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Books
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Books: Listening to Van Morrison…
Great little review of Listening to Van Morrison by Griel Marcus… It’s a short book, not a biography or a career survey, but an attempt to follow those moments in Morrison’s music, as he’s made it from his first records with Them, from Belfast in 1965 to the present day, when something happens that breaks [...] read our review »
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“Good Friday. The death of Irish Republicanism” by Anthony McIntyre: a review
This was a book that I first reviewed at the same time as “Unionism Decayed” back in 2008. Like Vance’s work, it is the author’s portrayal of a defeated political movement or ideal and as a Unionist it was instructional to read an interpretation of the immediate post-Agreement period from the other side of the fence. [...] read our review » -
Risk of going beyond either/or…
This is article was first published in Fortnight magazine back in February 2003. Chris Farrington is now a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ in the School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin. Although the circumstances it describes has changed radically and [...] read our review »
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Comment on Pan-unionism revived in Castlereagh
on 11 May 2011 at 1:09 am
“So why formalize a pact then ?”
My guess is that it ties them in somewhat. DUP worry appears to be (generally) some realignment between AP and UUP – to be frank it their only threat at present.
“Why does that require a pact ?”
Ties them in.
“With this kind of nonsense going on how on earth are SF ever going to be persuaded to drop d’Hondt ? Unionists need to show that when they are handed power they wield it responsibly and equitably. They have never done that in castlereagh, and this is all more of the same”
The underpinning problem here is that we are coming used to the only definition of positive politics being that everyone is the government. We do need some form of opposition – though not in the way that the prat Allister sees it. Again, leaving sectarian head counts to the side, who would be the more natural allies? In a voluntary coalition why on earth (e.g.) would SF seek a pact with anyone other than SDLP? The only reason would be for “cross community” reasons. APNI have had it right on this for a while – the mechanisms to ensure governance people could buy into risks entrenching the sectarianism its trying to address. Personally I would welcome more voluntary coalitions that make political rather than cross community sense. A sign of progress? Example – SF and SDLP in Down?
I live in Down and would trust them not to abuse their positions in any sectarian way – I probably wouldn’t have 20 years ago.
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Comment on Pan-unionism revived in Castlereagh
on 11 May 2011 at 12:53 am
Comrade Stalin
“Yes, and yet a token gesture to vote for an SDLP Chair or Mayor is apparently out of the question. I can’t think of a better way for the DUP, or indeed UUP, to show that they have set aside the baggage of the past.
Peter Robinson invoked the name of a murdered police officer when he talked about working to build a shared future. It seems cynical, and slightly disturbing, for the DUP to then move so decisively against sharing in the way they have just done”.
So DUP have 11 seats – need 12 for majority and their choice is UUP, SDLP, AP and Greens. Leave sectarianism to a side for a second – on mere politics, you choose the best fit.
I hope they do vote for an SDLP mayor during this term- I have met both people involved and they would do it well. A gesture is all it would be though.
On the Ronan Kerr reference – I just hope Robinson was sincere in that. If not he’s a disgrace
“Tell you what, how about Alliance forms a pact with the SDLP and SF in Belfast and excludes unionists from all the council positions, flies the tricolour and erects signs in Irish everywhere ? Would that be a fair comparison with the Fine Gael/Labour coalition ? The ratios aren’t too far off”.
To be frank I have no issue with that. SDLP and SF are varying shades of left of centre. AP wouldn’t be too far from a Lib Dem coalition with Labour – plenty of examples of that in councils in GB – yeah, works for me.
“Yes, it’s in a suburb of Belfast where the residents have easy and quick access to services provided by the Belfast council”.
Which must be why Belfast leisure services are consequently disproportionately well used ….. not. I suspect you may find more Belfast residents in the Ice Bowl and Robinson Centre (eek, hurts to refer to that name – why name it after him?).
“Councils have almost no impact on the economic policies that influence employment levels”.
You might want to try that one on Belfast and the 90 odd people in their Development Department. Councils have had a permissive power on economic development for 20+ years.
“Councils have no impact on incomes either”.
See above – and as a ‘taxing’ authority, yes they do.
