Saturday, June 30, 2007
‘You’re not real unionists, you’re Ulster nationalists’, UUP tells DUP…
IN its continuing efforts to differentiate itself from the DUP, the UUP has accused Paisley’s party of being “Ulster nationalist” rather than “British unionist” - something we’ve explored on Slugger recently. Ulster Unionist Rodney McCune said: ” I see Ulster Unionists as the only Northern Ireland party continuing to use the language of British Unionism. That is set against the Irish nationalism and republicanism of the SDLP and Sinn Fein and what I see as the Ulster nationalism of the DUP. All three talk about British Labour ministers with a similar contemptuous intonation… They [the DUP], like the other nationalist and republican parties in Northern Ireland, attribute all problems to direct rule or attribute problems to British ministers. Yet as a party the DUP don’t contribute to important national debates such as the future of nuclear power or our national approach to rising crime and prison overcrowding. In my view they are not authentic unionists.” Or perhaps the DUP now recognises the reality that Northern Ireland, while still part of the UK, has its own particular needs and must find its own unique answers to deal with its situation?
Belfast Gonzo @ 05:00 PM
Search for London car-bombers continues..
The UK government’s emergencies committee, Cobra, has been meeting again as police continue to search for those responsible for the unsuccessful car bomb attacks in London early on Friday morning. Slate has a round-up of blog links and there are unconfirmed reports that a clear image of a suspect has been identified from CCTV footage. Meanwhile worrying events in Glasgow too, where the airport has just been evacuated after a Jeep Cherokee, reportedly in flames, was driven at speed at the terminal building. Adds Whether or not the Glasgow incident is terrorist related isn’t clear.. but local Airports are, quite rightly, taking note. Update Another Cobra meeting.. and a heightened terrorism threat level. And along with the heightened threat level, the BBC are now reporting there has been police confirmation that the incident at Glasgow airport was an attempted terrorist attack. More below the fold
Pete Baker @ 01:20 PM
Friday, June 29, 2007
“he’s not exactly a safe pair of hands..”
The new cut-price Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, will be appearing on Sunday’s Politics Show for what’s being billed as his first major interview.. but while we wait to see how he feels about being, at best, Gordon’s second choice for the job, over at Comment is Free Mick has put together some initial thoughts on the role Mr Woodward will play - extracts below the fold.
Pete Baker @ 04:51 PM
The Vikings are coming [back]!
Fascinating story, flagged up in a BBC report. A reconstructed Viking longship, based on one of five deliberately scuttled wrecks found in 1962 at the village of Skuldelev, near Roskilde, Denmark, will set sail on 1st July from Roskilde heading for Dublin.. where dendrochronological analysis showed that the original ship was built around 1042. The longship, named Havhingsten fra Glendalough [the Sea Stallion from Glendalough] has been built by hand using the materials and methods of the original builders, it was completed in 2004 after 4 years work, with some modifications since. There’s an abundance of online material at the BBC and at the dedicated Sea Stallion from Glendalough website - owned and maintained by the Viking Ship Museum - including an interactive map where the progress of the ship, and crew, can be followed. They’re hoping to make Dublin in or around the 14th August and the Sea Stallion is intended to form the centrepiece of a Viking Exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland until June 2008.
Pete Baker @ 12:20 PM
Royal Navy Warship to Occupy Belfast Port
Just as you thought demilitarisation was the name of the game, the Royal Navy is sending a warship into Belfast...for this weekend’s Maritime Festival. Seven Tall Ships are also sailing into port. Get your fill of fresh seafood, too, at the Odyssey’s fish & food festival.
Rusty Nail @ 10:46 AM
“only 21 ministers can receive salaries”
In the Irish Times, Gerry Moriarty helpfully explains the circumstances [subs req] in which our new Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, will not be in receipt of his ministerial salary.. as noted yesterday.
Mr Woodward is forgoing his ministerial salary because the new British prime minister Gordon Brown has 22 ministers in his government and according to cabinet rules only 21 ministers can receive salaries.
