Annual Northern Ireland Debate

by wha? Tue Oct 14, 2003 20:13

2 UUs, one PUP, the Brit Amb, one BBCer, and Hugh Orde

Vs

One shinner and an SDLPer

That's harldy balanced is it? Also why are there no reps from parties/groups who reject sectarian politics like the SP/AF/SWP etc? They may not be very big, but at least they say something different.

by Janus Tue Oct 14, 2003 20:20

While agreeing there seems to be a bias against Nationalist and Republican speakers (Imagine my complete lack of shock considering it's a Trinity debate) I think expanding it to include some of those groups might be a little much.

Personally, though I have no intention of attending the debate, I would be interested in seeing someone from the SP speaking at these kinds of things because they are, as you say, different. Crucially, to me anyway, the SP also have, however small an amount, political support.

Groups like the SWP, Workers Party, Anarchists, CPI etc. as sound as individual members might be, have no actual support and no real significance as regards the North. Bluntly, no-one cares what their opinions are and no-one would be too stretched going to a debate to see them. (Speaking from a TCD perspective I would like to make sure it's understood)

I'm not arguing for electoralism precisely but when inviting people to speak at a political debate, their political support, their ideas and their skill as speakers should be included. The SP say something different to the others and have elected reps. The others do not.

Also, normal people aren't used to lefty meetings where everyone no matter how tiny or irrelevant their organisation has equal speaking time. Where do you stop adding people? Where do you draw the line between people with a valid contribution to make and the Sparticists, or the Sticks for that matter? A line has to be drawn somewhere and to do it on the basis of the party's importance to the Peace Process, the GFA and their political support makes as much sense as anything else.

by wha Tue Oct 14, 2003 23:30

basically, I was just saying that it seems to be a crowd of the usual suspects, and could simply be a questions & answers TV special. Some effort could have been made to incorporate those who 'think outside the box' (to use a horrible managerial phrase). Even people who are involved in cross-community associations and the like, or someone like Brendan Hughes who is very critical of the establishment RM.

But like you say, it is Trinners after all. I wonder will the Trinners Young Unionists be attending?