"Danny Morrison is a regular media commentator on Irish politics. He is the author of three novels and three works of non-fiction."

Reading that I can't help wonder how non-fictional his 'works of non-fiction' are!

"The SDLP’s impotence was again evident last week when it was unable to prevent the Policing Board voting to adopt a new type of plastic bullet, one allegedly less lethal than those that left 17 dead and hundreds severely injured in the past"

He makes out that the SDLP supported this motion, without Sinn Fien Nationalists are a minority on the PB. Y do the shinners not use their voice to protect the people rather than to play the victim.

What was the SDLP supposed to do, forgery? Again, they are not Sinn Fien!!!!

It's just another case of Sinn Fein playing the man who doesn't vote and then complains about the government.

That's what I was thinking, Unmasked. If parties are going to be blamed for things they voted/campaigned against, then by Morrison's logic, he must blame Sinn Fein for the British occupation!

I think the point being made is the SDLP promised that by going on to the Policing Board they would be able to deliver "real change" in policing. This issue is an example of how they have failed in that objective.

PS, the term real change is a tad enigmatic. How does an independent go about measuring change, in order to decide whether it is real, or not?

The SDLP have delivered real changes. The truth is that the shinners cannot take any responsability for any changes in policing, because they were not there.

The SDLP allong with everyone else on the policing board have suffered intimidation and violence but are still in there fighting their corner. Its the shinners and their supporters holding back further developments.

The SDLP are the team, and the shinners are the guys sitting at home shouting at the T.V screen

Yes Unmasked. But what is this real change in its detail? For the outside observer it's hard to grapple with what any of this means.

Can you mention specific benefits that have flowed from the SDLP's participation on the Policing Board?

well mick, real change is one of those buzz words.

Is suppose it means changes tha make a difference, ie more catholics in police, defortification etc

Its a very funny article and hits the nail on the head...the SDLP were claimng to be post nationalists and now they reckon they are republicans again, McGrady and "Alistair" are probabaly closer to the DUP than David Trimble, meanwhile Durcan just looks like a guy pretending to be a leader of a pretend party, which is largely non-existent on the ground in many places....so much so that they have to rely on bus loads of dublin 4 based Ogra Fianna Fail students and Irish labour party hacks to get their leaflets out. Any party that the DUP and the UUP would like to see representing nationalists must be questionable.

Balls,

I cant stand this propaganda about how the SDLP are non existent on the ground. In mid-ulster the SDLP is not in the majority. However u ask the people who they see more of and who they go to when they need something done.

SDLP youth is one of the most active party youth groups around. As for the FF and Iriah labour, we do not depend on them, however i understand peoples jealousy of the fact that the SDLP have friends south of the border.

I do not speak for the DUP of UUP, but if you do not see a clear difference between democracy and criminality then you better go to spec-savers

I think you overestimate unionist fondness for the SDLP. The case is simply that nationalists must be represented and I for one would prefer they were represented by people not carrying guns!

The Unionists like the SDLP because while they may disgaree, they can at least see opportunities to work with them. The provisionals on the other hand seem to pretend to co-operate for a while, but when it comes do any meaningful support for democracy, they go back to what they know best, having gained concessions out of Unionists along the way. A good tactic but one that may prove difficult to repeat.

"Danny Morrison is a regular media commentator on Irish politics. He is the author of three novels and three works of non-fiction."

He has some cheek complaining about policing methods, when was the last time the cops interviewed somebody while their head was being forcibly submerged in a bath full of cold water?

Oh come on "unmasked"...put your dummy backin and don't be getting so upset, everyone knows that the SDLP is dead on its feet, if it was'nt why is it no longer commanding the majority of nationalist votes? As for this impression of dynamism and youth...well maybe in your dreams pal, its quite important to keep a grip on reality, otherwise it has a nasty habit of coming up behind you and biting you on the arse.

Unmasked,

Coming from mid-ulster i would like to hear more about this terrific movement on the ground that the sdlp have... it must be somewhere in the middle of lough neagh. i do know the people of desertmartin, cookstown, magherafelt, coalisland, pomeroy, maghera, ballinascreen, dungannon, guladuff and many more go to their local sf reps, having spent some time 'on the ground' in mid-ulster i'm just basing my views on what i have seen

Unmasked,

Coming from mid-ulster i would like to hear more about this terrific movement on the ground that the sdlp have... it must be somewhere in the middle of lough neagh. i do know the people of desertmartin, cookstown, magherafelt, coalisland, pomeroy, maghera, ballinascreen, dungannon, guladuff and many more go to their local sf reps, having spent some time 'on the ground' in mid-ulster i'm just basing my views on what i have seen

"McGrady and "Alistair" are probabaly closer to the DUP than David Trimble,"

If you believe that then I think you've illustrated my point about Danny Morrison's works of fiction not just being confined to his novels.

"SDLP youth is one of the most active party youth groups around"

this must be an early April Fools day prank? as far as I can see "SDLP Youth" is a fine example of a political OXYMORON...with the emphasis on the last 5 letters.

I apologise for my late reply. Patsy mc Glone has three offices in Mid-Ulster which are always busy and run by the local councillors. Sinn fien have 3 MLA's and 1 office in a republican hall, very cross comunity. The reason i talk about Mid-Ulster is that is where i am from and i am just saying what I see.

SDLP youth are the most active youth group and i urge u all to show one that is more active, rather than just throwing slurs.

And the SDLP are not dead on there feet, they are the 4th largest party in the North! How is that dead? Nationalists need an alternative and the SDLP will always be around for that reason.

The SDLP always put the people first that is Y they have done so bady electorally, sinn fien have been selfish and never put themeselves out.

The SDLP have payed the price for their selflesness!

Unmasked

"The SDLP always put the people first that is Y they have done so bady electorally"

If the SDLP always put people first why don't people put the SDLP first at election time? Or are you saying that the only purpose for which the SDLP exists is to facilitate the transition (good luck on that one by the way) of Sinn Fein/IRA into mere Sinn Fein?

Put away the gushy-mushy Hume-speak for a second and try to apply some logical analysis. The only people the SDLP has to blame for their current predicament are themselves. They took the Provo's at their word and have been taken for a ride. A new approach is called for. Is that likely to happen? No. Why? Because Mark Durkan is incapable of thinking outside the 1998 box.

Stalford, Yes the SDLP are to blame for their current situation.

Yes republicans let down all nationalists over and over again.

The people do not but the SDLP first because the shinners are putting all their energy into anti-SDLP spin.

You hear something enough times it starts to become true.

And the SDLP are not dead on there feet, they are the 4th largest party in the North!

Yes in a four horse race. OK they are larger and more relevant than the Alliance, WC, UPRG, PUP and the IRSP but that is only til May. Unmasked are you mixing you couldn't be serious.

"SDLP youth are the most active youth group and i urge u all to show one that is more active, rather than just throwing slurs."

I think there are plenty more active youth groups in Northern Ireland. The legality of the activities in which these youth groups participate is another matter altogether.

Were Sinn Fein dead on their feet/irrelevant when they had less than 10% of the vote and either none or one MP?

Oh, I forgot, they had guns.

You couldn't make it up!

SDLP youth and active in the same sentance LOL

Having just been to the USI congress it was interesting to note that not one delegate was a stoop, Tories yes but no stoops.

Gaskin, you and your youth group are in no position to question the activities of SDLP youth