He will hold on to his MP’s salary of £60,000 (€89,000) but must forgo £76,000 per annum. Multi-millionaire Mr Woodward, married to the Sainbsury supermarket heiress Camilla Sainsbury, with family residences also in the Hamptons in New York and on the Caribbean island of Mustique, should manage to endure this hardship.
[Do you think that was taken into consideration when his name came up? - Ed] Update A slight corrective. Malcolm points out in the comments zone that the Ministerial and other Salaries Act of 1975, although it doesn’t seem to be available online, restricts the number of paid Cabinet positions to 22 - that appears to be confirmed on Wikipedia’s UK Cabinet page. The issue is still applicable however, as the actual UK Cabinet page notes - “The present cabinet has 23 members (21 MPs and two peers), but a further three ministers attend the meetings, two peers and one MP.” Although it’s worth noting that on Ruth Kelly’s website[scroll down] the phrasing used is - “There is no limit on the size of the Cabinet but the number of salaried Secretaries of State is limited to 21 by the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975. ” And Finally, that would fit with an analysis where only 21 Cabinet Ministers could be paid.. not counting the Prime Minister Updated The relevant Schedule of the Act and the salary, for a Secretary of State, appears to be £77,963. [Thanks to Mishinish]
Pete Baker @ 09:47 AM
Compensation ruling
The High Court has ruled in favour of the claim for compensation made by former RUC and PSNI officers who suffer from trauma.
Fair Deal @ 09:30 AM
SNP’s drugs ambitions
O’Neill highlights what the DUP’s new mates are up to now they have their hands on power - they want to import class A substances. Will we have a similar statement from a DUP minister soon?
Michael Shilliday @ 07:44 AM
Clinton proposes bond scheme
Presidential hopeful and US Senator Hilary Clinton has suggested a bond scheme to rasie billions to invest in the Northern Ireland economy.
Fair Deal @ 07:30 AM
“...institutionalising prejudice”
NIO Minister Paul Goggins has revealed it will be 2011 before the government expects to reach the Patten target of 30% Roman Catholic membership using the discriminatory 50:50 rule. This may involve the extension of the rule for a further year. This would mean the “temporary” measure will have been in operation for 11 years. The rule was partially to address the lack of RC applicants but the latest round showed a jump in RC applicants to 41%, only a few % short of the expected community distribution. Lib Dem NI spokesperson, Lembit Opik attacked the rule as “prejudice” and the DUP’s Gregory Campbell highlighted that other areas of the public sector with similar levels of under-representation of Protestants had not led to comparable measures.
Fair Deal @ 07:07 AM
All those useful NI Tories
Iain Dale highlights the Tory campaign website for the Sedgefield and Ealing Southall by-elections. That website calls on Tories from all over the country for support:
If you can help with either of these campaigns - whether on the ground or from afar - please let us know.
The map is clickable for each area of the UK, and they are listed in the drop down box. Except not ALL areas of the UK are included. It seems the help of the vibrant Northern Ireland Conservatives isn’t needed. Never mind chaps.
Michael Shilliday @ 06:17 AM
Launchy: The Open Source Keystroke Launcher for Windows
Quiksilver-like launcher for Windows
Slugger O'Toole Admin @ 04:27 AM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Spaced out Irish police…
HAT tip to the Beeb’s Will Crawley for spotting this rather amusing YouTube prank call in which two calls were put in to two Garda stations on mobile phones - and then the two phones talked to each other. “Listen out for the meteorite,” says Will. Heh!
Belfast Gonzo @ 11:56 PM
Did MP’s letters to Secretary of State help nobble developer..?
