Arlene Foster is a deeply disturbing woman. Here’s the reason
Arlene Foster: Disturbing – or disturbed.
The Democratic Unionist Party – and its leader, Arlene Foster – must have known they were being asked to help Theresa May see through the UK’s departure from the European Union when they signed their “confidence and supply” agreement with her.
It seems clear, with that party’s determination to block any agreement that creates different conditions in Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom, that Ms Foster is keen to support Mrs May’s plan to restore a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
That’s very handy for Mrs May – but very nasty for the peace process. Any restrictions on movement between NI and Eire could re-spark the so-called ‘Troubles’, after 20 years of peace. Nobody should want that.
Ms Foster, it seems, has very personal reasons not to want that. She has said that her father was shot by the IRA, and the same organisation bombed her school bus, severely injuring the girl sitting next to her.
She knows exactly what the ‘Troubles’ were – but she is playing down the consequences of her support for Mrs May’s hard Brexit.
She told business leaders in London that “threats of violence” on the Northern Ireland border being used as a “bargaining chip” in Brexit talks were “an insult to the people of Northern Ireland”:
Addressing the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) conference, Ms Foster said: “I do object in the strongest terms to people who have limited experience of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, throwing threats of violence around as some kind of bargaining chip in the negotiating process.
“To do so is an insult to the people of Northern Ireland, who have worked so hard to bring peace to our country.”
So it seems a person who has experienced the worst effects of the ‘Troubles’ is determined to support plans that may bring them back.
I find that deeply disturbing.
It isn’t long since people in the United States were calling for psychiatrists to analyse the state of President Trump’s mind.
Perhaps we should demand a similar investigation into Arlene Foster.
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No person should be asked to delve into that cesspit.
I find her demeanor very disturbing she’s recently been under investigation of fraud and attempting to block any information about where the DUP’s dodgy donations had come from.
You need to be careful, once again Mike, with your attitudes towards people with mental health problems. Is it wise to perpetuate the myth that people with said issues are dangerous?
I do think this argument with EU and UK over Ireland and Northern Ireland borders could be the best thing to bring the Irish people on both sides together
There is no way the people from Ireland and Northern Ireland are going to accept hard borders. It separates many families on all sides and lets be honest a lot of things get passed between the borders now, so they wont be having any of that nonsense.
It is said that trade and business brings people together when politics and religion does not.
I see this as a good opportunity as there is no way the people of southern ireland and northern ireland are going to accept it. and EU knows they are heading for trouble trying to insist on it.
There are personal feelings and experiences in the troubles and those need to respected and like Arlene says many who were not there and not affected open their mouths too easy.
But that cannot hold progress back, whether for the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland or peace process or trade and business.
Some people are so hardline and bigoted they would dig their own trench until they realise it is a grave they cannot get out of.
”Some people are so bigoted” you mean like the DUP’s own views on same sex marriage and woman’s abortions… you seem to agree with their outdated views that go back to the 19th century well fortunately for me i don’t
It seems to be time for my semi-regular reminder to commenters: Play the ball, not the other player. That means, please stick to the issues under discussion; don’t get personal.
The Tories are extremely nasty, but it seems to me the DUP are even nastier.
Well said NMac… the tories have always been the Nasty party