Iain Dale reports that the ‘Department of the Nations’ to replace the three SoS positions was indeed planned but could not happen because such a move requires legislation. If correct this is the second time a Labour proposal has been prevented late on because of ignorance of the legislative framework of government.
How has Ulster unionism arrived at where it is today – fractured and uncertain, yet dominated electorally by the DUP, a party that tells us it offers unionists sure footing in uncertain times? In his latest book, Ulster’s Last Stand? Reconstructing Unionism after the Peace Process (Irish Academic Press, 2010), Prof. James McAuley from the [...] read our review »
Coming up to the Halloween holiday, some people might be frightened of the idea of Voices from the Grave – but for others, the chance to hear an oral history of the Troubles from the mouths of two (in)famous protagonists, PUP leader and former UVF member David Ervine, and Brendan “The Dark” Hughes, is not [...] read our review »
“…A good deal of civil service time has been spent considering how to put together a new department for the nations, taking in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, but the failure to reach an agreement between the political parties on devolved policing makes it difficult to disband the Northern Ireland office at this stage…”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/23/gordonbrown.labourconference
One of the problems would be what to call the department:
I reckon “Ministry for the oppressed internal colonies” has a nice ring to it….
Credit where it’s due, please.
The Iain Dale posting you cite is timed at 12.37 pm on Monday, 6th October.
Now refer to Slugger O’Toole’s previous thread, Mandy is back and the “Celtic Secretary” is put off. There you will find, at 12.30 am on 4th October, a contribution which points out, with characteristic incisiveness and diction:
Now, let’s see who that perceptive soul was … ah, yes! … it looks the same name as is subscribed here …