THE Sheridan Group’s High Court judicial review of the Government decision to block its development plans for the Queen’s Quay site close to the River Lagan should be worth watching. After the DUP’s Peter Robinson used parliamentary privilege to accuse the company of a connection to “IRA dirty money” (which it denies) the company’s bid was subject to a “due diligence” accounts review process. Sheridan’s lawyer says the company charged with carrying this out for the Government was “pressured”, but, according to David Gordon’s story, had not changed its mind. It wasn’t divulged in court from what it’s mind hadn’t been changed from. But the Government initiated a second review, by Deloitte, so draw your own conclusions. After this “DSD said that it and Laganside had concluded that they could not “properly form an opinion” on Sheridan’s ability to deliver the project and so could not enter into a development agreement”. It will certainly be interesting to learn what Finance Minister Peter Robinson wrote to then Secretary of State Peter Hain on the matter, given that Sheridan’s “preferred developer” status was subsequently withdrawn, despite the police telling company chairman Curistan that neither he nor his company were under investigation. IIRC, Robinson never repeated his claims outside the legal safehouse of the House of Commons, presumably in order not to leave himself open to a libel action from Peter Curistan, who expressed his anger at the situation in January.
Belfast Gonzo @ 07:35 PM
UDA victim’s brave father dies…
IN July 2001, paramedic Michael Brett was called to the scene of a shooting in Newtownabbey. He had been called to numerous scenes of terrorism in the past, including the Omagh bomb, but he couldn’t have guessed that this time it would be his own teenage son Gavin who would end up cradling in his arms as his life ebbed away. Tragically, this brave man passed away today, aged just 51. The murder, carried out under the UDA’s cowardly flag of convenience - the Red Hand Defenders - was a case of ‘mistaken identity’ (they thought he was a Catholic) and reinforced in many people’s minds the heartbreaking need to rid ourselves of paramilitarism.
Belfast Gonzo @ 07:18 PM
Parades Commission determines on Drumcree parade
As highlighted by the Belfast Telegraph report, the Parades Commission today issued a determination on the 8th July Drumcree Parish Church Annual Parade by Portadown District LOL No 1
The Parades Commission re-affirms its desire to see a long-term resolution of parading in Portadown. The Commission is clear in its view that the only appropriate and sensible resolution is agreement between all parties involved. That agreement may be that a parade takes place on the Garvaghy Road. It may be for no parade on the Garvaghy Road. What is essential is that the precise nature of that agreement is a matter entirely and solely for the parties to the dialogue process.
Pete Baker @ 06:28 PM
“we have demanded that all information is brought to City of Derry Airport Committee”
The Independent Review of the decision by the CAA to suspend the publicly-owned City of Derry Airport’s licence, during 4-day period in May, has reported back to Derry City Council.. and they’ve issued a press release after passing a resolution - the report doesn’t seem to be online. is available here[pdf file - thanks jone] There’s a BBC report on the moves here. But watch the short online video report by Mike McKimm [RealPlayer file] which contains the key details; failure of the bird control systems, of take-offs and landings being aborted frequently due to the trains crossing the end of the runway.. and that although officials at the Council knew about the critical safety concerns of the CAA for some time they had not informed the Council Committee which was supposed to ensure “compliance with licensing requirements of the CAA” at the airport.. and, evidentially, neither had the airport management addressed those concerns.
Pete Baker @ 04:32 PM
Is it dead yet?
The BBC’s man in Washington, Jamie Coomarasamy, says that the Z Visa Immigration Bill, previously thought to be pining for the fjords.. is now officially an ex-Bill after the Senate voted 46-53 against moving on the proposals - “It could try to resurrect legislation, but Thursday’s vote was probably the last serious attempt to get immigration reform through Congress under this presidency”. Meanwhile, although agreeing that it’s a huge defeat for Bush, Slate’s Mickey Kaus is predicting that the House of Representatives could be the next arena in which the various interested parties will next do battle over the illegal immigrant issue.
Cloture Fails: 46-53. The Grand Bargain doesn’t even get a majority. ... I was going to predict that the House of Representatives would take up the immigration issue anyway—actually, I still do (they’ll claim to be taking a different approach).
Adds One of the Bill’s backers, Senator Edward Kennedy, is quoted in this report
After the vote, [Senator Kennedy] said: “It is now clear that we are not going to complete our work on immigration reform. That is enormously disappointing for Congress and for the country.”
