The DUP's rabid hatred has no place here

You may feel this way about the DUP but its MPs represent their electorates. Parliamentary democracy shouldn't be tossed aside just because you disagree with someone's views. It seems that Nation.Cymru is more focused on the "progressive/liberal" agenda than on Welsh nationalism, which is a great shame. Trying to shut down the voices of those you disagree with strikes me as being quite authoritarian and fascistic. Why not turn your fire on all those who are opposed to social justice and social liberalism - like many Muslims, for example? You won't do that, I guess, because it would be "racist". So answer me this: why is it "abhorrent" for the DUP to hold these views but not for Muslims to hold similar and, in many cases, more extreme opinions?

I do not support the DUP either, but I have to question the validity of your headline that they, or their policies, "have no place here". First, what is the point of using the word "here"? It seems to imply that they can be tolerated "there". Surely if the DUP's policies are morally wrong, they're wrong not only here but also in the Six Counties. Second, I think you make too little of the fact that the DUP are not the only party over "there" which isn't as socially liberal as you would like. It doesn't seem adequate to say that other parties there share fairly similar views ... but that the DUP are somehow so much worse. Is there really that much between them? Instead, I think the better way of looking at things is that public opinion in both the Six and Twenty-six Counties is much more socially conservative than in Britain, and that the political positions of the various parties there reflect that greater social conservatism. By singling out the DUP's policies as "revolting", you're coming pretty close to implying that the views of those who vote for them are "revolting" too. That's 36% of the voting population, not to mention those who vote for other parties which hold broadly similar social views. I too want to make a political point, but one that focuses less on the short-term implications of forming a Westminster government now and more on the future of Ireland. The political point I would make is that the social attitudes of people both north and south of the border in Ireland markedly differ from social attitudes in Britain. Would it be too provocative to say that what you are advocating is not that the DUP has no place here, but that there is no place for the views of people in the Six Counties here? I would say that there isn't that much difference between the social conservatism of Protestants in the north and Catholics in both the north and south of Ireland; and that the realization that this common view is now so much at odds with mainstream public opinion in Britain (which your article illustrates perfectly) will be the prime factor that leads to the reunification of Ireland.

I keep seeing an accusation that mentioning policies called 'progressive/liberal' means you are not focussing on Welsh nationalism. And, surprise surprise, in this case the comment includes a bash at "Muslims". Basic 'liberal' policies like marriage equality or anti-racism, are compatible with Welsh nationalism. It's not one or the other. If a Muslim political party emerged advocating an agenda which was not 'progressive/liberal' there would be articles criticising them, which I would agree with. Using that as an argument to support the DUP makes very little sense, because the UK has Muslim MPs already and a majority of them voted in favour of equal marriage. Whatever (outdated in my opinion) religious views they hold, those Muslim MPs for whatever reason decided not to enforce them on parliament as a whole. I have to say I am uncomfortable with the headline to an extent and feel it misses the mark.

To Martin: your suggestion that "basic 'liberal' policies like marriage equality or anti-racism, are compatible with Welsh nationalism. It's not one or the other" would be laughable if It wasn't so sinister. They have literally and metaphorically NOTHING WHATSOVER to do with Welsh nationalism. If you can demonstrate otherwise, please feel free to reply.

For what it's worth, I didn't write the headline. I agree that Northern Ireland is more conservative on social issues in general, and this is inevitably reflected in its politics. Popular support don't make awful viewpoints any less awful, though. If 36% of the population shares the DUP's hardline anti-abortion stance and misogyny, then...yes, it does indeed follow that 36% of the population also have revolting views.