“Yeah, that’s because the area is subsidized by the Belfast ratepayers. That is why, for example, residents outside Belfast have to pay a substantial fee to bury someone in a Belfast graveyard – because the council won’t meet the costs through the rates”.
Wrong way round mate if you follow your logic. If every man jack in Castlereagh is using Belfast leisure facilities, they are subsidising Belfast.
“How on earth do you measure a thing like that ?”
Try visiting – or just have a look at usage figures. People do vote with their feet.
“I doubt you are comparing them with a serious point of reference. It’s very easy to run a council on the edge of a city where your residents can leech off the facilities that are a few minutes’ drive way”
Why does it not then work for Newtownabbey, Lisburn etc. Belfast have the best rates base in NI and all the service advantages of a dense population – yet still their rates are way above most councils.
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Comment on Pan-unionism revived in Castlereagh
on 10 May 2011 at 8:01 pm
“are Committee Chairs awarded extra pay in Castlereagh” – yes. And in every other council.
I doubt there was any fear of APNI involved or anything about committee chairs. Was talking with someone who knows the place better than I do – he says its reflection of political relationships on the council. UUP and DUP cllrs get on well and there ain’t much between them. DUP are more interested in keeping control of rates setting than the niceties of who chairs a cttee – which has no real power at all.
Bearing in mind all parties say they are for a government and opposition in principle (some not that convincingly) why should this be a problem. Power sharing is a great thing – I supported it for 30 years. But its a means – its not the end. What Castlereagh appears to have is a ……………….. coalition!!
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Comment on Pan-unionism revived in Castlereagh
on 10 May 2011 at 12:55 am
There ain’t no themmuns to keep out in Castlereagh!
Jeep 55 – indeed a very good step forward for Alliance. That being said, they still are really spectators both in councils and assembly. Is this a high point or springboard?
Can they form a base outside greater Belfast? Interesting times – think i’d rather be APNI just now than UUP.
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Comment on Pan-unionism revived in Castlereagh
on 10 May 2011 at 12:47 am
Comrade Stalin – could you explain where these “fenians” are exactly? Nationalist parties are tiny – no threat to anyone. A coalition with UUP (whats left!) keeps DUP in control. U know, the way labour are keeping fine gael in power? Or is that a sectarian carve up too just to keep the shinners out?
The borough suffers for it? R u sure u know where Castlereagh is? High employment levels, incomes, lowest rates, best leisure facilities.
Believe me – I ain’t no friend of the DUP, but they can sure run Castlereagh well!
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Comment on Pan-unionism revived in Castlereagh
on 9 May 2011 at 11:40 pm
Might I suggest that some may be reading this ass about t*t? There is absolutely no way this has anything to do with nationalist parties – there ain’t enough to cause the slightest ripple in Castlereagh! Anyone recall the last council – was it 2 SDLP?
My reading immediately was that its to keep the UUP away from APNI and others forming a grouping against the DUP. Some minor concessions to UUP and the DUPes keep complete control of council. Simples and I must say quick and decisive.
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Comment on Now “the annual ritual o’ the big countin’ up is o’er…”
on 9 May 2011 at 11:29 pm
The Prof hits the nail on the head again. Priceless. The wee SDLP wumman has’nae lang til go.
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Comment on Catching up with Paddy Meehan (Socialist Party)
on 21 April 2011 at 11:35 pm
“The cuts are being brought in not because of public sector debt but because of a huge legacy of bringing over the debt of the banks into the public books”
Why does the amount of debt appear to be 2-3 times what bank bail-outs cost? What did Gordons spending spree contribute to the mountain of debt?
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Comment on Alliance Party launch huge manifesto
on 21 April 2011 at 12:31 am
Lengthy manifestos don’t always have a great track record.
1983 ….. Labour ….. “Longest suicide note in history”?
At least the effort has been put in and there is some interesting stuff there (from a quick scan!).
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Comment on Eamonn O’Neill: “come out and vote – this is an important election” (#ae11 #sdo11)
on 21 April 2011 at 12:16 am
“this is an important election” – given Eamonns age, clearly it is. Don’t be too hard on the SDLP though they do have an interesting 18 yr old council candidate in Derry.
Truth is, I can’t see any younger, capable SDLP candidates in this area.
My prediction is that Eamonn may miss out narrowly again probably to SF this time.
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