Considering the news that Russia was involved in the Brexit referendum and the news in the past about pro Scottish independence bot networks in Iran

Should we be worried that any border poll might be targeted as well Russia Iran have a vested interest in splitting up the uk

And considering the weakness and corruption that has been shown by the government at the Russian aluminium plant down south

I would expect full on bot nets targeted adds and fake news stories targeted at Northern Ireland to maximise chaos and support for a unified Ireland

Belfast makes a huge number of anti tank weapons and missile parts that end up in the U.K army and Ukraine at the moment

And that falling under the control of the “ neutral to a fault republic would be a huge win for Russia as they already have a strong influence network in the south

Andy Burnham has stated that Russian influence was behind the Brexit vote. It makes me wonder again where exactly, did the donation of around £435,000 that the DUP received originated from? The money that they used to buy newspaper advertising in England, to support the Brexit yes vote.

I genuinely feel sorry for ordinary, working-class unionists who are being let down by their political leadership. People like Gavin Robinson and Emma Little-Pengelly are supposed to be making the case for unionism, yet the leadership has looked incredibly weak. Now they’re facing challenges from people like Carla Lockhart and Jamie Bryson, who are pushing from different directions.

The parade fiasco is a good example. In my view, it should never have gone ahead in the circumstances, and the fact that the UK Government has now apparently reached a similar conclusion makes the whole thing even harder to defend. Add this to the Jeffrey Donaldson scandal, and you have to wonder how much more damage the DUP can take before people stop seeing it as a party capable of providing credible leadership.

But I think there’s a much bigger issue here. Unionism seems to have become trapped in a defensive mindset, where every political development is framed as another attempt to corner it, undermine its identity or force it to give something up.

Where is the vision for the future?

What I find interesting is that there’s potentially a huge gap in NI politics for a unionist leader who is willing to have an honest conversation about a united Ireland, rather than simply treating it as something that must be resisted at all costs.

What would a united Ireland actually look like for unionists? How could their British identity, culture and traditions be protected? What guarantees would they need? What role could they play in shaping the institutions and future of a new state? These are legitimate questions, and they deserve serious answers rather than slogans.

You could make a positive case that we’re stronger together on this island, that we can govern ourselves, and that unionists should have a meaningful seat at the table in shaping that future. That doesn’t mean asking people to abandon their identity or pretend their concerns don’t exist. It means showing them that their future and identity can be secure in a different constitutional arrangement.

Of course, a united Ireland would need to be built around real guarantees, compromise and consent. It wouldn’t be easy, and nobody should pretend otherwise. But I do wonder whether the bigger political opportunity is sitting right there: a unionist leader who has the confidence to look beyond defending the Union and start asking what kind of future would genuinely work for everyone on this island.

There’s a difference between defending your identity and being permanently on the defensive. The question is whether anyone in unionism has the vision — and the balls — to take that opportunity.

People from upper bann must now elect another MLA. Carla Lockhart and Jamie Bryson watched YouTubes and seen photos of Ian Paisley and David Trimble walking down garvaghy road holding hands and thought that would be them. They never stopped to think that most of us have lived that life and don't want it for our kids and grandkids. Any people in upper bann who lived through our horror should shun anyone who would attempt to bring it back on an ego trip. I'm so angry with her and Jamie. Vote anyone thats not her.

Two bellends in one video. Did anyone see his Manchester vlog where he asked two guys who were kissing "Do you not have girlfriends?" Stumpy's an arsehole.

The last two weeks have shown how, in the hands of the ill informed or foolish, even a little knowledge can be dangerous. I am, of course, referring to his law degree.

Now, firstly, fair play on getting his law degree, any education can be a good thing. Jamie could have used that to be a resource for those in his community to navigate life's problems.

Unfortunately, Jamie took another route. He chose to use the law as a weapon. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, the law can be a devastating weapon. But sadly, for Jamie, he is not a skilled practitioner. He is a caveman with a machine gun, trying to use it like a club. The damage he has done to Unionism and Loyalism is staggering to me.

Firstly, he has shown the limits of Unionism's soft power. And it is virtually none. Unionists were unable to exert their will, even with court orders. In my childhood in the 80s this would have been unthinkable. The Government, the PSNI, and the SOS did nothing to help them. Now, I am sure that many, both on this sub and beyond knew that Unionism was a dead duck. But now, for the world to see, it has been proven. Unionism cannot go back from this. It's powerlessness is now laid bare. This is a devasting blow, that will take years to play out.

