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Original poster

The DUP - what do they actually want?

106 replies

FlyingFlamingo · 20/10/2019 11:12

I’m in Wales and I’d be interested to hear from someone from NI who may be able to answer (or may not Grin).

What is the DUP’s ideal scenario? I know what they don’t want - they didn’t like the backstop, they don’t want to remain, they want out of the CU and SM, they don’t want a border in the Irish Sea (which I get) but what other options are there? I’m genuinely confused! Would they be happy (secretly or openly) with a hard border in Ireland?

Thank you to anyone able to explain?

OP posts:
FadingStar · 20/10/2019 12:35

I'm in NI and have no idea...although I'm nationalist so don't really know the DUP as well as the people who vote for them do. Having said that, on the Stephen Nolan show this week one of their voters came on to rant about how nationalists take money with the Queen's head on it and don't complain - if this is the quality of argument the DUPers have then I don't think any of them know what the hell they want.

SegregateMumBev · 20/10/2019 15:24

They are for being super duper British. (Except when it comes to religiousy moral stuff like gay marriage and abortion rights)

They've always been suspicious of Europe, and the influence of Rome dating back to fears about Catholicism.

They claim to want what's best for the people of NI, but seem to be ignoring their big fan base among the farming community, who really really don't want a hard border.

HollowTalk · 20/10/2019 15:27

They did vote for Remain, I think. Apart from that they want to be treated just the same as the rest of the UK.

yellowallpaper · 20/10/2019 15:36

I've asked the same question somewhere! I'm utterly confused with their arguments and no idea what their end game wants to be. They come across as a bit rabid at times I'm sorry to say. They are holding up Brexit and risking no deal which would be a disaster for all Ireland, they don't represent the majority (although they were elected under the system as it stands). They don't want Remain, even though NI voted to so in theory they should be a Remain party. They are just another madness the Brexit debate has exposed.

SegregateMumBev · 20/10/2019 15:44

They were not a pro-Remain party, no. They campained for Leave.

HollowTalk · 20/10/2019 15:45

Did they? I thought I'd heard they voted Remain - I was surprised when I heard it, though!

Outsomnia · 20/10/2019 15:46

They are known colloquially as the "NO to everything" Party.

AFAIS they want absolutely NO divergence in rules for NI in relation to GB. None, even if it sabotages business and the cross border lives of people on the island of Ireland, and endangers the GFA. They hated the GFA anyway, so that's par for the course.

So they bullheaded their way to this pass. Johnson has kicked them to the kerb and they are feeling a bit sore now for their lack of political acuity. Single mindedness does not solve anything, but they refused point blank to compromise. Even when their most loyal supporters, i.e. the wealthy Protestant farmers of NE Ulster asked them to back off and protect their cross border businesses. You could not make it up.

So IMV they want nothing that will move NI from the UK and NI bond. But that would not have happened anyway even with the current deal. Zealots will never see the light of reality unfortunately, so now they have a deal that is much worse for their ideology than TM's was. And they know it now too.

They, in their intransigence have ensured that a Border Poll will happen within ten years. They have surely fecked everything up for their supporters.

And they have links to Loyalist Paramilitaries, that could kick off soon enough, and they have had shady enrichment dealings with the Cash for Ash scandal. But no one seems to care about that.

Sorry for rambling on here, but they are a total disaster. Ian Paisley on steroids party. LOL if only it were funny.

yellowallpaper · 20/10/2019 16:03

outsomnia thanks for that. I thought it was only me with my fragile grasp of NI politics who though the DUP were batshit

RuggerHug · 20/10/2019 16:13

Flegs. Lots of Flegs.

Oakenbeach · 20/10/2019 16:34

Did they? I thought I'd heard they voted Remain - I was surprised when I heard it, though!

NI votes Remain.... The DUP campaigned for Leave - which makes absolutely no sense to me at all, unless they were hoping it would lead to a hard border and further detachment from RoI.

Bluntness100 · 20/10/2019 16:37

Apart from that they want to be treated just the same as the rest of the UK

Which is bonkers as they are the only part of Britain with a land border with the eu, so they are by definition different. No way round the geography.

MockersthefeMANist · 20/10/2019 16:57

...they want to be treated just the same as the rest of the UK.

But with No Gays, No Abortion, and Definitely No Dinosaurs.

