Can democracy cope with crises like this?

John Lloyd is a commentator unafraid to hit the counter-intuitive button. He does more in this FT article than bemoan the gap between people and politicians, aggravated in the UK by the MPs’ expenses scandal and in the Republic by the gombeen culture.  That democracy is in trouble – in some versions terminal trouble – is now the commonest of ideas among political scientists, coupled with a regret that their warnings have not been attended to. In one of the first scholarly articles to tackle the expenses scandal, for the next issue of Political Quarterly, the political scientist Alexandra Kelso says that “the House of Commons and its MPs have unequivocally failed to tell the public about who they are, what they do and how they do it, in spite of much good advice from many quarters”.

The criticism from scholars is that politicians do not give the public the governance they want. Somewhat contradictorily, they also charge that politicians do not provide what the public needs – even when people do not want what is needed. Experts increasingly believe that even the best of politicians cannot match the world’s challenges, because interest groups and popular attachment to high consumption will defeat them.

Brian Walker @ 12:19 PM | Comments (0)

Robinson trying to solve Drumcree

The News Letter and Belfast Telegraph are reporting that First Minister Peter Robinson has offered to meet the Orange Order and Garvaghy residents in an attempt to solve the Drumcree dispute.

The News Letter quotes Robinson saying:

“I have written to both the Orange District and resident’s group in good faith and I hope that they will feel able to respond in a positive manner.
By demonstrating a commonsense approach, I am certain that we can find a way through this issue. I will do all I can to help progress this matter to a consensual conclusion, but I would be equally content if in the preliminary discussions the two parties agree on some other approach or arrangement which might meet reach the outcome that everyone in Portadown and indeed throughout Northern Ireland wishes to see.”

The Grand Master of Portadown district gave the intervention a warm welcome though Brendan McKenna of the Garvaghy residents association seemed more cautious.

Turgon @ 12:08 PM | Comments (2)

“a campaign of intimidation..”

No one has yet been charged in connection with the attack on the City Church in the Holylands area which sheltered Roma families after they left their homes.  But, following the arrest of three men, including the law student son of a leading QC who appears to sit on the GAA’s Anti- Doping Hearings Committee, and despite the police reportedly saying at the time that there was “no indication of a racial motive to the vandalism”, Policing Board members are now apparently concerned about the accuracy of the initial reporting.  From the Irish Times report.

Sinn Féin board member and MLA Alex Maskey said he was in the City Church the morning after the breaking of the windows and watched CCTV footage showing the attack and the attackers. He believed the incident was “allowed to get out of hand, partly driven by media assumption that this was part of concerted, sinister racist intimidation”.

Of course, that assumption was also evident in statements by the SDLP, the UUP and the DUP.  But, although the Alliance Party came close, none were as definitive in their identification of those responsible as Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey.

“This attack is a new low for those racist criminals engaged in a campaign of intimidation against ethnic communities here in the south of the city.”

Pete Baker @ 09:04 PM | Comments (0)

My first parade of the season

To get myself warmed up for our 12th outing I went along to an Orange Parade in my home town of Crumlin tonight. I lasted half of the 2 hours scheduled, mainly because I got bored. The occasion was the opening of the Arch in the Village which has appeared in recent days. I’ve never been a fan of the thing and it certainly isn’t a work of art being more designed to last than for any aesthetic quality.

Mark McGregor @ 08:14 PM | Comments (20)

John Henry Newman: one step enough for me

Pope Benedict XVI today recognised the healing of Deacon Jack Sullivan in 2001 as a miracle resulting from the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God John Henry Newman.  So with that slightly bonkers preamble,  Cardinal Newman’s progress to sainthood seems assured. The former Oxford don and Anglican rector turned Roman Catholic prelate went on to found University College Dublin, a role which the college handsomely acknowledges. His idea of a university valiantly tried to reconcile the teaching of Revealed Truth with open enquiry rather than creating a narrow theological seminary. For that, Newman deserves much praise. In the mid C19, the idea of English ( but not Scottish) universities dominated by clergy was only starting to retreat, as in his beloved Oxford, so this was a seriously progressive move. It paved the way to the foundation of the great municipal universities which broke the Oxbridge duopoly.  But Newman’s original ambition was just a bit more than today’s UCD acknowledges. It was to turn the Dublin college into the main place of learning for all Catholic “gentlemen” throughout the then United Kingdom. It never got to first base. This was never one of Cardinal Cullen’s aims. 

