It's still panto season... apparently

In contrast to the SDLP statement, the UUP go into 2009 with another of those ‘oh-yes-you-are-oh-no-I’m-not’ Unionist pantomime statements.

According to the UUP Leader:

• Peter Robinson has been given an airbrush for Christmas (chortle!)
• the DUP are only interested in carve up (hijinks!)
• the Executive is dominated by ‘ourselves alone’ parties (titter!).

Consider what the UUP is also saying in this statement:

• We’re part of the Executive which ‘replaced the stress of the 11-plus with the multiple stress of two and possibly even three new tests for the pupils’
• We’re a supine Executive partner which permits ‘the DUP and Sinn Fein to carve-up power rather than a genuine sharing of power for the benefit of Northern Ireland’
• We lack the courage of our convictions because we tacitly accept this DUP/SF carve up by staying inside the Executive and doing what we’re told
• We think Peter is handing over concessions – therefore we think this Executive is weakening Unionism but we tacitly accept this by staying inside the Executive and doing what we’re told.

Staff at Bobballs are concerned that there appears to be the hint of conflict between Reg’s pantomime concessions statements and his actions inside the Executive.

Surely if the UUP believed all the above they would be compelled to leave the Executive – and not institutionalise and normalise this carve up by continuously acceding to and signing off on Executive business which they clearly believe to be dodgy/serving DUP-SF rather than NI.

If the UUP persist in issuing statements like the above, while still sitting snugly around the Executive table, then surely people will conclude that either:

1. the UUP overlooks principles for the payola of Office; or
2. the UUP retains principles but know their own press statements greatly exaggerate the truth.

Alas, both positions evidence dishonesty and show a paucity of intellectual rigour.

For example, if the UUP actually want to take votes off the DUP, how will affirming that party's ability to deliver (carve up) power for its electors persuade people to leave them (in favour of a UUP that meekly allows this alleged corruption to continue without actively countering it)?

The UUP are telling everyone that the DUP are divvying up power (ie. the DUP are powerful), and saying that power is not being divvied up to them (ie. the UUP are powerless) - who will transfer to the UUP on this basis?

Staff at Bobballs are no political strategists but we suspect a change of tac is necessary. Much better to unpick the policy issues instead of issuing silly quips about airbrushes and chortling about concessions.

In order to show Reg how it should be done Staff at Bobballs have taken the liberty of faxing the Dolores Kelly statement over to Cunning Plan House. Happy New Year guys!