Theres a fair amount of hatred on both sides.

What puzzles everybody this side of the Irish sea is why these apparently extremist parties seem to have the confidence of the average Irish voter.

I remember a Question Time programme many years ago when Norman Tebbit was booed by a Belfast audience for saying that the problem with Irish politics was that the Irish people of Northern Ireland only voted on one issue. Whilst I was no fan of Norm, I could see what he meant.

As Ard says, there is sadly little prospect of a sustainable solution in the results of this election. But hell, let's hope they surprise us.

It would be so good if Paisley and Adams could see that culturally they have more in common with each other than either of them have with Tony Blair.