Comments on: John Coulter: Where the winds of change are perpetually blowing http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/11/27/john-coulter-where-the-winds-of-change-are-perpetually-blowing/ News, features and comment from Britain's left-wing magazine Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:32:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Seymour Major http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/11/27/john-coulter-where-the-winds-of-change-are-perpetually-blowing/comment-page-1/#comment-11162 Seymour Major Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:36:19 +0000 http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/?p=4735#comment-11162 <em>"Currently, Sinn Fein has five MPs to the SDLP’s three. However, the latter still refuses to take its seats in the House of Commons, making it a virtually insignificant Westminster force."</em> You mean "the former," dont you? Sorry to be a pedant. “Currently, Sinn Fein has five MPs to the SDLP’s three. However, the latter still refuses to take its seats in the House of Commons, making it a virtually insignificant Westminster force.”

You mean “the former,” dont you?

Sorry to be a pedant.

]]> By: Yip, he finally said it – a SDLP/SF alliance… « Bobballs! http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/11/27/john-coulter-where-the-winds-of-change-are-perpetually-blowing/comment-page-1/#comment-10880 Yip, he finally said it – a SDLP/SF alliance… « Bobballs! Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:29:48 +0000 http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/?p=4735#comment-10880 [...] columns approximate an assault on the senses. Weapon of choice this time? The Tribune. In the murky world of Irish political mergers and deals done behind closed doors, perhaps an [...] [...] columns approximate an assault on the senses. Weapon of choice this time? The Tribune. In the murky world of Irish political mergers and deals done behind closed doors, perhaps an [...]

]]> By: nineteensixtyseven http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/11/27/john-coulter-where-the-winds-of-change-are-perpetually-blowing/comment-page-1/#comment-10877 nineteensixtyseven Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:27:06 +0000 http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/?p=4735#comment-10877 "A merged, moderate republican party, operating both north and south of the border, might be able to market itself as an all-island alternative to Sinn Fein. The new united organisation could position itself as a centre left movement and make a point of contrasting its policies with Sinn Fein’s hard left agenda." Sinn Fein are about as 'hard left' as the British Labour Party. Conor Murphy hasn't built a single road without PFI and Caitriona Ruane is busy cutting extra-curricular provision to schools. "Currently, Sinn Fein has five MPs to the SDLP’s three. However, the latter still refuses to take its seats in the House of Commons, making it a virtually insignificant Westminster force." Are you sure you don't mean 'the former'? The SDLP take their seats. "If the new SDLP leader were come to some sort of arrangement with the Tories and the UUP, an SDLP MP might join them – perhaps as a junior Northern Ireland minister." And this is just fairy-tale stuff. Most SDLP members would consider themselves at least centre-left, some considering themselves social democrats or socialists. Mark Durkan has given the fact of a prospective Tory government as reason enough to stand again in Foyle so I don't know where you are getting this rubbish from. “A merged, moderate republican party, operating both north and south of the border, might be able to market itself as an all-island alternative to Sinn Fein. The new united organisation could position itself as a centre left movement and make a point of contrasting its policies with Sinn Fein’s hard left agenda.”

Sinn Fein are about as ‘hard left’ as the British Labour Party. Conor Murphy hasn’t built a single road without PFI and Caitriona Ruane is busy cutting extra-curricular provision to schools.

“Currently, Sinn Fein has five MPs to the SDLP’s three. However, the latter still refuses to take its seats in the House of Commons, making it a virtually insignificant Westminster force.”

Are you sure you don’t mean ‘the former’? The SDLP take their seats.

“If the new SDLP leader were come to some sort of arrangement with the Tories and the UUP, an SDLP MP might join them – perhaps as a junior Northern Ireland minister.”

And this is just fairy-tale stuff. Most SDLP members would consider themselves at least centre-left, some considering themselves social democrats or socialists. Mark Durkan has given the fact of a prospective Tory government as reason enough to stand again in Foyle so I don’t know where you are getting this rubbish from.

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