Pete Baker @ 03:17 PM
Blair’s next role takes shape
Been a busy few days for the erstwhile Prime Minster, Tony Blair. Not content with stepping down as Prime Minister [to a standing ovation - Ed] he also stepped down as the MP for Sedgefield - double by-election, in two safe labour seats, on 19th July. He’s also been appointed as the Middle-East Envoy for some heavy-weight political interests - not the Imperial one though.. and he joins the [Foundation] board of the World Economic Forum. Oh, and while preparing for all that - according to the reports, if not the official spokesman - he still found time to answer some more questions from the police inquiring into those cash-for-honours.. not under caution apparently. [Dubious musical messages reprise - Ed]
Pete Baker @ 01:01 PM
Woodward to be new Northern Ireland Secretary
Looks like the former Tory and former NIO Minister, Shaun Woodward, is to return in upgraded form as Northern Ireland Secretary.[added link] Worthwhile recalling that he has been prone to clarifying his comments.. or, rather, having them clarified for him. And a reminder of one of my favourite Woodward quotes [didn’t he used to work for Esther Rantzen? - Ed] - “If I fail, sack me. Ministers should be accountable.”.. We would if we could, minister Secretary of State.. Adds As Nevin points out in the comments zone, that’s the unpaid Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP.. and he’s to be sworn of Her Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council. Update That’s only unpaid as a Secretary of State.. he retains his salary as an MP.
Pete Baker @ 10:08 AM
Cabinet shuffles forward
Once again, the Guardian’s Matthew Tempest is live-blogging events as the details of Brown’s Cabinet are announced. David Miliband as Foreign Secretary and Alan Johnson for Health seem to have been confirmed. Alistair Darling more than likely for Chancellor. Mr Hain’s replacement expected to be announced later. Shirley Williams, formerly of the SDP, is likely to be in an advisory role - probably involving any constitutional reform [I tip my hat to the new constitution.. - Ed] Adds The BBC has a handy list, to be updated, of the known changes - with Hain to be Work and Pensions Minister, apparently, and Jacqui Smith tipped to be Home Secretary. And Mr Hain will still be Secretary of State for Wales, etc.. Hmm.. Not constitutional reform advisor for Williams.. international nuclear proliferation. Adds Smith and Darling confirmed. Ed Balls takes new brief of Schools and Children. Hilary Benn tipped for Environment. Hazel Blears for Communities and Local Government with Ruth Kelly in at Transport. Update Official list
Pete Baker @ 07:51 AM
Keeping order
A little exchange in the Dail has been flaged up in this thread. I think it’s worth highlighting.
Michael Shilliday @ 07:47 AM
SuperDuper!
“Heroic system recovery for mere mortals”
Slugger O'Toole Admin @ 03:30 AM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
That is it. The end.
For anyone who is interested you can watch Tony’s last PMQ’s here, or read it here.
Now that he is in possession of his P45 in relation to his seat in the Commons he can get on with running the Chiltern Hundreds. Some of the other traditional perks should be coming his way too. Sir John Major had to wait seven years to be appointed to the Order of the Garter, as former PM’s invariably are (as I remember replacing Sir Edward Heath?). Tony, at least according to Wikipedia, can be appointed immediately as there is a vacancy. One of the other perks that USED to be offered to former residents of Number 10 was an Earldom, until Labour stopped giving out hereditary peerages in the 1970’s. I noticed a comment on Iain Dale’s blog (that I now can’t find) suggesting that Blair would now become Earl of Sedgefield. It’s possible I suppose.
Michael Shilliday @ 08:30 PM
Success or failure?
On the day Tony Blair left power Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru have reached an agreement in principle to create a coalition government (details of deal here pdf file). If endorsed at party conventions this will mean every nationalist party in the United Kindgom are part of the devolved executives. Should this be viewed as success for Tony Blair’s devolutionary reforms now that the Union’s structures are operated by its opponents or the fulfilment of critics worst fears that devolution would lead to dissolution?
