British Election Results are a Moral Victory for Corbyn’s Alternative Political Possibilities

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Unexpected electoral and referendum results have delivered the world Donald Trump, Brexit, Emmanuel Macron, and now, a victory in many terms, for Jeremy Corbyn, and his vision of British Labour and political options. The loss of Theresa May’s clear Conservative majority has already rocked conventional assumptions, agendas and elites. The realm of the politically possible has been blasted open – because the electoral support for Corbyn doesn’t just reflect a resurgence for British Labour, it has allowed a publicly popular discussion about a whole different political economy.

How inspiring and encouraging it is alone, that voters are using new campaign technologies to subvert traditional and conservative political systems to create prospects of system change. The mass mobilisation of voters through modern media channels and messaging increased turn out and Labour support.

Traditionally though major parties tend toward growing conservatism, a ‘centre ground’ that’s increasingly actually shifting to the right. Especially since the Washington Consensus of the 1980s, political rhetoric has emphasised the TINA principle – There is No Alternative, to neo-liberal capitalist and financial solutions to economic ‘problems’. Finally, with the rise of Jeremy Corbyn, there’s a real leader, someone who isn’t scared to offer a different solution, a real alternative.
Jeremy Corbyn has shown the courage of his convictions and been rewarded for them. Finally, here is an anti-establishment, anti-politician. Derided as ‘unelectable’, for his humility, his principles, his ‘radicalism’, by peers, the media, and the Government, he was predicted to be disastrous for the Labour Party. His moral defeat of Theresa May and the Conservatives is almost as good as a full electoral defeat. Some political analysts go so far as saying it was the election that was best Corbyn not win outright, for the political quagmire that is Brexit.

All the same, Corbyn has garnered the Labour Party the most electoral support since the previous peak of 2005 when a young Tony Blair swept to power. Promising progressive Third Way politics, Blairism turned out to be more of the same old conservative way – British imperialism, privatisation of state owned assets, stripping the welfare state, bailouts for the wealthy at the expense of the poor. The Labour brand seemed a misnomer, no longer a party of workers’ rights or in touch with the common people. Now, British Labour is Europe’s largest political party, with more than 500,000 members.

Bhaskar Sunkara, in ‘Why Corbyn Won’ in Jacobin magazine, adds that Corbyn persevered, through troughs in the polls and stabs in the back from his own party, to develop a ‘real’ alternative. That’s what’s so exciting, unlike the false ‘left’ of so many ‘mature’ western democracies, including our own, Corbyn’s Labour Party vision authentically challenges capitalism’s ownership and control. “Corbynism sees beyond the inherent limits of reforms under capitalism, discusses ideas that aim to expand the scope of democracy, seeks to expand the co-operative sector, to create community owned enterprises and restore state control of key sectors of the economy’. Corbyn’s Labour ‘sets the course for deeper socialist transformation in the future’.

In the Guardian, Owen Jones agrees, saying Corbyn’s manifesto, ‘offered hope and promise to genuinely reform Britain’, to challenge (rather than indulge) vested interests, to eliminate injustices. He has had the courage to challenge entrenched military and defence narratives – unapologetically making the link between British imperialism and terror attacks at home. With that honesty, not without political risk (see accusations he is a ‘terrorist sympathiser), he has tapped into a wider public sentiment against injustice, corporate greed, racism, militarism and war.

It was the substance of that vision, the detail behind the grand transformative hope, that probably got out the voters too. The promise to end tuition fees for students is being linked simply to the record turnout of young voters. More than a million aged 18-24 have registered to vote since the snap election was called on April 8. As if young people are just self-interested without capacity for making informed decisions on wider issues such as low wages, climate change, austerity or injustice. But policies such as an end to zero-hours contracts, a £10 minimum wage, more tax on higher income earners, and nationalisation of key public services such as railways and the energy market, take the Labour Party back to the values for which it is named.

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Theresa May’s austerity, and threats to reduce human rights protections to combat terrorism, reinforced the ‘radicalism’ of Corbyn’s approach, even though the Conservative agenda is really the one that should be seen as deviant from moral norms. With Corbyn and his policy commitments, you got a sense that was more than just rhetoric. These were principles, that were worth sticking to, even if they raised ire of established elites, even if it alienated him from his party!

