8 Things that completely changed the political landscape of NI

Brendy Donnelly
Mar 6, 2017
3 min read

1. A Belfast judge ruled that the NI government breached its duty to adopt Irish language strategy. This shock comes after Arlene "the cunt" Foster came out and claimed that "There Will Never Be An Irish Language Act"

The verdict came after a challenge by campaign group Conradh na Gaeilge, who's argument states of a failure of the previous Executive to comply with a pledge stretching back 2006 by the St Andrews Agreement which is a breach of statutory duty and contravenes the 1998 Northern Ireland Act.

2.Unionism loses its majority in the assembly, after a stunning election campaign by Sinn Féin, with Irish Language Activists taking to the streets and huge controversy over the RHI (Cash for Ash) scandal, and weeks of disrespectful bigotry, arrogance and fear mongering by DUP leaders has lead to huge numbers taking to the polls in record numbers not seen since 1998. With a the assembly shrinking from 108 to 90 MLAs, unionism sees a loss of 16 seat (10 for DUP) and only a single loss by Sinn Fein. Other victors in the election, Alliance and SDLP who both manage to hold onto previous numbers, despite the SDLP being overtaken as the largest party in Foyle and a seat lose in west Belfast by Alex Attwood.

3.Arlene Foster's leadership is question, after a devastating election 1 third of DUP members want Arlene to stand aside for the better good and to save the institutions from collapse. She is now viewed as a huge liability to the party.

4.DUP loses its power of veto, after maintaining less than the required 30 seats in the elections, the party no longer has the power to trigger a controversial Stormont Vecto "Petition of Concern". A horribly mechanism that blocked the introduction of same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. Tabling a "petition of concern" means a proposal before the Assembly can only be carried with the support of a majority of both nationalist and unionist members, rather than a straight head count. what had been a key legislative tool has now been kissed bye bye.

5.With the status quo dead, one question emerges from the ashes of ash, when will we see a referendum on Irish Unity. An inevitablility of the peace process and 1998 Agreement.

6.Brexit: With Scotland and the North, two countries who a huge populous that desires independents from Britain and both countries with a majority YES vote for EU membership, how will this affect Brexit negotiations and will we see referendum for independents for both states or special status?

7.Jeremy Corbyn, with Britain all the talk is about Labour, the simple fact is that there is a surge swing to Labour. Polls suggest 31.5% of people are going to vote Labour, trailing behind the Tories at just 34.2 this is set the upset the balace of power. How will this affect the future of the UK.

8.Sinn Féin surge in southern polls, with FF losing support down to 26%, FG staying stagnant at 24% and Sinn Féin recently making a huge gain of 5% pre AE17 elections, and now after a huge growth in north, we could soon see Sinn Féin overtaking as the dominant party in the south with only 7% difference standing SF and FF.

OUR WEE ISLAND, NO DIVISION FROM THE HEAVENS