GODFATHER WANTS DATE FROM ROBINSON
Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 12:38PM 
A date for the transfer of policing and justice powers to Northern Ireland must be set before Christmas, Martin McGuinness has said. The Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister was speaking after meeting the Republic of Ireland's leader, Brian Cowen.
As you may know, the DUP have been prevaricating on this for one simple reason - it will cost them even more votes comes the General Election. The Robinson plan has been to keep trying to kick this forward into the long grass and his bluff has been called by IRA/Sinn Fein. Robinson, of course, WANTS to see Policing and Justice devolved so he is ideologically aligned with McGuinness - the problem is how this is sold to the unionist electorate so perhaps slipping a date in place in the run up to Christmas and then making sure it does not actually kick in until after June of next year is the desperate hope of the DUP. They have arranged for Alliance leader David Ford to play the role of stooge Minister for Policing and Justice in an attempt to hide the awful truth - namely that the IRA could get one of it's men to hold this post further down the road.
All the DUP bluster about P&J is aimed at re-assuring its voter base that it is being "tough" on this crunch issue even as it prepares to roll over once again. The people will judge the DUP and I believe they will suffer severe damage care of their lust for power and lack of integrity.
DUP, Policing and Justice, Sinn Fein 
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Reader Comments (5)
The DUP and Alliance's Ford have been at odds lately, so only time will tell if the relations have sunk enough for the dupers to withdraw their support for Ford as the candidate for the post of justice minister. If that happens then things could become interesting.
If not Ford, I wonder what other stooge they could get? Dawn Purvis perhaps?
Shinners would never allow Purvis. If you allow Purvis then why not Gerry Kelly or any member of Sinn Féin? If the Alliance says no to the post, and they might, then there will be a deal done and it will probably go to Alex Attwood. The Ulster Unionists have said they would support an SDLP member for the role (the D'hondt would give an 11th Ministry to the SDLP).
In reality, I don't think Peter Robinson really has an opinion on Policing and Justice. I don't think he supports it being introduced but I think he also realises that Sinn Féin won't tolerate it not being introduced. If Robbo isn't careful, though, Sinn Féin will collapse the Executive and we will have fresh elections. The DUP want to get beyond the Westminster elections before an Assembly or Local election. After the Westminster election you will probably have a situation whereby not only will the TUV not have won any seats (in two straight elections), they will have caused Sinn Féin to be the largest party (for two straight elections) and will probably cost Unionism seats in Westminster. It give Robbo more propoganda to use against Allister.
On the other hand, the TUV will probably win a number of Assembly seats and a number of council seats and that could turn them from being a joke party into an actual real party.
Seamus
Attwood - my god, it gets worse.
As for the TUV impact, we shall see. If they are a "joke" I don't see Robinson laughing. In fact, the ONLY thing stopping P&J being devolved is the pressure brought by Jim Allister.
No, the only thing stopping P&J being devolved is the perceived pressure from Jim Allister. The DUP think he is a threat and are thus treating him like one. Just because the DUP lost their nerve doesn't mean that Jim is in anyway special. If the DUP got on with the job and ignored Jim Allister then he would simply fade away.