Hard skins and tough stomachs
So we're back outsides the gates of Hillsborough Castle - it all seems such a throwback to the days of Blair and Ahern.
Can Gordon and Brian follow in the footsteps of the great persuaders?
After leaving at three in the morning, the parties returned here at around ten o'clock.
Peter Robinson has just been out to speak to us, portraying an image of sweet reasonableness. He stressed the need for progress to be made on parades hand in hand or with any move forward on policing.
Questioned about some of his colleagues invective (last night Sammy Wilson accused Sinn Fein of throwing a hissy fit) the DUP leader said that you could hear far worse at Westminster. He added that the politicians had hard skins and tough stomachs and were prepared to roll up their sleeves and get on with the job.
Intriguingly, he claimed that his party feared no date for the transfer of justice powers but made it clear that any date would be subject to satisfying his conditions.
The Ulster Unionists have complained that whilst they were in the building last night they have not been included in any real negotiations. Ulster Unionist sources are blaming Sinn Fein for seeking to keep the cast list and the agenda narrow.
The DUP say the other parties were brought in at their insistence and any deal should involve as wide a range of support as possible.
I'm 
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There will be no deal, at best there will be a SAA style fudge which will lead us to "crisis" again in a while. Best outcome would be to shut up shop. It's a waste of money.
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Post 1,
I completely agree. Time to pull the structures down, pay no salaries and expenses and tell them to get a real job.
Stormontspy
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Hear Hear!! Get rid of the whole rotten system. Events since 2007 has shown that we are not fit to govern ourselves. We need 20 years of direct rule until a new generation of politicians emerges who don't have the whole mindset of The Troubles that our current lot do and who realize that government isn't about trying to put one over on "them ones!"
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Thanks Spy and Jp! It has to go as it has proven beyond any shadow of doubt that the current crop of politicians have neither the will or desire to move this place forward. Blocking themuns is all they are interested in. And another thing the OO parades precondition makes me wonder what the hell is going on. Ok the PC is not popular with either group in relation to certain areas but surely it could be argued by non marching, non resident group members to have been a success. Also SF needs to get their nose out of anything to do with an Irish language act. Their politicasation(sp) of the the language has done it no favours at all
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Well said.
Joint authority is just the tonic especially as we have those not wanting to exercise it properly and fairly, after countless chances during the last decade.
Joint authority will not be a representative democracy of course, but if it builds on peace, brings prosperity, better judgement and decision-making and a fairer penal system then isn't that more preferable than the existing set up?
I will have to wait a few more years for a democratic style of centrism but I suppose I have already gone without proper democracy for long enough and over the last decade in particular we have seen the benefits of joint stewardship of NI administration.
Also, it will make our governors impenetrable to journalism and its slurs and sensationalism which sets out to personally embarrass politicians rather than focus on public policy. As with no electoral base here, the press wont be able to destabilise the governors and they can get on with fixing proper policy to the benefit of the region.
I think a bi-national approach with consultative procedures to boot is the best way to consolidate peace and prosperity over the short to medium term.
A younger generation will hopefully be able to handle properly our recent history and govern in a more positive and stylish manner.
Ps yes Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern are persuasive people. I've come to the conclusion that Tony Blair is probably one of the best communicators in Britain - because Britain deserves better.
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