Unanimously Unconvinced 2
Well what to say about that DUP meeting. It was pretty clear when I posted my entry last night in the immediate wake of the DUP news conference that the "no running commentary" line would not hold for long. Since then we have had claims of resignation threats, substantiation of the internal DUP vote and DUP denials that Peter Robinson made any "back me or sack me" ultimatum.
For the best account of what did or did not happen yesterday I commend you to my colleague Martina Purdy's analysis piece.
Whether you think Peter Robinson is the new David Trimble or not, it's clear that he is having real problems convincing his party to sign on the dotted line. Mr Robinson was at Hillsborough Castle continuing the negotiations tonight. Senior DUP sources say he will go back to his Assembly group either tomorrow or Thursday.
Whilst understandably the internal machinations of the DUP took centre stage today, the Ulster Unionists also came in for a bit of attention. Whilst some assumed when Mr Robinson travelled back at one point from Hillsborough to Stormont that he was breifing his own team I am told he was in fact holding a planned meeting with Sir Reg Empey (no need for an English country house this time) to brief the Ulster Unionist leader on the deal.
Sir Reg also took a call this morning from Gordon Brown who tried to convince him to get off the fence and back the deal. The prime minister's carrot, it's understood, was an assurance that any package will deal with Ulster Unionist concerns about the inefficient operation of the Stormont Executive. Mr Brown's stick came in the form of a warning that if the deal fails and the Assembly collapses then there will be no suspension but a snap election. The government must calculate that this will send the shivers up the UUP timbers, although I'm not sure they have any more to fear from the prospect than the DUP.
Tomorrow we can predict with a degree of certainty there will be an interruption to the process. That's because Shaun Woodward and many local MPs will be in Westminster for Northern Ireland questions, which includes a question from Eddie McGrady on the state of the Hillsborough talks.
It's understood that Micheal Martin also has an important engagement in London on Thursday, related to the Irish diaspora, which he is intending to keep.
I'm 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~54~RS~)
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Mark,
Eddie who? Is this the same Eddie McGrady who is heard and seen only at election time!!
Looks like the clock is ticking on Robinson. What will you do? You will be devasted...
Stormontspy
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Spinspamspun,
Check out the blog - quick on the draw. Look at post 24 and let me know your thoughts.
Stormontspy
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I saw that Phoenix magazine article earlier as well, Stormontspy. I'm sure the spooks would have known about what was happening with the Robinsons but I don't get how they would have been party to the leak. I can see their having reason to leak, but as far as I am aware the source was Selwyn Black and no other. Unless a spook corroborated everything off the record to the Spotlight team, but that is just conjecture. Does anyone know what MI5 did?
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Patrick_78
This story has become more interesting has time moves on. For 2 weeks before Peter's staged press conference in the Robinson pile, rumours had been rife something was afoot. In the Spotlight programme itself, Selwyn Black resigned as Iris' aide in early December. Soon afterwards there was whispers that the BBC had someone in court with documents and a computer seized. What was on this computer!! Maybe MI5 brought Selwyn together with the BBC or maybe Selwyn is MI5...
Stormontspy
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Fewer comments !!
Lessor embarrassing comments !!!
Responds to posts !!!
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Where are all my comments ???
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Mark
DONALDSON CONFIRMS DETAILS OF SECRET BALLOT
Jeffrey risked a rare public appearance on this morning's GMU to remind us that he is alive and well.
Jeffrey did his best. He denied vehemently that his party had held a secret ballot on the P & J deal. He squirmed and he wriggled, alas in vain. He was so unconvincing that he as good as confirmed the BBC report that 14 MLAs had voted no to the package.
So Jeffrey is no longer lying low, he's just lying.
Susie
Carryduff
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Mark
DUP DISSIDENTS DISCLOSED
Here's the Dirty Dozen + 2, courtesy of the Irish News.