A second order impact is the division now between the Unionist community and the PSNI. Again, unthinkable 40-50 years ago. But here we are, the PSNI saying no to the OO, and taking into account the ENTIRE North to ensure peace for everyone. To ensure police are there to solve REAL crimes, not the wills of stubborn old men.

Jamie has created a scenario that has shattered the foundations of Unionism. That the State would be there for then. That the police were there to enforce their will. Both ideas now publicly destroyed.

On a smaller level, Jamie may well have have broken the DUP. His actions have forced the DUP into a corner they cannot get out of. They have said that they cannot work with MON, but they're not going to pull plug on the Executive. He has given them no good options and now seems to have started an internal coup, with Lockhart being pushed to lead. The idea that Carla Lockhart could lead the DUP is laughable. I may well come from the Nationalist community, but I saw the power of Paisley, the quiet operation of Peter Robinson. Carla is not even a pale shadow to them.

If Carla takes the reign, she will crash the assembly, with scant regard to the consequences. A child given a hammer in a house of glass, unable to comprehend the wolves waiting outside the glass.

Jamie has, through a combination of a little knowledge and a dearth of self awareness, shattered the pillars underpinning unionism. When the dust settles, all fingers will point to him

Haven’t heard a peep and I’ll be so annoyed if I get the flu before I get the jab!

Not rage bait or political bait or even specific to the current Harvaghy Road situation.

Genuinely, why do the Orange Order use Jamie Bryson as a legal representative?

Surely if you want to engage in a legal process and give yourself the best chance of success you would hire a top end legal team?

Why would you ever let a mouthpiece with no legal qualifications be part of it?

I understand why he is there, he is trying to keep relevant in unionism, I can even understand why they want him there to try and drive broader support from those who back him across NI.

I just don't understand why he is a legal advisor or allowed anywhere near the negotiating table.

If I was part of the lodge I would be wanting a top end legal team and a negotiator who is trained in negotiations with years of expertise.

Like it is almost as if they want to lose...

Am I missing something here?

Hardliners backing Upper Bann MP to take on Gavin Robinson after parade ban sparks anger

Splits in the party over its response to the Drum­cree parade ban have led to loy­al­ists push­ing the Upper Bann MP to take on Mr Robin­son (below).

Ms Lock­hart’s “pro­found con­sequences” ral­ly­ing call for the DUP to col­lapse the Assembly in the wake of the gov­ern­ment’s Gar­vaghy Road U-turn has been ignored by the party lead­er­ship.

They have also refused to endorse her demands for the Chief Con­stable’s resig­na­tion, high­light­ing fur­ther internal dif­fer­ences.

Uni­on­ist hard­liners are urging Carla Lock­hart to chal­lenge Gavin Robin­son for the lead­er­ship of the DUP.

The Upper Bann MP, who was in court with Orange­men again yes­ter­day attempt­ing to over­turn the Drum­cree parade ban, is now being viewed by many loy­al­ists as “the leader of uni­on­ism”.

They are urging her to take on Mr Robin­son, believ­ing she has enough sup­port within the party to topple the East Bel­fast MP.

Ms Lock­hart left court yes­ter­day without tak­ing ques­tions from the media.

However, the push by loy­al­ists for her to chal­lenge for the top job is grow­ing.

There has also been spec­u­la­tion that she is being wooed by the TUV and could quit for Jim Allister’s party — however sources in both camps have played this down.

The split within the DUP was made clear over the week­end after Ms Lock­hart and Mr Robin­son took vastly dif­fer­ent pos­i­tions over the decision by Sec­ret­ary of State Chris Bry­ant to ban Orange­men march­ing down the nation­al­ist Gar­vaghy Road in Portadown.

The courts had upheld a Parades Com­mis­sion decision to per­mit the con­tro­ver­sial parade for the first time in 28 years des­pite oppos­i­tion from the res­id­ents.

After two weeks of protests on the Gar­vaghy Road, PSNI Chief Con­stable Jon Boutcher asked the Sec­ret­ary of State to review the determ­in­a­tion on Fri­day even­ing.

Later that night Mr Bry­ant announced he was ban­ning the march in the best interests of peace.

This led to a furi­ous response from Portadown Orange­men and Lock­hart, who warned of “pro­found con­sequences”.

This was viewed by many as a call for the DUP to bring down the Assembly.

But both Mr Robin­son and Deputy First Min­is­ter Emma Little-Pen­gelly made clear that would not be hap­pen­ing.