Bellsandwhistle · 20/10/2019 17:10

They are very slow learners who don’t like change so having voted leave they’ve eventually realised that’s not a good thing but can’t u-turn so will keep frustrating things as much as they can as they actually don’t have a plan to give them what they want as they don’t actually know what that is.

An example is the GFA which they were against but eventually realised was a good thing but have now frustrated by not being able to work fully with partners in government at Stormont unless they get what they want which they aren’t quite sure what it is except so they won’t go back in until it changes/they get what they want/ the other side doesn’t get what they want. Simple.

motherofdoodles · 20/10/2019 17:14

@HollowTalk they voted leave, campaigned strongly for it. It's difficult to say what the DUP want as they insist the want complete equality with GB, however not in some areas, women's rights and same sex marriage . They also say now that they are against the current deal as it is not in line with the Good Friday Agreement. Only sticking point there is they were the only party against the GFA and did not sign up to it? I think they want to be on the mainland and I'm not sure how they're going to achieve that (would Boris' Bridge make them happy?) other than that I'm afraid I have to conclude the DUP would be happier if the nationalist community in NI moved to the Republic of Ireland, leaving NI completely Loyalist. 🤷🏼‍♀️

TerribleCustomerCervix · 20/10/2019 17:14

The DUP have done more for Irish Reunification in the last 3 years than Sinn Fein have done in the previous 2 decades.

Original poster
FlyingFlamingo · 20/10/2019 17:24

Thanks for your replies.

I’m still no clearer but that’s no fault of any of your answers Grin

So basically in their fantasies we move NI and stick it onto NE England/Wales? Sounds feasible. Let’s just do that then Grin

OP posts:
Goricki19 · 20/10/2019 17:27

Basically they want to be part of Britain and have no catholic’s or Irish identifiers in their land! Preferably they would like someone with a big pair of scissors to come and cut off Northern Ireland and move it over beside England,probably leaving Derry behind due to its catholic majority. I presume when they get there they would want any samesex couples to move elsewhere and the streets to be donned with flegs 🤷🏻‍♀️

jamburglar · 20/10/2019 17:30

They want to have their cake and eat it. Except if it's a gay cake, of course.

I honestly don't think they know what they want, because over here their shouty meaningless soundbites seem to be enough to stir their voter base, and I guess they're a bit shocked it's not washing elsewhere.

motherofdoodles · 20/10/2019 17:33

@TerribleCustomerCervix neither Sinn Fein nor the DUP have rocked up to the assembly for 2.75 years now! 1007 days now. Meanwhile hospital lists are off the scale, schools have no budgets and the economy in NI is shot. Shower of useless glipes the lot of them. Government is about governance, about moving forward and growth not harking back to past pains. Everyone in NI has those. Thus the GFA, acknowledgement of the suffering of the past, respecting each other's beliefs and right of identity and living together in peace.

motherofdoodles · 20/10/2019 17:34

@Goricki19 lolling at Derry just floating there ...

Outsomnia · 20/10/2019 17:35

Ironically they are Christian Fundies, but didn't worry about that when taking Cash for Ash irreverently. Huh. Fair weather God botherers, when it suits them.

NI is totally ruined by such parties. Funny that Sinn Fein has not put its head above the parapet yet. But I suppose why should they if their opponents are doing all the heavy lifting and making asses out of themselves.

I get the shivers now, thinking that it may all kick off again. Hopefully not, but I know who I will blame anyway if it does.

Numptydumptycat · 20/10/2019 17:50

The best way you can think of the DUP is to think of your Brexit party. They have very similar ideologies I would say.

GymKitJen · 20/10/2019 17:52

😆 'flegs, lots of flegs'

Outsomnia · 20/10/2019 18:05

What DUP have to face up to is the fact that no one cares what they think anymore in Westminster. New session in Parliament, they are no longer of any use now.

Hard lesson, but true.

lolaflores · 20/10/2019 18:07

In the main, NI voted remain.
DUP represent a dwindling group of very hardline loyalist voters. They are a throwback dinosaurs but have finageld themselves a seat at the grown up table and are swinging their teeny bit of power.
They want to be relevant although they no longer are. Even the mention of Dublin gives them hives.
Hopefully, BJ will find a route round them.
The republic are beginning ing to realise that they have to get past their Protestant aversion too. Somehow well all meet in the middle.

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