Corbyn puts his success down to this ‘radical’ vision for a fairer Britain. “People have said they’ve had enough of austerity politics, of public expenditure cuts, of underfunding health, schools, education …for not giving young people the chance they deserve’.

We’ve hoped that activated, motivated civil society could change the world, before. Remember the promise and hope of Obama, “Yes we can”, and even relatively, of Blair? Capitalism still won’t counter any challengers. Powerful elites in commerce, industry, the military and the media will be ‘regrouping’. They’ve already started disowning losers (Theresa May, watch your back), and will no doubt continue their efforts to discredit ‘Corbynism’.

The next few days and weeks will continue to be a fascinating new journey in uncharted modern politics, reshaping conventional political possibilities, discourse and relationships. This election may not have delivered clear cut change in government for Britain. But for the first time in decades, paradigm change is actually on the agenda, and posing a credible and popular alternative to the clear failings of the current system.

32 COMMENTS

  1. You just had to laugh.
    Before the exit poll, the Tories were debating how much their majority would be over 100 seats. It did not occur to them that they could possibly lose anything.
    Jeremy Corbyn campaigned very well, much better than his opponents or even his own party thought he could.
    Unfortunately he didn’t win.
    Although I don’t pretend to understand the complexity of British political relationships I think there is a pattern here. May could well continue with a small (8 or 9) seat majority seeing as the DUP, who nearly always vote with the Tories, have nearly scooped the unionist seats and Sinn Fein members never take their seats.
    However, such a small majority always invites trouble and the first trouble for May will be that her party will want to dump her for delivering such a poor result.

  2. Corbyn was also very clear about the idiocy of UK foreign policy and it’s links with terrorism at home.That’s unusual for any politician in an election contest
    He conducted a rousing campaign,holding large rallies and engaging with the voters at the hustings, full of humour and wit and unapologetic socialism
    I hope our Greens and Labour take heart and abandon their craven shift to the centre
    Here’s good old Jonathan Pie, sticking it to the Blairites

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsGVghRBdKI

  3. NZ Labour could take the UK Labour Manifesto and treat it like a paint by numbers plan for returning to power, with our blessing. But will they? No. Because NZ Labour is not a party of the people, is an arm of the Oligarchy.

    Don’t expect any Corbyn still populist revivals here.

  4. +1000 – British Election Results are a Moral Victory for Corbyn’s Alternative Political Possibilities

    Corbyn achieved such a stunning turnaround by providing a bigger message than just a manifesto of piecemeal policy.

    Corbin’s message was about fairness, not attacking anybody and his history of integrity about disarmament, negotiating peace and caring about all people, in particular his patriotism for Britain, with nationalisation of services like Rail, from the Tory privatisation agenda for offshore business. He was a real human being, not some robot puppet career politician that represented bankers and anybody with billions to buy British MP’s.

    Neoliberalism doesn’t actually work. Like a ponzi scheme it relys on importing in more money and people and eventually something has to give when housing becomes too expensive for many, wages stagnate and a few individuals within corporations control everything while others are homeless and many see their Health, Police, Schools and Universities run down while private individuals are profiting, while legally paying little taxes.

    It is not fair.

    Also very interesting that the wealthiest suburb in Britain, Kensington went to Labour. Corbyn understood it’s not about the rich vs poor, and division of money or class or ethnicity, it’s about fairness in society. It’s that part of socialism that appeals to people in the consumer age.

    He also provided anti propaganda, such as video’s that dispelled the myths being told by the Liar, Liar, May, that he was a terrorist sympathiser. His supporters instead turned it around by pointing out in video’s he thought selling arms to Hussain was a bad idea not like the Tories as well as the Iraq war.

    Corbyn offered something too, a change back, such as tuition free fees as well as keeping the school lunches and NHS well funded.

    Also interesting is that the newspapers have largely lost their appeal in particular to young people with their propaganda. So the headlines against Corbyn were irrelevant to many, already turned off by MSM.