Brian Walker @ 03:14 PM | Comments (1)

not in a position to make available all the relevant material to PPS for the purposes of disclosure”

According to the BBC report, Larry Zaitschek, the New York chef who was charged with aggravated burglary, assault and imprisonment of a police officer and of having information of use to terrorists following the Castlereagh burglary in 2002, will not be brought to trial.  The theft of Special Branch files at the Belfast Headquarters of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and subsequent allegations of a Sinn Féin spy-ring, led to the suspension of the NI Assembly.  Needless to say the Slugger archive contains useful nuggets, from an early note of the investigation in 2002, to a timeline of events up to December 2005 following the revealing of Sinn Féin’s former Head of Administration in the Assembly, Denis Donaldson, as an informer and his eventual murder.  And in January 2006 a post on “conflicting narratives” noting a Guardian report of the then Secretary of State Peter Hain’s refusal to open up intelligence files to clear the air after the Stormont affair or to give a full public explanation of who was spying on whom and why.  He wasn’t the only one ushering everyone along from a moment of governmental memory loss.  There’s even a coherent theory on the events of the time.  From today’s BBC report.

The PPS said it had decided to drop the case against him because he would not receive a fair trial. They took the decision after the police said they could not make all relevant material available to the PPS. The police said this material did not originate from either them or the security services.

“Despite the efforts of the PSNI, we are not in a position to make available all the relevant material to PPS for the purposes of disclosure,” a police statement said. “Consequently, the PPS have concluded that Mr Zaitschek could not receive a fair trial and PSNI are in agreement that a prosecution could not proceed in those circumstances.”

Adds The BBC have the full text of the police statement.  And In the comments zone, Gonzo points to his look at the “unhealthy rivalry” between elements of the police and security services.  Also worth noting Brian Rowan’s short report.

Pete Baker @ 01:08 PM | Comments (8)

Robinson backs Larkin

The BBC are reporting that Peter Robinson has backed John Larkin for Attorney General.  So of the “lot of things” that could happen, at least one seems to have gone.  I wonder what was second on Ian Jnr’s list.

Michael Shilliday @ 12:18 PM | Comments (2)

“Mum angry as son denied Irish-language school place”

Simon Doyle in today’s Irish News carries the story of a family who are angry about not getting a place in the Irish language stream in St. Catherine’s Armagh (subs needed).

Gael gan Náire @ 10:14 AM | Comments (2)

Shortlist for Chief Constable

The shortlist of applicants to succeed Sir Hugh Orde as Chief Constable has been revealed  Adds Belfast Telegraph report.  And BBC News profiles the five candidates.

One of the five is Bangor man Jim Gamble who is chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).
Also in the running is Bernard Hogan-Howe, chief constable of Merseyside.
The remaining three candidates are Jon Stoddart, chief constable of Durham;
Paul West, chief constable of West Mercia;
and Matt Baggott, chief constable of Leicestershire.

Pete Baker @ 09:23 AM | Comments (5)

Junior’s position is untenable

Not the least of Peter Robinson’s headaches is what to do about Ian Paisley junior. As happens so often, the son is a poor imitation of the father, sharing his father’s worst traits of behaving in turn like a bully and a martyr. Like the father,  the son has defied a court and a Speaker. But times have changed. Ian senior the raucous outsider challenged a hard-pressed establishment. These days, Paisley senior’s creation the DUP is an essential part of a new establishment. Paisley junior’s increasingly wild lunges at that establishment uncomfortably implicate the DUP. Ian og may have had a case in refusing to disclose a source (though the validity of his story is much less clear than Suzanne Breen’s), but to threaten a nominee for attorney general was a self indulgence too far.

The DUP MLA accused the barrister of “flippant and nasty” remarks when his alleged desire for custody was likened to brandishing a whip before Formula One boss Max Mosley. He also said: “John will come to regret the day he said those things.”