Ms Little-Pen­gelly said: “When oth­ers, includ­ing the First Min­is­ter and her party, have behaved with utter reck­less­ness and dis­reg­ard for sta­bil­ity and our insti­tu­tions, I believe in respons­ib­il­ity.

GOADED

“I will never be goaded into pun­ish­ing the people of North­ern Ire­land for the reck­less­ness of Sinn Fein.”

In another sign of divi­sions within the party, Mr Robin­son refused to endorse Ms Lock­hart’s demand for Mr Boutcher to resign, although he admit­ted uni­on­ist anger towards him and Chris Bry­ant was “totally jus­ti­fi­able”.

He branded the Sec­ret­ary of State’s U-turn on Drum­cree a “mis­take”.

He said: “These decisions are a mis­take, and send pro­found sig­nals that the coun­try should be run on force of num­bers and who shouts the loudest.”

And loy­al­ist Jamie Bryson, who has been act­ing as a legal adviser to the Portadown Orange­men, said that march­ing bands will now be review­ing how they engage with the PSNI and Parades Com­mis­sion fol­low­ing the Sec­ret­ary of State’s decision.

Sources in the Lock­hart camp told Sunday Life her pos­i­tion is now com­pletely at odds with the DUP lead­er­ship.

“Carla has shown over the past two weeks that she is the leader of uni­on­ism, not Gavin Robin­son,” said a close ally.

“She is the one who the Portadown Orange­men have asked to stand with them — not Gavin and not Emma.”

Orange­men will go back to court on Monday after their emer­gency judi­cial review yes­ter­day was adjourned. Post­pon­ing the case, Lady Justice McBride said: “This is an import­ant case, and I do believe there is some urgency, but it’s not an emer­gency.

“There are inter­woven and mov­ing parts to this and I am not clear on how this is urgent.

“I don’t have all the inform­a­tion I need to make an informed decision on something that is so import­ant.

PREJUDICIAL

“I appre­ci­ate a long period of time could be pre­ju­di­cial, but we are talk­ing about a mat­ter of days here.”

Gar­vaghy Road res­id­ents wel­comed the Sec­ret­ary of State’s decision to ban the Drum­cree parade after weeks of ten­sion in Portadown.

And speak­ing on The Late, Late Show on RTÉ on Fri­day night, First Min­is­ter Michelle O’Neill told host Patrick Kielty that ban­ning the highly con­ten­tious march was the “right decision”.

Earlier on Fri­day she con­firmed she had received a police let­ter request­ing an inter­view con­cern­ing her par­ti­cip­a­tion in a protest on the Gar­vaghy Road two weeks ago.

Sev­eral other Sinn Fein mem­bers received sim­ilar let­ters, as did West Bel­fast People Before Profit MLA Gerry Car­roll.

Regard­ing the let­ter from the PSNI, Ms O’Neill said: “I’ll do whatever needs to be done.

“I’m happy that the decision that I took was the right decision.”

Wel­com­ing the Drum­cree parade ban, SDLP leader Claire Hanna said: “The real­ity is that this parade should never have been given per­mis­sion in the first place, and it never should again.

“What fol­lowed was weeks of unne­ces­sary ten­sion, dis­rup­tion to res­id­ents’ lives, enorm­ous pres­sure on poli­cing and dam­age to com­munity rela­tions that will take time to repair.”

Alli­ance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson urged polit­ical parties to work towards a bet­ter future “to which the vast major­ity of people aspire” and safe­guard the pro­gress that has been made in so many com­munit­ies thanks to the peace pro­cess.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/carla-lockhart-urged-to-challenge-for-leadership-amid-dup-split-over-drumcree/a/162884891.html

Firstly I know Belfast is shocking for people behaving normally at concerts / shows but I thought for once it might be different.

I was at Kevin Bridges on Saturday night. It was for my girlfriends Christmas present so I got good tickets, 5th row.

I thought to myself, spend good money, you'll be with the fans should be sweet and for the most part it was.

Then the four people in the fourth row decided in the last 20mins to talk amongst themselves. Everyone around them was raging. The girl beside me tried to intervene but was completely ignored. I've spoken up before in a similar situation and was assaulted and the event staff weren't great so I didn't want to try my luck again.

I just think how can you be so unaware?

Anyway Kevin was class and I would definitely recommend and to the 4 in the fourth row, I hope both sides of your pillow were warm after that behaviour.

I have call screening on my phone and last night I got a private number who said my name and said they needed my help.

Tonight again a private number rang and again said my name and they needed to talk to me for a second. On the first call they said their name was David and the second caller identified themselves as Jeff.

Anyone else getting these types of calls?