    The other point is that identity politics does not work. Getting a young person and thinking just because they are young people will vote is wrong. Bernie and Corbyn were elderly white men, but have come to represent anti establishment and fairness to all. Above all, hope for change.

    • Yes. But I’m waiting for the newspaper propaganda to lose its appeal here. The right wing media, in all its forms, still hold too much sway. How can we counter their influence in print, radio and TV?

  5. Jeremy Corbyn and his socialist Labour team did an exceptional job, rising to the top as they did, considering British media tried to break the party’s and Corbyn’s political back over a long period of time.

    A game well played By Corbyn. The result definitely reflects the way the Brits wanted to go and it wasn’t with the Tories!

    Be interesting how long May will be able to govern and even more so how long she remains PM. Hammond and Johnson are baying for her blood!

  6. Just as here, sectarianism and dogmatism are the scourge of the Left

    No reward for Corbyn in backing Irish Nationalists

    Has the Northern Ireland Republican political grouping, Sinn Fein, scored an own goal, relegating themselves to irrelevancy, with their decision not to back Jeremy Corbyn, when under more difficult circumstances he had stood with them?

    The following statement from the Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams could almost read like a script from Monty Python’s ‘Life Of Brian’

    Sinn Fein’s seven MPs are not part of calculations to form a government because the republican party refuse to take their seats in Westminster.
    Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams hailed what he described as an historic result for his party.
    “Sinn Fein respects the mandate we have received and our electorate who voted in such huge numbers,” he said.
    “Nationalists and republicans have turned their back on Westminster and accept that that centre of political gravity is now on the island of Ireland.
    “The Taoiseach and DUP need to focus on restoring the political institutions.
    “Theresa May sought a mandate for Brexit, austerity and the erosion of human rights. She got her comeuppance.
    “The Irish government needs to seize the initiative to secure designated special status for the North as part of the Brexit negotiations.”

    http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/live-electionni-tories-to-rely-on-dup-support-to-form-government-792855.html

    So much bullshit to unpack from Gerry Adams’ long winded statement justifying Sinn Fein turning their back on the British Labour Party leader.

    Firstly; Describing the “island of Ireland” as the centre of political gravity is bizarrely outdated and inward looking, when the modern Republic of Ireland is outward looking and internationalist, rather than nationalist. And is full ranked member of the EU.

    Secondly; Adams puts all responsibility to act onto other parties, the DUP and Irish Taoseach, Leo Varadkar. This is a complete abrogation of the Sinn Fein as being any agent of change, and will surely ring their death knell.

    Thirdly; Gerry Adams correctly identifies Theresa May as an agent of austerity and the erosion of human rights. But refuses to do anything about it.
    In a self serving lie, Adams claims, May “has got her comeuppance”, which is decidedly not true, as her Party still retains political power in the UK (and in the North of Ireland). Thanks (in part) to Adams and Sinn Fein’s abstention.

    Fourth: Adams claims a referendum for unification between North and South is now more likely. In my opinion a such a referendum is more likely under a Corbyn Led Labour government than any Tory government. Witness Jeremy Corbyn’s support for another vote on Scottish independence, a move fiercely opposed by May and the Conservatives.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39244890

    The equally sectarian but right wing, Northern Ireland DUP, led by Arlene Foster, have taken a much more pragmatic position, giving their support to Teresa May.

    In a speech, cancelled in the wake of the Manchester terror attack, Ms Foster planned to describe Jeremy Corbyn as “beyond the political pale” because of his past support for Irish republicans.
    She attacked the Labour leader’s credibility, including warning that it was hard to take him seriously because of his meetings with political representatives of the IRA at the height of the Troubles.

    Gerry Adams could do worse than take a leaf from Ireland’s wily old enemy, the arch British imperialist, and deadly opponent of Irish independence, Winston Churchill.

    “When events change, I change my mind.
    What do you do Sir?”

    Winston Churchill.

    Instead, will Sinn Fein and Adams, remain like some sort of creature forever trapped in amber?

