Bad News Day for the DUPers.

[BaggyTrousers]

Am I the only one to be concerned that (if Bell's account is correct) the elected ministers are actually accountable to the unelected DUP special advisors and not the other way around. And let's face it if it's like that in the DUP the other parties with ministers probably have similar arrangements

That is how I understand it too and whilst we all think of the elected representatives as "in charge" thank god they aren't, for in reality many, especially in NI, they tend to be loud mouthed bully boys rather than people of intellect, though of course not exclusively.

I have a long time friend who was in high position within a large NI business who had to deal with Gregory Campbell in connection with transport. They met on a regular basis and my friend could not get over the fact that here was essentially a buffoon who couldn't understand much of what was being said and constantly had to quiz his advisors to get any grip on matters of substance.

I think it's also fair to say that in most parties there are heavy hitters in the background who have as their main issue control of the party and what the public faces say and are allowed to say. That appears absolutely the case in the DUP. Based on Bell's account, assuming he is telling the truth.

[thecrouch]

Am I the only one to be concerned that (if Bell's account is correct) the elected ministers are actually accountable to the unelected DUP special advisors and not the other way around. And let's face it if it's like that in the DUP the other parties with ministers probably have similar arrangements

That is how I understand it too and whilst we all think of the elected representatives as "in charge" thank god they aren't, for in reality many, especially in NI, they tend to be loud mouthed bully boys rather than people of intellect, though of course not exclusively.

I have a long time friend who was in high position within a large NI business who had to deal with Gregory Campbell in connection with transport. They met on a regular basis and my friend could not get over the fact that here was essentially a buffoon who couldn't understand much of what was being said and constantly had to quiz his advisors to get any grip on matters of substance.

I think it's also fair to say that in most parties there are heavy hitters in the background who have as their main issue control of the party and what the public faces say and are allowed to say. That appears absolutely the case in the DUP. Based on Bell's account, assuming he is telling the truth.

I doubt anyone would be surprised to hear that Gregory Campbell is an idiot Baggy.

He doesn't hide it well.

[rumncoke]

Then as previously stated acting without approval is seeking retrospective approval and not a reason to keep the scheme open because there is no legal basis that costs incurred would be recovered .


A red herring excuse


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[Rooster]

A fact is DUP had previous to this a so called expert who knew feck all squared about his specialist subject and actually had a fake cv, they ignored warnings on that as well so it is nothing new.

[WeeWorld]

Prayers beforehand, quoting DOCTOR Paisley's advice about 3 separate times, quoting his wife's similar but less flowery advice, tears in his eyes, the little kiddies being sent home from hospital...
Could you believe anything a man like that says?

[thecrouch]

Prayers beforehand, quoting DOCTOR Paisley's advice about 3 separate times, quoting his wife's similar but less flowery advice, tears in his eyes, the little kiddies being sent home from hospital...
Could you believe anything a man like that says?

He comes across as a bit slimey and creepy, and the religious stuff is surely OTT, but do I believe him in this? Yes, absolutely.

Do I believe anything Foster said? No.

Do I believe the DUP? Not even a wee bit.

[big mervyn]

At the very least this poses serious questions about Arlene's ability to lead her party and the statelet. Even if you take everything she has said at face value, she obviously wasn't on top of her department, hadn't a clue what her SPADS were agreeing and in Dingers case, was happy to appoint someone who she allegedly knew to be a bully with an aggressive attitude to weemin, to a senior position in her Government.

[big mervyn]

Prayers beforehand, quoting DOCTOR Paisley's advice about 3 separate times, quoting his wife's similar but less flowery advice, tears in his eyes, the little kiddies being sent home from hospital...
Could you believe anything a man like that says?

He obviously believes that gave him extra credibility.

NO Jonathan, it makes you look like a f*cking nutcase! Only in this shitey wee country ...

[Wee Woman]

I had high hopes for Arlene initially, I really hoped that she would bring change in an already damaged party. It's disappointing that she's gone the other way and become just like the leader that went before her.

Last night was extraordinary, real TV and political dynamite. Bell came across as the more credible of the 2 IMO although it was excruciating to watch - the prayers, Paisley references, teary references to kids and hospitals was odd but I don't know much about Bell so can't judge if that was really heartfelt.

Arlene as someone mentioned earlier, talks to journalists in a condescending manner. The DUP have no love for the BBC and it shows through when she is interviewed by them. I also very much doubt that Arlene has ever felt physically intimidated by anyone. Interesting that other politicians are questioning if there has ever been any allegation against Bell being physically intimidating in the past, I don't recall hearing or reading anything.

But hey, it's just another case of 'he said, she said' between public representatives. Three sides to every story, it's just going to be expensive to get to that third version...

[WeeWorld]

Maybe she feels bullied when others aren't cowed into submission by her?

[shamalicious]

Bell came across much more sincerely than Arlene did (albeit he did go OTT and the praying beforehand was boke-inducing). He seemed much more willing to reveal all documentation whereas Arlene came across as arrogant, smug, and deflected the blame on to anyone else she could think of, BBC included. This "it wasn't brought to my attention" defence doesn't hold up for me at all.

The most infuriating thing about it is that the DUP are brushing it off as an internal party dispute when at the end of the day £400m of public money has been squandered. It should be treated as a crime!

[BaggyTrousers]

Maybe she feels bullied when others aren't cowed into submission by her?

Aye maybe so Small and maybe if yer grandma had balls she'd have been yer grandad.

As you will all know I have no time for the business if mentalist however, I do believe that Bell is sincere in his mentalist, therefore I'm tending to believe him, and certainly more than Mrs A Fascist, whose dying oath I would have doubt about.

[shamalicious]

Also, as a woman I found it incredibly offensive that she played the "male intimidation" card, and so crassly. If what she said about her and her female colleagues being intimidated, why didn't she report his behaviour?

[222toHounslow]

Never really trusted anyone who jumps ship when their party is losing the popular vote. Arlene falls into that category with Jeffrey Donaldson.

[Rooster]

Never really trusted anyone who jumps ship when their party is losing the popular vote. Arlene falls into that category with Jeffrey Donaldson.

Same here and I always think it should result in a bye election as the person you may have voted for then could be opposing the views of those who voted them in originally