. What does that mean? That John Larkin would no longer acceptable to the DUP as Attorney General because he crossed Paisley junior in court? I hardly think so. It is Ian jnr who will come to regret the day he said those things. These remarks are incompatible with his membership of the Policing Board, where he is sitting on the interview panel to appoint the new Chief Constable.  Although affable enough and by no means without talent, Ian junior behaves like a spoiled boy, a privileged son. This has created strains within a party which long ago ceased to be its founder’s creature. His resignation as junior minister during the Seymour Sweeney affair exposed the father and seems to have hastened the end of the reign. The DUP’s big challenge now is to ensure that the name of Paisley will not be on the candidate list for North Antrim. The old man ‘s notion of standing again may be a desperate bid to save the situation but is hardly realistic. If the party can’t quash the idea of a dynastic succession, they know very well that they risk losing the seat, not out of political principle but because of an unwarranted assumption of personal privilege that offends the egalitarian soul of Bible Protestantism. More than that, it is an offence to democracy.

Brian Walker @ 09:17 AM | Comments (15)

Here we go again…

Believe it or not it’s ICC Intercontinental Cup time again!  Ireland’s cricketers must prove themselves against the best of the rest starting with Kenya at Eglinton this morning.  No Rankin, Porterfield or Niall O’Brien (on county duty or injured) available so Gary Wilson keeps wicket plus a new cap for paceman Andrew Britton of Fox Lodge.  Hero of Trent Bridge Keith O’Brien is available (cheers Notts) along with returnees Bray, Johnston, White et al.  Ireland are the the three time reigning champions of the most taxing form of the game below Test level.  Belfast PE Teacher and record Ireland cap holder Kyle McCallen captains the side as the boys in green endeavour to keep their title and reputation as the only side capable of challenging the big boys in the purest form of the game.

Dave Hartin @ 02:23 AM | Comments (3)

Slugger ‘Operation Orange’ plans firm up a little

Plans for the 12th weekend are firming up, I’ve decided we won’t be running anything via Slugger for the bonfires though I will be attending one. If anyone is particularly interested drop me a line and I’ll try to help out.

For the 12th, well the 13th, the intention is to get to the Ardoyne feeder, the main Belfast parade, then Bangor and back for the Ardoyne return (was taking transport issues into account and am open to amendments).

Anyone wanting to join the group or act as guides drop me a line. Or feel free to get out there, do it yourself and report back.

ADDS: I’d be particularly keen on hearing a suggestion for replacing the morning Ardoyne one with something more rural but as most of those interested are greater Belfast based need a sensible geographical suggestion.

Mark McGregor @ 10:05 PM | Comments (23)

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter first views

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched on 18th June, has transmitted its first images of the lunar surface.  You can view the images in greater detail here.  Btw, it’s still twittering.  Its companion mission LCROSS is expected to make lunar impact on October 9, 2009.  Japan’s Kaguya lunar videos here and here.  And here’s that stunning launch video again.

Pete Baker @ 09:07 PM | Comments (1)

“I will not allow any other Member of the House to try to put words in my mouth.”

When he’s not facing direct challenges to the authority of the Chair, the Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker, the DUP’s William Hay, is having his opinion on points of order inaccurately presented to the NI Assembly before he has actually ruled on them.  In this case by the DUP’s Ian Paisley Jnr.  As the Belfast Telegraph reports.

“I wish to make it clear that those remarks were inaccurate. I take a very dim view of Mr Paisley Jnr’s action,” [The Speaker] said. Mr Hay said he encouraged members to come and see him on points of order, and regarded such talks as confidential. Saying he would respond on the unparliamentary language issue in his own time, he said: “I will not allow any other member of the House to try to put words in my mouth.”  The Speaker later told MLAs: “I have spoken to the member concerned in private and the member has apologised to me.”

Pete Baker @ 03:11 PM | Comments (24)

“a somewhat more moral position”

Eamonn McCann’s opposition to the presence in Londonderry of US-based company Raytheon has seen him in court previously, where he was acquitted of criminal damage.  But he has taken a more measured approach in the Belfast Telegraph today.  Starting with the recently released notes by then DETI minister Ian Pearson of a meeting between Raytheon management and the SDLP’s John Hume, he looks at the complicated relationship both the SDLP and Sinn Féin have had with the company - epitomised by this statement by Sinn Féin in 2006.

However, in light of the revelations that Raytheon has been involved in manufacturing military applications in Derry then Sinn Féin will be calling at the next meeting of Derry city Council for Council to reaffirm and implement its adopted position - that Raytheon confine itself to “civil” development work.

From the Belfast Telegraph article.