    In the age of open borders in Europe, where the Irish Republic is a staunch member of the EU. The sectarian Sinn Fein have become a stranded anachronism.

    “100 million year old bird trapped in amber”

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4582742/100-million-year-old-bird-trapped-Myanmar-amber.html

  7. Indeed! And I say this without peering at the entrails of Karl Marx”s Das Capital. Instead I look at the scientific evidence that has been presented over the last ten years or so that predict the death throes of Capitalism.Its there if you search for it. The cracks are evident.Given the finite resources on Planet Earth ,and the inevitable irrational aquisitiveness of the Oligarchs 1% ,nothing is surer that within the decade there will be a collision between the forces of general humanity, and those who will not be satisfied until they own everything.The only question is the degree of violence that will be necessary. Looking at the militarization of police forces in the West, the surveillance, the Fake news of the MSM, the false flag attacks, the belligerence of the Wests Foreign policy and predatory attacks on the resources of other countries it does not bode well!! However it is timely for a conversation about a transition to The New Society.

  8. @ Pat O’Dea what a pile of steaming proddie horse shit!
    Sinn Fein don’t sit at Westminster because they correctly refuse to acknowledge the power of an english parliament over their nation.
    They run sure – so people can express their antithesis towards the outmoded colonial concept that demands docile subjects tick a box every 5 years to show their obeisance to the englander rule.

    Not that we can be smug about that in Aotearoa where too many people imagine ‘her majesty is a pretty nice girl’ because they mistake all the comic opera costumes & rituals as being the substance – not noticing how yesterday that the pretty nice girl immediately rubber stamped tosspot terri’s deal with the women hating xtian fundie murderers in the DUP whose platform includes no marriage other than man/woman an end to abortion and a host of other male dominated orange shibboleths.
    I hate identity politics of any sort because they divide and the DUP is all identity politics – just coming from the opposite angle.

    If you think Sinn Fein are ‘odd’ for opposing rule from england you clearly forget the times when the iron fist has been revealed from under the velvet glove.
    Many Australians can never forget 1974 when that ‘pretty nice girl’ dismissed a democratically elected government and installed an unelected mob of corporate sell outs.

    • We all know that they refuse to acknowledge the power of an English parliament over their nation. With damned good reason.
      But why stand? How do they expect to represent their voters if they wont sit at Westminster?

      • Ireland is an independent nation and Northern Ireland has a protestant majority that is happy to be part of the UK. Your comment represents the worst sort of 1970s idiocy that killed over 3600 people.

    • On Sinn Fein abstentionism

      “The parliamentary oath that MPs must take swearing allegiance to the Queen as head of state is objectionable to Irish republicans, hence why they don’t attend parliament.”

      [Just as swearing allegiance to the Queen of England is objectionable to Maori Nationalists]

      http://theconversation.com/fighting-an-election-only-to-refuse-a-seat-sinn-fein-and-westminster-abstention-76963

      If staunch Maori Nationalist and Mana MP, Hone Harawira, saw the need to swear the oath to be able take up his elected position on behalf of his people. Then so too can the Irish Nationalists of Sinn Fein.

      “Asked what it was like to swear an oath he didn’t believe, Harawira said it was not difficult and likened it to having to wear a suit at Parliament.”

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5375397/Harawira-takes-oath-again

      And Hone Harawira is not the only one, who has done this in the interests of their people.

      Bernadette Devlin also did this.

      Bernadette Devlin defied convention to put the interests of her people above hidebound dogmatism.

      Devlin stood on the slogan “I will take my seat and fight for your rights” – signalling her rejection of the traditional Irish republican tactic of abstentionism (being absent from Westminster). On 22 April 1969, the day before her 22nd birthday, she swore the Oath of Allegiance[3] and made her maiden speech within an hour.[4]”

      https://www.revolvy.com/topic/Bernadette%20Devlin%20McAliskey&item_type=topic

      I defy anyone to accuse Bernadette Devlin’s action as, “a pile of steaming proddie horse shit!”

      If they are to counter the DUP, Sinn Fein and Adams need to pull their hidebound heads out of their arse, stop being so precious and bite the bullet. Devlin had to do it. Harawira had to do it. Sinn Fein must too.

