Ervine to join UUP assembly group

[padraig]

Progressive Unionist Party leader David Ervine is expected to join the Ulster Unionist group when the Northern Ireland Assembly is recalled on Monday.

BBC News

[campbeca]

Interesting. He's a very intelligent, well-spoken man and he's apologised for his past so I have a lot of time for the man

[padraig]

If he does, then the UUP would qualify for a extra Ministerial post.

[rockofcashel]

I just heard about this on the radio.

The only reason Ervine intends to vote with the UUP is to deny SF a ministerial seat in any elected executive. He will not be leaving the PUP.

I thought Ervine was better than this, but it seems that he too cannot leave cynical posturing behind. So much for "Progressive Unionism", especially given the stance of Reg Empey not to sit in any Executive with Sinn Fein in the lifetome of this Assembly.

[baldur0300]

I just heard about this on the radio.

The only reason Ervine intends to vote with the UUP is to deny SF a ministerial seat in any elected executive. He will not be leaving the PUP.

I thought Ervine was better than this, but it seems that he too cannot leave cynical posturing behind. So much for "Progressive Unionism", especially given the stance of Reg Empey not to sit in any Executive with Sinn Fein in the lifetome of this Assembly.

To play the devil's advocate, if the position were reversed would you not want and expect an independent republican to join SF (even if only in a token manner) if it meant the republican cause gaining another ministerial position at the expense of the unionists?

[rockofcashel]

I just heard about this on the radio.

The only reason Ervine intends to vote with the UUP is to deny SF a ministerial seat in any elected executive. He will not be leaving the PUP.

I thought Ervine was better than this, but it seems that he too cannot leave cynical posturing behind. So much for "Progressive Unionism", especially given the stance of Reg Empey not to sit in any Executive with Sinn Fein in the lifetome of this Assembly.

To play the devil's advocate, if the position were reversed would you not want and expect an independent republican to join SF (even if only in a token manner) if it meant the republican cause gaining another ministerial position at the expense of the unionists?

Of course. But its easier pontioficate from the high moral ground :wink:

[baldur0300]

I just heard about this on the radio.

The only reason Ervine intends to vote with the UUP is to deny SF a ministerial seat in any elected executive. He will not be leaving the PUP.

I thought Ervine was better than this, but it seems that he too cannot leave cynical posturing behind. So much for "Progressive Unionism", especially given the stance of Reg Empey not to sit in any Executive with Sinn Fein in the lifetome of this Assembly.

To play the devil's advocate, if the position were reversed would you not want and expect an independent republican to join SF (even if only in a token manner) if it meant the republican cause gaining another ministerial position at the expense of the unionists?

Of course. But its easier pontioficate from the high moral ground :wink:

Very true. I do it myself a good bit as well.

[Sidewinder]

So much for Unionism's principled opposition to dealing with terrorists.

Yet again, a free pass. Why?

[jjacollins]

Sidewinder wrote: So much for Unionism's principled opposition to dealing with terrorists.

Yet again, a free pass. Why?

Come on now sidewinder, don't you know by now that only Republicans are terrorists, trying to destroy the political utopia of Norn Iron.

[hiding behind a poster]

Of course. But its easier pontioficate from the high moral ground :wink:

Except for the difficulties in finding a space there.