Some technical difficulties prevented me from editing Tuesday’s Stormont Today but better late than never. First up, an interesting assessment from BBC NI political correspondent Martina Purdy on the prospects for the Legislative Assembly with ongoing threats from Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and noises off from some within the DUP – the new Environment Minister gets a mention.
It took me a long time to warm to advertising agencies. The first time I worked with one I was working in sales management on Fairy Washing Up Liquid. I was due to attend a meeting at which I was to be told what consumers really thought of the brand. I remember my reluctance to [...] read our review »
I’ve been catching up on some reading, recently. Most pleasantly surprised by John Drennan’s latest opus from Gill and Macmillan, Cute Hoors and Pious Protestors… It’s early days yet, but I was struck by this paragraph, part of a dissection of Fianna Fail near the beginning: One of the more fatal consequences of our colonial [...] read our review »
Dr Gordon Gillespie, a researcher at the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, gave a presentation on “Graphic Portrayals: Northern Ireland, Graphic Novels and the Peace Process”, at the Linen Hall Library. Gordon started with a clarification that he was going to talk about graphic novels/comic books, not cartoons, and material that was [...] read our review »
Martina Purdy has swallowed the SF negotiating line wholesale. What a dimwit.
As I said before, when the new executive was established the first time around, the DUP threatened to try to block it by not taking part. Everyone was prepared for this possibility and made it quite clear that they would operate the institutions without them. The DUP realized that they would be frozen out, and they therefore fell back on this tokenistic idea of rotating the ministers around.
If SF now try the same tactic, it is clear that the policy of the other parties must be the same : if SF choose to exclude themselves, the show must go on.
The point about Ian og was very interesting. It’s no secret that Ian og is not a popular person among his DUP colleague, and his blustering today appears to be part of an ongoing attempt to re-establish himself as a politician. However, slagging off senior DUP ministers is unlikely to be successful.
Parties jockey for position, SHOCKA!! Some parties think others should move faster – GASP! Leader concerned by reaction of rank and file to leadership strategy – STUNNER. Minister blames predecessor for the mess!!!
Yep, this has certainly opened my eyes!
If i’m not mistaken the two governments chief concern at the last executive was keeping the Provisional Sinn Féin inside the tent, thus discouraging the IRA from murdering more Irish men, women and children.
Now that the provisional movement has been weaned off its’ infantile thirst for blood and decomissioned can somebody explain to me why anyone would give a fuck if they took their ball and went home in these circumstances?
The provisional movement is so far past the point of no return that it can’t even see it anymore if it indeed ever had the stomach to look back.