      The need has never been greater.

      The consequence of not doing so, will be dire for the people of Northern Ireland, and Britain.

  9. well put Christine, there will be lots of opportunities for a strong opposition to destabilise the tory/DUP relationship and get back to the “main game” of societal change

  10. Corbyn has broken neoliberalisms rib only. The beast is wounded but not down. It is still winning if short of breath. Points victory for the round to Corbyn, more rounds to come. Can we deliver the knockout?

    Things to remember. Wounded beasts are dangerous. To finish them off requires commitment and focus.

    So let’s take the round and know that we can fight the beast. We still need to outright it so stay alert

  11. Theresa May’s austerity, and threats to reduce human rights protections to combat terrorism, reinforced the ‘radicalism’ of Corbyn’s approach, even though the Conservative agenda is really the one that should be seen as deviant from moral norms. With Corbyn and his policy commitments, you got a sense that was more than just rhetoric. These were principles, that were worth sticking to, even if they raised ire of established elites, even if it alienated him from his party!

    Corbyn puts his success down to this ‘radical’ vision for a fairer Britain. “People have said they’ve had enough of austerity politics, of public expenditure cuts, of underfunding health, schools, education …for not giving young people the chance they deserve’.

    ………………………………………………………………………………………..

    Its more than just a wonderful dream , it is now a reality. This is the sort of thing I and many others have been saying for years , and I particularly like the way you pointed out that neo liberalism should be the one to be seen as an ABERRANT economic ideology. Not the other way round.

    We’ve all had a fair gutsful of the lies of TINA . None of us who knew what once was in New Zealand pre 1984 were ever fooled by that cock and bull story. Ever.

    And for the UK , its taken 3 decades of the same crap. And now it looks as if they are going to start to emerge from that long dark fetid tunnel. I hope,… that the lessons are driven home here and we start to see the same. Its time the people were set free and given their belongings, their dignity and their sovereignty back.

    Well done Mr Jeremy Corbyn, well done.

  12. The two main issues (IMO) are Brexit and Scottish Independence

    The latter took a major knock back with SNP losses across the board.

    The former will, I hope, take a more pragmatic line for a “soft Brexit” which most thinking eurosceptics always thought the best outcome (Norway option/EEA etc)

    [Andy, as a rule I never comment on the merits of a person’s post when it is well-written. However, considering I have deleted many of your comments because of their negative content, and have suspended you on occasion for over-stepping the mark, this is the sort of adult conversation I would like to see more from you. This is not to be taken as an endorsement of your opinions, but simply that the style is worth complimenting. Please keep it up. – Scarletmod]

  13. OK Now that I have gotten over allowing myself to be distracted by the usual neolib mis-directions, I wanted to say that I agree with those who see a geologic shift in accepted political discourse since Mr Corbyn showed us all specious chatter about outmoded socialism is merely another false construct engineered by those who profit from our ignorance delivered by those whose sociopathic adhesion to the greedies’ every whim is predicated on a false belief that the world is populated entirely by the selfish – apart from a few delusionals.

    The opposite is the case – it is the sociopaths who are the outliers and the vast majority of the population are normal decent humans who don’t object to making a personal sacrifice for the greater good as long that is indeed what happens.

    But it is important to acknowledge the reality of the political world – that despite ordinary humans’ devotion to the common good there is a dearth of Mr Corbyns in the corridors of power.
    Here in Aotearoa, we cannot expect to turn over any/every stone in the beehive and discover a human such as Mr Corbyn – a person whose life is defined by adhesion to the notion of melding reality to principle.
    Yet I have an awful dread of kiwis being confronted by a range of ageing opportunists posing as idealistic actioners come November 2017.

    I haven’t exactly wracked by brains over this but thus far I have only come up with one name – Sue Bradford.
    However Bradford lacks any sort of structure and/or a dedicated band of balls to the wall campaigners.
    I do hope that if she or another honest decent kiwi pol does give it a burl, they cut their cloth to suit our national identity and belief system. And understand that progress must be fought for, then won by dint of ethics combined with political nous and contemporary communication vectors, not by superficial appearances in established media, broadcasting messages comprised chiefly of “Hey over here! fer goodness sake – lookit me, I’m the kiwi Jezza”.

