A Tangled Web

'Ingredients in Place'? Must be Cowardly Custard



Peter Robinson made all the right noises during his foray into the Irish Republic yesterday. He claims a deal to restore the folly of devolution is tantalisingly close and that the pundits who had forecast obfuscation on the part of the DUP were very much mistaken. Let there be no doubt there are people in the DUP who would sell out their own family - never mind the Union - to experience of taste of power.



Sinn Fein/IRA are never going to completely disarm and disband. Why? Because to do so would make them like very other normal political party; experiencing difficulties and disappointments. Having the threat of a fully-armed Mafioso in the background brings them concessions. It's a lesson they have learned through decades of appeasement by successive pusillanimous governments. There is no way they are going to forsake that leverage. What's more, Mr Robinson and Co. damn well know it!!



Peter Robinson must be deluding himself if he thinks the pro-Union electorate sidelined the Vichy acolytes of Trimble's coterie to see them replaced by politicians who are determined to make a similar deal. Mr Robinson, the Unionist people elevated the DUP to prevent the re-admission of armed terrorists into power this side of eternity. They expect you to respect their mandate, not give encouragement to the barman and the butcher boy.