There is nothing complicated, on the other hand, about the attitude of the DUP or of the sole Ulster Unionist city councillor, Mary Hamilton. They take the view that it’s been clear from the outset that Raytheon would be and has been producing defence equipment for British and other forces at its Derry plant, and they do not find this in any way troublesome. Many might see this as, all things considered, a somewhat more moral position than that of their nationalist counterparts.

Pete Baker @ 01:38 PM | Comments (14)

Not so diverse on NI Bill of Rights after all, apparently..

According to an Irish Times report, the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has been told of overwhelming and increasing support - 83% “believe it is important” - for a NI Bill of Rights that includes “social and economic rights, such as the right to work, health, an adequate standard of living and accommodation”.  The source of this information?  A survey commissioned by the NI Human Rights Commission.  There’s little other detail of the actual survey itself, I hope it’s not the online one at their website.. [Update I should have said a survey “commissioned by the Human Rights Consortium”.  Thanks fd.  Details here.]  The Commission has already advised the NI Secretary of State and, as Brian said, that Bill’s “lost in the long grass”.  The likely next government regards such proposals as “not good for democracy”.  Meanwhile, the Belfast Telegraph reports on Lady Trimble’s evidence to the same committee.

Lady Trimble told the committee she would urge any Bill of Rights to be “tightly drawn” as the 80 proposals currently being considered could be divisive. The commission, led by Monica McWilliams, handed over its report to the Government last November despite Lady Trimble and DUP councillor Jonathan Bell refusing to sign up to it.

Lady Trimble said: “I and my fellow dissenter asked for permission for a minority report and that consent was refused. “I felt it was import to stay within the commission. The Bill of Rights is not the only work in the commission, there was a lot of good work I felt I could make a contribution to.”

Pete Baker @ 11:04 AM | Comments (13)

It looks like a long wait

Perhaps this is Peter Robinson’s idea of hardball negotations over funding the transfer for justice and policing powers, but it looks like stalling for the sake of it to me. Does anybody know what’s going on?

Brian Walker @ 11:02 AM | Comments (6)

Brown climbdown over cuts, sort of

“We have a deficit reduction plan for the next Parliament.” At last Gordon Brown has conceded -though through clenched teeth - that Labour cuts would come in the unlikely event of their winning the next election. And by the way, he always “tells the truth,” he insisted to the BBC’s Nick Robinson.  Everyone had been yelling at him that he was spoiling a not bad Labour story and blunting his attack on the Conservatives by refusing to concede this. Next, when will he tell us what that “ deficit reduction plan” is? Ah well, he can’t because that depends on the size of the economy from 2012 – and so the whole rigmarole will start all over again.

Brian Walker @ 12:50 AM | Comments (1)

Snub for Queen at Holyrood’s 10 years bash - or just the sunshine?

Rumbles of republicanism, disenchantment with the Parliament or just bad timing, six days after Holyrood has risen for the summer? Whatever the explanation, the MSM’s stories of the Queen’s attendance to mark 10 years of the Scottish Parliament were as one – what a disgrace it was that a third of MSPs of all parties failed to show up. The Scotsman printed all the names of the errant members. The Telegraph’s rabidly Holyrood sceptic Scotland corr was apoplectic. 

Brian Walker @ 11:30 PM | Comments (7)

From the Moon to Mars

More science news via the Professor.  [More?! - Ed]  Indeed.  Japan’s JAXA/KAGUYA (SELENE) lunar probe identified uranium on the Moon’s surface.  And, although it was mentioned when I noted Kaguya’s timely demise, the spectacular on-board footage of its final descent is worth putting out front.  Below the fold there’s an informative video from NasaTV using images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter - Soaring over Mars.

Pete Baker @ 08:19 PM | Comments (4)

Slugger out and about for ‘Orangefest’

I have no idea how this one will work out but I’m intending to head to an 11th night bonfire and 12th parade this year (held on the 13th I understand). I’ll be bringing my baggage along with as open a mind as I can muster and intend blogging on the days, with maybe some twittering, as things progress. I’ve already had two offers of escort and help explaining any confusing aspects from a tweet.

What I’d now like to know is do other Slugger folks fancy joining up for the day? Republicans looking to challenge themselves? People that just haven’t been before? People willing to guide others through events and hold their hands if they get nervous?

Ideas of what to do, joining up and offers of assistance all welcome.

btw: this isn’t intended as a ‘One Small Step’ type thing, I’m as happy to come away with prejudices reinforced as reconsidered.

