority of its voters are in traditional Unionist areas, republican parties got 40% of the vote."The Irish News/Institute of Irish Studies/University of Liverpool poll shows a 1.6% increase for Sinn Fein from the Assembly election last May to lift its vote share to 30.6%."
By the same measure DUP managed 24%Sinn Fein, DUP and Alliance consolidate NI electoral dominance, poll shows
Last year’s Stormont election saw Sinn Fein returned with the largest number of MLAs, becoming the first nationalist party in Northern Ireland to do so.
"The poll suggests Jeffrey Donaldson’s party has slightly increased its share of the vote from last year by 2.6%, from 21.3% to 23.9%."
Given that currently Republicans hold 35 seats with a 39% of support, and Unionists aslo hold 35 seats with a 39% of support, but refuse to atend the Assemble, I'd say that Republicans represent well over half of the population.
As Sinn Fein are by far the largest Republican party, I think it's fair to suggest that they represent over 50% of the population.
Not destroy N.Ireland, simply return it to what it once was - the island of Ireland...
Of course brexiteers are the ones intent on destroying the will of the people of N.Ireland...
Could you tell us how N.Ireland voted in the brexit referendum of 2016?
Not according to the Alliance party
"The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), or simply Alliance, is a liberal[3] and centrist[7] political party in Northern Ireland.
Founded in 1970 from the New Ulster Movement, the Alliance Party originally represented moderate and non-sectarian unionism. However, over time, particularly in the 1990s, it moved towards neutrality on the Union, and came to represent wider liberal and non-sectarian concerns."
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland - Wikipedia
List of political parties in Northern Ireland - Wikipedia
Dunno afaik the majority voted to stay similar to Scotland
But hey ho democracy is well ? democracy
Because Ulster Unionists were planted in the Province by a Monarchy intent on forcing out the native Irish population.
It's no good harping on about rights as you know very well how the Protestant Majority denied those rights to Catholic Irish for over 300 years.
Power sharing is the only way to bring a semblance of peace and until the Unionists accept the result of a democratic election and get back to work at Stormont they're just throwing sand in the system.
I expect Vinty will tell us that the Remainers must have their wishes ignored because, on the day, in the UK as a whole, there were more Leave voters.
And, in Ireland as a whole, there were more Independence voters. I expect he will tell us that the Unionists must not have their wishes ignored.
Wealthy people only like democracy when the results go their way. If not they like to tweek the rules to make it happen or use media underhand tactics. Look at Trump as a prime example. A sort of peace has been achieved in Ireland but there are those want to undermine it for their own gain.
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