    You know, the sort of carry on which drove young kiwis away from such stunning acts of originality as ‘Occupy Aotea’.

    sorry about any typos it is late and my eyes may be born battlers but they struggle to deliver late late.

    • Well said Debsisdead

      “Here in Aotearoa, we cannot expect to turn over any/every stone in the beehive and discover a human such as Mr Corbyn – a person whose life is defined by adhesion to the notion of melding reality to principle.”

      The once noble middle class in New Zealand has hitched its wagon to the curiously strange but wealthy John Key and his boy-friday Billy English. They don’t give a damn about Aotearoa. In fact they despise Aotearoa. They are happy to sell it off to any taker for a pittance. As you well know.

      Labour doesn’t lack youth so much as it lacks a genuine, equality minded, patriotic and fraternal middle class.

      The Middle Class here and the Greens, really like that people earning $100k a year will receive an extra $56.00 a week. While people earning a mere $19.000 a year will receive an extra $1.30 per week. Courtesy of shadow man John Key and the wonderful “no crisis” “no poverty” Billy English.

      That is why Labor is polling so lowly. Decent people have dwindled away, panning for gold in the National Party.

    • Debs, I sympathize with what you say. In a similar vein at the last local body election in Wellington I decided that I couldn’t vote for anybody over 40…attended a “meet the candidates” event…my God all these really well healed “we know better” superannuitants and has beens…so much experience and capability but so very removed from others everyday reality. So many fat cats who sat on council too long. Cromwells address to the Long Parliament came to mind, “You have sat too long for all the good you have done…be gone!”

      So to raise hope I may be 60 and well healed and I suspect I’m not as myopic as my peers. I constantly see good focused young people who have principles and drive. I believe some new leaders will be uncovered, we need not despair. When we look at times of crisis and upheaval these people always emerge. I for one will applaud them shaping a new world to suit their needs. My generation has had our time.

  14. Corbyn and Sanders have shown what happens when you offer genuine socialism. We can only imagine what would have happened if their parties had shown them genuine respect.

    NZ’s Labour Party had no excuse. Genuine socialism or bust.

  15. ‘Labour AHEAD of Tories by six points in stunning new poll as public say Theresa May should resign.

    Jeremy Corbyn would be Prime Minister if an election was held tomorrow, according to the pollster which most accurately predicted Thursday’s election result.

    A new poll by Survation puts Labour six points ahead of the Tories on 45% of the vote.
    The Tories, meanwhile, polled 39% – almost four points below their result in the general election.
    It is the first time since Theresa May took power that any poll has put Labour ahead of the Conservatives.’

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/most-accurate-pollster-suggests-labour-10602762

  16. Until the corrupt money system -creating money out of thin air and charging interest on that money created out of thin air- is changed nothing changes for the better; until the dysfunctional economic system -rewarding destructive and unsustainable behaviour- is changed nothing else changes for the better: the bankers have a stranglehold on western nations and will not allow the dysfunctional money system to be changed or allow the dysfunctional economic system to be changed.

    Therefore, nothing will change, other than everything that matters being made ‘progressively’ worse by those ‘in control’*……until the energy supply fails or the environment completely collapses.

    * in practice control of the world by humans is a delusion, and nature will have the last word, as humans progressively destroy their own life-support systems via industrial activity predicated on the burning of fossil fuels.

  17. Rule Britaina, Britaina waives the rules. (again)

    The long tradition of injustice and duplicity practiced by British Governments and politicians, against the Irish and Ireland, (Britain’s first colony), is being repeated into the 21st Century by the British Conservative Party of Theresa May.

    The Northern Ireland peace process is under threat

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-40238283

    For expediency’s sake, Theresa May is tearing up one of the main tenets of the Good Friday Agreement, (GFA). The GFA stipulates that Westminster be a neutral party between the Northern Irish Unionist community and their political representatives, and the Northern Irish Republican community and their political representatives.