Nigel Dodds
Gregory Campbell
Willie McCrea
Ian McCrea
Trevor Clarke
Adrian McQuillan
Lord Morrow
Michelle McIlveen
Tom Buchanan
Allan Bresland
David Simpson
Stephen Moutray
Jim Wells
Mervyn Storey
While the list contains most of the usual suspects, I'm rather surprised that Nelson McCausland is absent; surely he has nothing to fear from the Sunday papers, unlike Jeffrey.
Susie
Carryduff
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I wonder if Martin and Gerry are taking Peter aside to offer a potted history of Michael Collins' fate at the Anglo-Irish negotiations, and on the role of Eamon de Valera (pace Dodds). The parallel is as ironic as it is compelling.
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I think Dodds has had PR's card marked re his 'zombie leadership' role, for weeks. The appearance of Nigel's name on the dissident list of 14 is inexplicable otherwise.
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Orange Societies have produced the most mischievous effects... They poison the very foundation of justice....
It is my settled opinion, that until these [Orange] associations are effectively put down and the arms taken from their hands, in vain will the North of Ireland expect tranquillity or peace (Judge Fletcher’s address to a Grand Jury in Wexford, in August, 1812. For more just Google the OrangeCitadel blogspot.
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I think I've found something a bit fishy here Susie. According to Martina'a article that Mark linked above, Jim Wells was not at the meeting to anonymously vote on the proposal. So how then was he one of the fourteen no votes?
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Mark
No mystery.
Wells probaly authorised a colleague to act as his proxy to pop the voting paper into "a box was [that] left outside the meeting room for MLAs to post their views".
Perhaps Jeffrey did a friend a favour.
Susie
Carryduff
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Patrick
REVISED POST 13
No mystery.
Wells probably authorised a colleague to act as his proxy to pop the voting paper into "a box was [that] left outside the meeting room for MLAs to post their views".
Perhaps Jeffrey did a friend a favour.
Susie
Carryduff
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Mark
PETER ROBINSON IS INNOCENT, OK?
It was with much relief to me, but no surprise, that the Barrister engaged by the Departmental Solicitor's Office has found Peter innocent of any breach of the ministerial code. All right thinking people believed that the allegation was scurrilous in the first place. I sincerely hope that the Barrister's findings put paid to any further gossip and rumour-mongering about Peter who is above reproach in every respect.
I think it appropriate that I should also commend the work of the Barrister who carried out what has clearly been a thorough and professional investigation. He has served Ulster well. I look forward to the publication of his comprehensive report which, no doubt, will set out his detailed findings based on exhaustive and painstaking research that prove Peter's innocence beyond doubt.
Finally, I would urge DFP Minister Sammy Wilson to write to the Departmental Solicitor's Office, which operates under the auspices of DFP, to thank them for arranging such a speedy resolution of this whole sorry business. I would also ask Sammy to consider sending a personal note of thanks to the Barrister for his contribution to justice in our wee country.
We should all give thanks that justice has been well-served today in our beloved Ulster.
Susie
Carryduff
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I can't wait until spring so I can WHITE WASH the house...
I think the leader of 'HMS Rudderless' is very mistaken if he thinks we commoners are stupid. After the PSNI, Westminster, Assembly, Castlereagh investigations are all over, the press will have a field day, he obviously has something up his sleeve but he will go down in history as a bigot, a swindler and a man married to a woman fond of white pudding.
P.S. Mark, I noticed you got some of your hair cut, when are you getting the rest of it cut??
Maybe when the DUP accept that republicans are top of the table and growing!!!
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DisgustedinDERRY,
More tribal politics from you! When will you face up to the reality?
Stormontspy
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The DUPs manifesto quotes 7 principles which they stick too. do you think they have broken these two?
No negotiating with the representatives of terrorism,but we will talk to other democratic parties.
Terrorist structures and weaponary must be removed before the bar of the Stormont Executive can be opened.
has this in the DUPs eyes been fulfilled.
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