UPDATE: after speaking to Mick we will be running a live blog via Cover-it-Live - participants, supporters, demonstrators, the just pure apathetic and Slugger readers that get along to where ever for however long for whatever reason will be able to add their views.

Mark McGregor @ 07:29 PM | Comments (149)

“rather than laying blame along sectarian lines..”

The Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities were listening to the NI Assembly debate on Monday on racist and sectarian attacks, and I don’t think they were very impressed.  From the BBC report.

“The focus of Monday’s assembly debate on recent racist and sectarian attacks was condemnation rather than concrete strategy and practical action,” the council said. “Treating the attacks as sporadic incidents fails to recognise wider more ingrained societal problems. “MLAs who play the blame game serve to further inflame the sectarian divisions in our assembly.

“There is a need for the Northern Ireland Executive to take responsibility and implement the promised programme for government to tackle sectarianism and racism, rather than laying blame along sectarian lines as to who is the more racist portion of the community.”

Pete Baker @ 06:35 PM | Comments (27)

“The Executive appears to be paralysed on this issue.”

The Chairman of the Northern Ireland Assembly Regional Development Committee, the UUP’s Fred Cobain, had previously criticised the relevant NI Minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, after his unilateral declaration of intent to defer new water charges for a further three years.  That was in April.  In the Belfast Telegraph today Fred Cobain describes the issue as “a ticking time-bomb” that the dysfunctional NI Executive has, to date, failed to address.  And the cost of a further deferral?  Up to £2billion.

The £2bn total comprises the total cost of running the service and essential investment, as well as the addition of the VAT and annual capital costs. A private paper seen by this newspaper argued: “The Department is not in a position to engage with HMRC until the Executive has decided its long-term approach. The additional VAT costs could be up to £60m in 2009-2010 if the existing agreement no longer remains in place.”

“Up to £130m would be involved if HMRC sought to recover VAT payments for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.” Ministerial guidance papers, released for consultation, said: “The costs of deferral for a three-year period, excluding risks, are of the order of £1bn. “That is, the total projected cost for water and sewerage services/investment over the 2010-13 period is of the order of £1.6bn (excluding risks)”.

Pete Baker @ 03:39 PM | Comments (33)

‘It is not possible to secure the future of the Irish language without establishing new communi

‘It is not possible to secure the future of the Irish language without establishing new communities in which Irish is spoken as the primary language’.

This is the mission statement of BAILE, which was established to found ‘new Irish speaking communities.’

I maintain that it remains as true today as the day with formulated it. It is my personal conviction that no future is guaranteed for the Gaelic language in Ireland without settlements ‘in which Irish is spoken a the primary language in every aspect of life and in which Irish is the language of choice for the majority of people living in the area’. New Irish speaking communities, Gaeltachtaí if that is your preferred term.

Gael gan Náire @ 03:17 PM | Comments (21)

A minimalist approach to dealing with the past?

As far as I can make out, Malachi’s comment in the Bel Tel is the first response to the consultation on the consultation on Eames Bradley which I fear will be seen generally as a long kick upfield into the very long grass. I’m a middle- of- the- roader on Eames-Bradley myself. I don’t see the benefit in a major Truth Commission exercise, and I’m certain that most individual case files cannot be publicly revealed for many years at least on human rights grounds. I favour three approaches. First, not to over-emphasise the purgative nature of truth. Truth, or the nearest we get to it, emerges over time through comparative study of the evidence.  Second, to encourage more individual testimony from all sides in the conflict, the government should make a declaration as soon as possible that future prosecutions for “scheduled “ (i.e. connected with the troubles) offences before April 1998 are no longer feasible. This would be an honest recognition of reality the authorities have been ducking on political grounds. If the establishment can’t be honest, what hope is there for others whose accounts are essential parts of the story? They have all but ruled out further public inquiries, so this further step would be logical.  Three, the setting up of a standing Records Commission to devise principles and rules for a programme of access to and disclosure of the files, adding explanations as to why individual redactions ( blacked –out bits) are made.  The Commission, consisting of official and public representatives would hear public submissions for disclosure before reaching their decisions. Members of the commission could not be active members of the local political parties but would have to be acceptable to them. The work of the Records Commission would be separate from the role of the Victims Commissioners. If you have ideas on the substance of dealing with the past ( and not, please, more on recognition payments which are already ruled out),  it would be good to post them.

Brian Walker @ 01:28 PM | Comments (0)