    There is no way that a Northern Ireland political party (of either side) can enter a coalition in Westminster without breaking the integrity of the GFA.

    Britain’s chief GFA negotiator, Johnathon Powell has warned of the consequences.

    Even John Major at his weakest, when he was struggling in the House of Commons, did not go into alliance with the DUP because he did not want to find himself depending on the DUP and unable to be even handed in Northern Ireland.”

    Johnathon Powell

    https://twitter.com/EL4JC/status/873188501990371330

    Who are the DUP? Many people in Britain and around the world turned to Google to find out, to be appalled to discover that the DUP is an organisation of Right Wing homophobic, anti-Catholic bigots, with official links to Right Wing extremist armed terrorist groups.

    The principle that underlies the GFA, are that policies agreed by all parties go ahead, but if one party doesn’t agree, then they don’t go ahead.

    In effect each side has the power of veto over the other.

    The DUP have put up a wishlist of conditions for propping up Theresa May’s minority Conservative government. The DUP are keeping the content of their wish list “close to the their chest”. But it is likely that on the DUP wishlist will be things that the other parties to the Good Friday Agreement oppose. If these items are agreed to by May, this will violate the principle of consent, and the spirit of the GFA.

    Unfortunately the other main party to the GFA, Sinn Fein, has made somewhat of a shibboleth of abstaining from Westminster, allowing the DUP and the Conservative Party’s duplicity and treachery to go unchecked. (Sinn Fein’s main objection to entering Westminster is that they couldn’t take the oath of loyalty to the British Queen).

    There have been efforts to persuade Adams and Sinn Fein to see the dangers of abstention at this time. Only to be accused by Adams, of being ‘Hurlers On The Ditch’, i.e. someone who criticises from the sidelines, but doesn’t take part. (Hurley being a popular, Gaelic team sports game). The irony contained in this accusation seems to have escaped Adams’ attention.

    http://www.thejournal.ie/sinn-fein-abstentionism-3436819-Jun2017/?utm_source=facebook_short

    But participating in democracy, if it means anything, is more than just taking part in parliament.

    Putting aside the thorny matter of abstention; it is incumbent on Sinn Fein, (if they are to escape being the ‘Hurlers On the Ditch’ that they accuse others of), to at the very least take some sort of political action to oppose this stitch up in contravention of the Good Friday Peace Agreement.

    After receiving one of their biggest electoral gains ever, Adams and Sinn Fein have a mandate to act.

    They should use this mandate to call on their supporters and allies in both Ireland and Britain to travel to Westminster for a mass protest rally against this corrupt deal between the Northern Ireland DUP and the British Conservative Party.

    Will they do it?

    Or will they become, what they accuse others of, ‘Hurlers On The Ditch’?

  18. Sinn Fein, instead of weakly calling on others to act, need to do something, anything. Either that or become completely irrelevant.

    Tory pact with the DUP could risk Northern Ireland peace process, says Ireland’s Prime Minister

    Enda Kenny, the Irish Prime Minister, has warned Theresa May that her pact with the DUP could put the peace process in Northern Ireland at risk as questions were raised about the Government’s ability to remain an impartial “honest broker”.
    Mr Kenny, who will retire as Taoiseach later this month, spoke to Mrs May to voice his concerns over the “confidence and supply” arrangement that leaves the Tories relying entirely on the support of the unionist party’s 10 MPs to be able to govern.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/11/tory-pact-dup-could-risk-northern-ireland-peace-process-says/

  19. Right-wing terrorists on the march

    Loyalist anti-Catholic and anti-republican DUP supporters have been emboldened by the British Conservative Party reaching out to the DUP to form the government. The extremist sectarian group the Orange Order are demanding the right to resume holding violent triumphalist marches through the heart of Irish Nationalist communities. These often drunken and violent celebrations of anti-Catholic bigotry were banned from entering predominantly Catholic and Irish Nationalist areas as part of the Northern Ireland Peace Process.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk.fxsc.ru/news/article-4593224/DUP-supporters-want-PM-sanction-banned-Orange-march.html

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