by Michael Shilliday

on 06 Feb 2008 at 15:20. Categories: Northern Ireland, Myths and Lies, Politics, Devolved Government, History

After a period away from regular blogging of the style I don't like putting on Slugger, I'm glad to now be contributing to Everything Ulster. I'm looking forward to getting back into the habit of regular blogging.

When I met up with Beano, we were chatting about a few things, and the conversation came around to the common habit of utterly misrepresented Sir James Craig on one specific matter. I have to say I'm not his biggest fan, indeed I think that he caused a lot of the problems Unionism was subsequently to have, but his decision in 1922 to abolish PR for Stormont Elections from the 1929 election was not one that was intended to screw the nationalists as it is commonly believed, and commonly reported. (Graham Walker's history of the UUP gives a little detail on pages 56, 57 and 71). Indeed this details that the combined Nationalist seat tally dropped by a total of one seat, a situation that largely prevailed in subsequent years. As Nick Whyte details here, the loss of a seat to Nationalism wasn't expected, and was a miscalculation on the part of the draftsmen rather than malicious intent. Local Government is another matter, which I may well return to later in the week, but at Stormont, there was no gerrymandering, and no attempt to reduce the size of the Nationalist caucus.

The simple fact is, the only reason there wasn't an effective opposition at Stormont, was the Nationalists refused to provide one.

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Comment from: Seamus [Member]

· http://entrytoanirishmind.blogspot.com/

Even though it would suit my political beliefs to say that the loss of a Nationalist seat was intentional, I would have to admit it wasn't intentional. The major reason behind the switch to First Past The Post was to screw over the Independent Unionists, Labour and Liberals who had made surprising gains in the 1925 election, making 8 gains, all from the Unionist Party. In 1929, with a decrease of in votes, with FPTP, the Unionists gained 4 of those back, with a further one from a Republican.

06 Feb 2008 @ 22:07

Comment from: kensei [Visitor]

Nationalism didn't need screwed: that was done very effectively from the beginning of the state. A 9 county Northern Ireland was rejected, as was the suggestion that the Upper House be more tilted towards Catholics to ensure some balance.

The move was designed to screw any nascent Labour movement. The quote runs something like "I want people who are for the Union on one side fo the House, and people who are for an Irish Republic on the other". This actually makes him more of a sectarian dickhead, not less.

"The simple fact is, the only reason there wasn’t an effective opposition at Stormont, was the Nationalists refused to provide one."

This however, is bollocks. It is impossible to have an effective opposition when there is no prospect of a change in Government and the Government has an unassailable majority. In any case, what opposition there was was treated with contempt. Craig and cabinet minister would get up and leave when they got up to speak.

Please give up trying to defend the indefensible.

11 Feb 2008 @ 13:29

Comment from: John [Visitor]

· http://www.semper-idem.eu

"The simple fact is, the only reason there wasn’t an effective opposition at Stormont, was the Nationalists refused to provide one."

Are you seeking to bust, or create, myths?

Under a system in which nationalists could never get into government, nor for was there any possibility of the sitting government changing, how could they provide effective opposition?

Beyond becoming accepting unionism, how could they provide "effective opposition"? I would genuinely like to know.

16 Feb 2008 @ 23:48

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