Robinson Claims 'Unanimous' Support for Policing & Justice Deal

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It was almost midnight when First Minister Peter Robinson, flanked by Arlene Foster and Sammy Wilson, emerged from a meeting of DUP representatives at Stormont to announce that his party had lent its unanimous suport to a deal covering the devolution of Policing & Justice powers to the Stormont Assembly. This despite reports earlier in the week of serious discord in the party over the proposed deal with Sinn Féin. It's likely that the carrot of a bail out for investors in the failed Presbyterian Mutual Society and the stick of an imminent election to the Stormont Assembly concentrated the minds of potential dissidents.

Prime Minster Gordon Brown and Taoiseach Brian Cowen are due in the North early tomorrow to preside over the formalities.

BBC News - DUP backs power-sharing deal with Sinn Fein

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The whole thing stinks.
It would be very discouraging if the DUP were handed some sort of bribe for supporting powersharing.
The British government should have taken back the money offered for this devolution of P&J and told the DUP where to go.

The pussyfooting around these fools will only encourage them in the future.
This is only the beginning as the DUP could now well get more of a taste for causing disruption, especially if they are rewarded for it.

Its great if people get their money back from the PMS, but it would better if all these investment societies were treated the same and got bailed out.
It would very odd if one was bailed out yet others wernt, under what legal terms could you use tax payers money for this one single organisation yet not others?
I cant see them pulling this one off.
All sorts of questions will be asked if the British government do refund their money as this society was not a bank and there are many other such organisations in the same position who will get nothing.
Making an exception to this organisation because they are potential DUP voters, is not good for democracy.
Its not like the DUP were pushing for all such organisations to get bailed out, only a specific one which will help them electorally.

The DUP stated that a bail out of the PMS would help 'Unionist confidence', therefore they viewed this as a Unionist organisation.
It was another irrelevent precondition the DUP tried to attatch to devolution of P&j, or to put it bluntly another bribe they used under the threat of destroying the Stormont institutions.
Many other investment organisations have not been bailed out, infact have any?
If your investment organisation is used by potential DUP voters does that mean it deserves a bail out?

This is a case of the DUP looking for votes, and they would bring the institutions to the brink to get them.
Time will tell if the DUP's two faced combination of having a total distain for Catholics and everything Irish, while almost destroying powersharing to get Unionists investors bailed out, will work.

We're still in a position where Unionists do not support the St.Andrews agreement and the DUP have not yet fully embraced powersharing and probobly never will.

The peace process and the GFA arnt toys for the DUP to play around with when they want their own way.
As I stated before this is only the beginning, the governments have been feeding the hardliners in the DUP and they will now continue to have influence here.

The disruption and damage to the reputation of the north should not be rewarded, the DUP should have been punished.
Expect more of the same nonsence and disruption in the future.
It's a dangerous idea to reward the DUP for their actions, and who knows where it could lead.

The angry goblin behind the DUP's shoulder wasnt happy with them for continuing their powersharing with the 'taigs'.

TUV leader Jim Allister said: "The DUP MLAs who buckled tonight not only let themselves down, but, more importantly, let their country down."

"The deal hasn't changed, only the snowmen of the DUP who melted once the heat came on."

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I don't know if PMS is getting a bail out after all. It's certainly not in the agreement.

I'd say Brown is more happy with this - so long as it doesn't unravel before the General Election. It gives him both a diplomatic triumph and the opportunity to play the role of peacemaker.

As for the DUP, well it seems the threat of a Stormont election was enough to make Dodds and co back down in the end. It reamins to be seen if they will fight a rearguard action in the Assembly over the coming months. Apparently the parading issues has to be agreed or at least discussed before the devolution of P & J is actually approved.

[odie1kanobe]

Unionism is not used to finding itself in a dark room where all its fairweather Brit friends have abandoned it.

So easy to see this coming as give them the trappings of power and wait a bit then remind them of their responsibilities.

When they laugh at that then remind them about taking it all away and find a sacrificial lamb (Hello Iris) and remind what dirt is available on them all. Bringing down Iris was a message of sorts in that if FM's wife was fair game then so was everybody.

Brits are good at this and have lots of experience.

[conspiracy theorist]

I usually go into hiding when the missus talks about PMS

[joel]

The fascist marches against Jews in London's East End were universally condemned. Yet these marches against Catholics are accomadated. Explain.

Surely Europe should be involved in tacking Facism within the EU?

[Aristodemus]

I've just listened to Eamon McCann on Newstalk and he thinks this is far from a done deal. According to his timeframe the parades issue has to be addressed before the vote on P& J, which suggests that if the DUP is not satisfied on that score the whole thing is back up in the air.

[st333ve]

Have the UUP backed it yet?

If need be they could easily play the angry Unionist just as well as the DUP.

[Chauncey Gardner]

I've just listened to Eamon McCann on Newstalk and he thinks this is far from a done deal. According to his timeframe the parades issue has to be addressed before the vote on P& J, which suggests that if the DUP is not satisfied on that score the whole thing is back up in the air.

I agree with that take on it. Apart from cowens joke about him and the PM leaving last week being the most helpful thing they could do....the one comment that stuck in my mind was robinson saying "we'll take it to the people".....

he was obviously referring to the march vote in stormont on p&j. which essentially kicks the whole deal to touch. A lot can happen between now and then....but with the general election in the UK looming, the unionists know they may hold the key to a hung parliament in london. Also, the breathing space offers robinson to distance himself from the 50,000 pound scandal with his wife....and allow unionist canvassers to regroup and bring the electorae back on board.

one thing was clear from recent events and that is if there was a snap election, if McGuinness stepped down, unionism would have been toast. A lot of seats lost.

today's deal is positive...but, I can't help but feel that it's a political manoeuvre to buy more time for the unionists and shift it closer to the general election in the UK.

[Chauncey Gardner]

Have the UUP backed it yet?

If need be they could easily play the angry Unionist just as well as the DUP.

the UUP are playing it really cute at the moment....they are slipping into bed with david cameron, who wants to follow in the footsteps of Randolph churchill, Margaret Thatcher (amongst many others) and play the "orange card", while at the same time they know robinson and the DUP are toast. the body language of nigel dodds and george campbell suggested that they were extremely reluctant guests at this mornings press conference.

My money is on reg empey becoming the first minister after the march 9th vote on p&j collapses into a farce and sinn féin withdraw McGuinness, causing a snap election.

After the general election in the UK, if cameron follows through and plays the orange card to get a majority....the whole situation will go even more pear shaped.

The flip side possibility is the DUP genuinely do want and agree to devolution from the UK, further weakening the union and leaving themselves wide open for the inevitable path towards reunification. if that's what's going on...one would be extremely churlish not to applaud the way Sinn Féin have played their chips.