"anxious to finish the job of building a decent society"

Of course, Trimble has sacrificed himself for trying to get a better Northern Ireland. Even the most cynical of observers can hardly deny the massive personal sacrifices that Trimble and the UUP have made trying to better this place.

(btw this does apply to the SDLP as much as the UUP, both parties worked to bring the extremes together and sacrificed themselves in the process.)

Interesting to watch the broadcast again. Not that the broadcast itself is wildly interesting, but nice to get another look at it.

1) Trimble is featured way too much. Even the Labour Party have had the sense to drop Blair from the front cover of their manifesto etc. Trimble is a much bigger electoral liability than Tony Blair. It doesnt show much trust in the team, or even that they have a wide team when the only two people getting speaking parts are Trimble and Empey.

2) Reg's bit is painful - Uncle Reggie lecturing the kids on how it used to be.

3) I loved the section telling us about Northern Ireland's "social and economic improvements". Anyone notice the two visuals they gave us with that?
- New Trains: Delivered by the DUP Minister for Regional Development
- Victorial Square: Development spearheaded by the DUP Minister for Social Development

I'm sure the DUP are quite happy with that kind of publicity.

4) DUP lost their nerve in negotiations? From what I recall it was the provos who ran away.

5) One minute they tell us, using the obligatory "grubby polaroid" phrase that the DUP were only moments away from Government with Sinn Fein (i.e. treacherous liberals) and then in the very next sentence they tell us that the DUP are the "extreme" and there will be no chance of a deal if you vote for them. Mixed messages dont work - pick one attack and stick with it fellas.

6) Young Candidates??? Why then was Basil McCrea included? Basil McCrea is actually older than his opponent Jeffrey Donaldson!

7) Lovely line telling us to vote for all UUP candidates. Nicely tieing in people like David Burnside and those few other people who like their semi-detached UUP relationship. A vote for any Ulster Unionist is a clear vote of endorsement for David Trimble - bad news for Burnside et al.

8) I counted at least 2 uses of decency/decent. Bad bad bad bad bad idea. People just dont like it.

again with the decent phrase..whats he trying to do or imply?

also

'only one grubby polaroid away from actually forming a government'
when did the DUP metion how much evidence was needed?
did they not read the parts about the testing period for the IRA before govt?
i think DT actually went into govt with the IRA still untested

"DUP lost their nerve in negotiations? From what I recall it was the provos who ran away."

I don't remember the DUP participating much in the negotiations at all. Similar to when the police bill was going through Westminster the DUP didn't lift a finger to help preferring to leave all the work to the UUP. Didn't stop them complaining about it afterwards.

Tell me, what exactly has the DUP ever done for Northern Ireland other than collaspe things that were working?

"Tell me, what exactly has the DUP ever done for Northern Ireland other than collaspe things that were working?"

Are you seriously trying to suggest the Belfast Agreement was working?

yerman...spot on!
couldnt have put it better myself...acyaully, DIDNT put it better myself!

I notice how M McGimp hasnt brought DT into south belfast...I think M McGimp actually realises DT would get slated if brougt in.

"Are you seriously trying to suggest the Belfast Agreement was working?"

The Assembly worked alot better than Direct Rule, it is better for Northern Ireland to be governed by her own. You cannot possibly deny the enormous good and change for the better that the Assembly brought. Northern Ireland is a completely different place than it was in 1995, that is down to parties working together and Trimble having the balls to face up to Sinn Fein.

Are you seriously trying to suggest the Belfast Agreement was working?

Keith -
you sound like a Shinner lecturing the SDLP on the Policing reforms. If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.

The DUP want as big a portion of the vote as they can get, the UUP want a better Northern Ireland. Thats the main difference between the parties.

no rebecca the UUP candidates want a salary and then a Peerage in contrast
the DUP candidates want to work for the electorate

"no rebecca the UUP candidates want a salary and then a Peerage in contrast
the DUP candidates want to work for the electorate"

oh really? And did the electorate want the Assembly collasped? Would the electorate want Northern Ireland to return to the pre-Good Friday era?

The electorate want a local govt free from terrorism and criminal gangs.
Sinn Fein IRA represent the biggest one of these.
DT and cohorts allowed SF IRA into stormont where as DUP are quite prepared to move on without them unless they resort to 100% democratic means and have proved that the IRA have completely ogne away.
But its quite clear from statements from SF IRA members and lack of statements too that, that[IRA going away] is not going to happen too soon.
Why should the public be forced to accept criminals governing them?
The UUP were basically doing this...The DUP didnt allow it to happen.

"The DUP want as big a portion of the vote as they can get, the UUP want a better Northern Ireland."

1. This implies that if a person votes for some other party than the UUP that they don't want a better NI. Garbage.
2. Political parties who can't get votes will never be in position to deliver on their vision.
3. This reads like a polticial sulk, they get more votes but we have got the vision. Everyone needs a good sulk but people won't vote for a party in one.

Ah, so the best route to peace is invading small villages in the republic and denying the sizeable percentage of the electorate who vote for Sinn Fein a voice?

Yeah, that really does sound like the basis of a stable Northern Ireland.

fair deal

I think a party's actions speak louder than the mundane and predictable soundbites they come out with.

yes for example No guns no government

"yes for example No guns no government"

yeah what a silly slogan!!

almost as silly as "we've jumped...now you follow"

What about copeland and criminality.
DT complteley believes him and his denials,suprise suprise.

"Similar to when the police bill was going through Westminster the DUP didn't lift a finger to help preferring to leave all the work to the UUP."

... and remind us again Rebecca - with all his great influence (remember the House falls silent when he speaks)- how many of his 200 amendments to Patten did Trimble actually get passed? that's right. Not one. So having signed up to the Agreement, and destroying the RUC- as Patten said, "what did people think they were voting for? "- he tries to distance himself from his misdeeds by huffing and puffing, and when the electorate cacth him on, he puts on the martyr's cloak. The DUP's efforts to save the RUC were to oppose the Agreement which created Patten. read Godson's book- even he lays the blame squarely on Trimble. less revisionism; more apologies, please.

Does noone in the UUP know what they actually conceded, or are they all in denial?

"oh really? And did the electorate want the Assembly collasped? Would the electorate want Northern Ireland to return to the pre-Good Friday era?"

Wasn`t it Trimble that set up the Assembly and collapsed it three times?
Your argument like the "anti-Agreement" label for the DUP seemingly tries to stigmatise with there negative conotations just like the "decent people...vote Ulster Unionists" tries inferes negative conotations on others. The reality is the DUP has shown its willingness to discuss and enter into a better deal, to work with the ROI, to strengthen the "Isles" framework and increase the accountability of the Assembly and the relevant associated bodies such as the North-South bodies.

It is indeed interesting to see the contradictory attacks that the DUP "are extreme" and that they were "one grubby polaroid away from a deal".

Exactly Davidbrew.Trimble got the leadership ,hanged around with idiots like Charles moore and Conrad Black(another crook)and it all went to his head.He really began to think he was a statesman.
Ahern and Blair must take some of the blame too.
He was flown to Buncrana after omagh in a aercorps
helicopter.Waste of a helicopter crews time.
Burnside used to call him a genius after he got the leadership.How times have changed.