Gransnet forums

News & politics

DUP negotiations

(247 Posts)
Riverwalk Mon 26-Jun-17 10:01:39

I can't find the thread on this - probably a zombie one by now, they've been going on so long!

It's all gone very quiet - maybe the DUP have again stopped taking phone calls from their 'confidence & supply' partners.

Anyone heard anything?

Barmyoldbat Tue 27-Jun-17 16:27:29

My other post, the first word was Demand which was a typo error, and Rose if JC got in I don't think money would change hands, he has more integrity than that. I would also say to you if this was a third world country doing this then we, our giver ment would be on their high horses saying it's wrong and it's buying power. So one rule for us and another for the rest of the world.

Baggs Tue 27-Jun-17 16:30:41

That's a good point, devon. Time will tell whether the DUP renege on the agreement.

whitewave Tue 27-Jun-17 16:36:26

baggs figure is speech. To my mind £1000000000.00 plus a further £100000000.00 for future use is a dirty deal when this money could boost the entire NHS by 2% pay salaries to untold nurses, doctors, police and firemen. That it was used instead to buy votes is to my mind a dirty deal.

It risks as I have said the GFA and the unity of the UK.

newnanny Tue 27-Jun-17 16:51:37

The party that has the most seats have first dibs to gain support from other parties to give them majority. Northern Ireland have more uncertainty than most as they are worried about hard border with S.I. Money is being spent on infrastructure such as NHS and education so not being wasted. If Corbyn had won most seats he would have had to have done a deal with Sturgeon/Lib Dems in order to gain a majority. Everyone knows minority governments always collapse and we can't risk that until Brexit completed. I suspect after Brexit May will be replaced. If successful at Brexit then Davis if not I have heard they want a younger successor.

MaizieD Tue 27-Jun-17 16:51:49

"Pay(ing) someone money to ensure that things go the way you want them too" can just as easily be called a financial insentive, depending of course on whether you agree with it or not.

Footballers get sacked for it.

I am utterly shocked and astounded by you lots inability to condemn bribery. In fact, by your willingness to defend it.

Despicable!

MaizieD Tue 27-Jun-17 16:53:45

^ If Corbyn had won most seats he would have had to have done a deal with Sturgeon/Lib Dems in order to gain a majority.^

Yes, but 'deals' in the past have not involved large sums of money being given directly...

Baggs Tue 27-Jun-17 16:54:00

Good post, newnanny.

Baggs Tue 27-Jun-17 16:56:16

Only indirectly, eh, * maiz*? ?

Seriously, though, is it directly if it's going on education and health, etc, and not just to the DUP? Isn't the money going to benefit all of NI, not one of its political parties?

whitewave Tue 27-Jun-17 16:59:13

Given the DUPs history with millions of pounds disappearing I would hold my breath that it will all be spent honestly.

newnanny Tue 27-Jun-17 16:59:22

Corbyn would have given Sturgeon what ever she asked for in order to gain her support; most likely another independence vote at a time of her choosing and/or let her have seat at negotiations on Brexit which is her current demand. JC would also have been forced to stay in Single Market and Customs Union and carried on with high immigration to gain support of Lib Dems. In other words we would have Brexit without any benefits.

nightowl Tue 27-Jun-17 16:59:25

I'm shocked as well Maizie. In fact I'm horrified. I genuinely thought that honesty and integrity were qualities valued by our generation. I thought I was pretty cynical but obviously not cynical enough sad

whitewave Tue 27-Jun-17 17:01:43

Excusing your acceptance of bribery and corruption by indicating that someone else would have done the same without a shred of evidence does not excuse low standards of public behaviour.

newnanny Tue 27-Jun-17 17:09:42

Tax payers money will be used for infrastructure for whole of N.I. such as education and transport and NHS. DUP ar enot pocketing money for their own use you know. When power sharing is restored in N.I. both DUP and Sinn Fein will decide how money is spent. If they can't agree to power share then it will be spent centrally by Government. Also not corruption as transparent deal not under the counter. Corruption is when a person accepts a personal bribe. This has not happened here.

durhamjen Tue 27-Jun-17 17:10:41

Spent the afternoon watching The Wind that Shakes the Barley.

Smileless2012 Tue 27-Jun-17 17:13:05

You consider it to be a bribe because you don't agree with it. It's horses for courses isn't it? Those who don't disagree with it can just as reasonably refer to it as an incentive.

Now that you've expressed your utter shock and astonishment that there are some who do not condone the deal out of hand as you have, perhaps you could answer my question. Bearing in mind that Labour had talks with the DUP in 2010 and 2015 is it the deal per se that you disagree with or just the fact that money's changed hands.

MaizieD Tue 27-Jun-17 17:13:25

Well said, Barrmyoldbat

whitewave Tue 27-Jun-17 17:16:30

Just the fact that money has changed handsgrin

MaizieD Tue 27-Jun-17 17:18:41

No, Smileless*. I consider it to be a bribe because it is a bribe.

How bloody corrupt do people have to be before others stop defending them?

Labour talking with the DUP in 2010 and 2015 may have been distasteful. Presumably the DUP asked for more than Labour could possibly stomach. Maybe they wanted money.. But nothing came of it. Labour did not pay for votes.

Ana Tue 27-Jun-17 17:19:27

Why is that funny?

suzied Tue 27-Jun-17 17:19:50

I seem to remember from old history lessons there were "rotten boroughs" where votes were bought. Sounds a bit similar.? I've no doubt all that dosh will get spent wisely on all that orange regalia and improved security so they can march through Catholic areas and definitely not on improving women's health or other such fripperies.

whitewave Tue 27-Jun-17 17:20:04

Labour did not sell their soul

rosesarered Tue 27-Jun-17 17:21:17

Exactly newnanny and smileless
It seems there is a lot of 'shock' expressed here, and yet most posters say they are very political and follow politics avidly! Amazing.
JC would have had to do much the same for Scotland if he had been making up numbers, and as already stated, bribes and corruption is when the money is spent personally by somebody, and not when it's going on schools, hospitals etc.
Calm down.

Smileless2012 Tue 27-Jun-17 17:27:12

Well as you say, you're making a presumption that Labour during it's talks with the DUP were asked for more than they could "possibly stomach". None of us can say for sure just how sensitive the Labour Party's stomach is of course.

So, if the Gov. had secured a deal with the DUP without a 'bribe', would you have found it acceptable all be it distasteful? I'm still trying to get you to answer my question.

Thank you for your answer whitewave

newnanny Tue 27-Jun-17 17:30:01

The main thing is we have majority government for the term of Brexit. It is less than two years away and a lot to do before then. Also DUP forced May to abandon Triple Lock and winter fuel payments to pensioners not living just on benefits, so all good imho.

MaizieD Tue 27-Jun-17 17:44:31

It seems there is a lot of 'shock' expressed here, and yet most posters say they are very political and follow politics avidly! Amazing

And those of us who do are mostly saying that such blatant bribery is not common practice. Really, the tories have plumbed a new low in politics.

JC would have had to do much the same for Scotland if he had been making up numbers, and as already stated, bribes and corruption is when the money is spent personally by somebody, and not when it's going on schools, hospitals etc.

You don't have a clue what Corbyn might or might not have done whereas we know exactly what May has done.

Calm down
F Off roses