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Progressive Unionist has commented 194 times (0 in the last month).
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Books
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Hearing the Other Voice from the Grave: Why Should we Listen to David Ervine’s Stories?
Ed Moloney’s Voices from the Grave: Two Men’s War in Ireland has received considerable attention in the press and in the public realm since its publication earlier this year. Although the book relates the experiences of the Provisional IRA’s Brendan Hughes and the PUP/UVF’s David Ervine, much of the discussion has focused on Hughes’ stories [...] read our review » -
Help me with the West Wing: Essential viewing or Party Political Broadcast?
Having somehow managed to avoid watching a single episode of the widely praised West Wing TV series I was delighted to discover the entire Box set in my Christmas stocking – and with enough spare time over the holidays to give it a good lash. But with 10 episodes of the first series under my [...] read our review »
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Of the Old North and other Vanished Kingdoms..
I’m currently trawling through Norman Davies’s fabulous new tome – “Vanished Kingdoms” – Five stars in the (London) Telegraph’s review from Ben Wilson: All the nations that have ever lived have left their footsteps in the sand,” writes Norman Davies. “The traces fade with every tide, the echoes grow faint, the images are fractured, the human [...] read our review »
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Comment on Animated Alliance #apni12
on 21 April 2012 at 9:48 pm
I’m a big fan of these Alliance ads – they really draw you in, and they’re really different from the usual face-to-camera mixed with norn-ireland/belfast-scenery shots.
They’re among the best produced of any political ad anywhere, though you’ve got to imagine Alliance are doing it on a tight budget. Fair play to them…
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Comment on For Unionists Only: What would you relish in a United Ireland?
on 18 April 2012 at 6:20 pm
I know it’s a long-shot, but there’s a lot to be said for a united Ireland within the UK (with a devolved Home Rule parliament like Scotland and Wales) – and it would really free up unionists to explore the Irish dimensions to their identity – and give the whole island a chance to grow beyond the whole centuries old nationalist-v-unionist divide.
Who was it long ago who said that ‘Unionists are as Irish as the Irish are British’?
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Comment on NI Tories: “You have to wonder on which planet the new UUP leader is living”
on 2 April 2012 at 10:02 pm
Zig – for Mike Nesbitt to spend 24 hours with a hard-pressed working family in Poleglass – that’s an excellent idea.
It’s difficult to imagine a better way Mike could introduce himself, and his inclusive pro-Union values, to the Northern Ireland public.
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Comment on NI Tories: “You have to wonder on which planet the new UUP leader is living”
on 2 April 2012 at 8:42 pm
NNA – Mike Nesbitt won a decisive 81% majority, much more than most people (including me!) expected.
Watching the interview yesterday, he comes across to me as very sincere and well-intentioned – and he’s also very energetic and, for the first time in a long time, he’s got people interested in where the UUP is going.
He really needs to follow through though – especially on this anti-poverty stuff. Tom Elliott ended up being defined for-ever-more by the mistakes he made in his first few weeks after becoming leader (the GAA and gay pride comments in particular) – and Nesbitt needs to be on his best game over the next few weeks not to fall into the same trap.
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Comment on NI Tories: “You have to wonder on which planet the new UUP leader is living”
on 2 April 2012 at 7:49 pm
I think Mike at least comes across as sincere and well-intentioned on this – but what really matters is where he takes UUP economic policy.
Where will the UUP under Mike stand on the Tory cuts, which are having, and will have even more, a disproportionate impact on the poor?
It’s absolutely fine to say the private sector should be a larger part of NI’s economic mix – but, to be credible on poverty, Mike needs to also really ensure that improving economic and income equality is a core keystone of his party’s economic policy.
To have any chance of really taking on the DUP, he needs to ensure his policies work not just for the middle classes, but for the bottom 60% too.
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Comment on Mike Nesbitt takes 81% of UUP vote
on 31 March 2012 at 6:35 pm
Well, that was a very impressive win for Mike. Although I was hoping (and expecting) for John to come a lot closer, I’m certainly not with the wailing and gnashing of teeth crowd.
Both candidates were a great improvement on the recent past, and I wish Mike well – it’s heartening that the UUP is, at long last, in moderate hands.
My fear though is that the temptation – especially with such a whopping margin of victory – will be to just stick with more of the same old message with a new face, which is definitely not what the UUP needs!
Let’s give Mike a real chance though, his leadership could surprise us and he’s definitely got the potential to win back a lot of the urban and east-of-the-Bann voters who’ve deserted the UUP in droves.
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Comment on And into the last bend of the UUP leadership race: Who will win?
on 30 March 2012 at 9:36 pm
I get the sense that John will prove himself much more competitive than the Belfast-centric media think.
He may even win this thing.
The speeches tomorrow morning could well be decisive.
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Comment on Robinson: “Only those who can adapt to changing circumstances remain standing”
on 30 March 2012 at 7:29 pm
That was an absolutely excellent speech. (and even the most stalwart UUP supporter should admit it!)
“At last unionism has a vision thing” says David McKittrick over on Eamonn Mallie’s blogsite.
Very true. Unionism still needs democratic accountability though – which means a vigorous, pro-active, pro-Agreement opposition in Stormont. For that, we need John McCallister tomorrow!
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Comment on John McCallister: future leader of the Opposition?
on 25 March 2012 at 12:58 pm
The meeting is at 10am next saturday in Belfast.
It’s just bonkers – they should really shift it to midday at the earliest.
A 10am start practically disenfranchises a very large chunk of the electorate.
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Comment on McCallister promises to clear out the old guard…
on 23 March 2012 at 8:19 pm
Don’t know why the powers-that-be in the UUP hierarchy are preventing a face-to-face debate between John and Mike – I think the UUP as a whole would greatly benefit from it.
It would help generate public excitement and interest (which the SDLP failed to do with their leadership campaign)
- and also, while there are very real policy differences (on opposition etc), there’s no personal animosity between the two, both are appealing candidates – and a head to head debate between the two of them wouldn’t come across as at all divisive – but could well turn out to be a very interesting exchange of ideas on the future of Northern Ireland.
The BBC website said that both candidates said they want a face-to-face debate and it was just the party hierarchy stopping it from happening – they really need to reconsider.
A leadership campaign offers a rare opportunity for a political party to reintroduce itself to the public – and the UUP needs to make the most of it.
Bring on a face-to-face debate!
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