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Lessons in Cute Hoorism: “Graft was accepted, for you were taking from the British…”
I’ve been catching up on some reading, recently. Most pleasantly surprised by John Drennan’s latest opus from Gill and Macmillan, Cute Hoors and Pious Protestors… It’s early days yet, but I was struck by this paragraph, part of a dissection of Fianna Fail near the beginning: One of the more fatal consequences of our colonial [...] read our review »
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Round up of Tuesday’s Political Studies Association conference
If you want to get a flavour of the proceedings at the Political Studies Association conference on its opening day, then the Storify collation below will bring you some of the images, tweets and sounds of the day. Particular highlights included: the Opening Plenary with David Blunkett, Peter Riddell and Matthew Flinders; and the late [...] read our review »
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Is Fianna Fail the new Woolworths of Irish politics?
It’s not published until 3rd March, but one book I recommend you place an advance order for from Slugger’s Bookstore is James Harkin’s Niche. Belfast émigré Harkin examines a number of stories from business, culture and politics and comes to a single insight: everywhere the broad middle is collapsing. He offers Woolworths as an iconic exemplar [...] read our review »
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Comment on Paula Bradshaw looks through the yellow door
on 5 November 2010 at 10:58 am
She’s on an exchange scheme with Sammy Wilson.
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Comment on Paula Bradshaw looks through the yellow door
on 4 November 2010 at 11:51 pm
Turgon
I know that Ms Bradshaw worked very hard in some areas of South Belfast. I know this because she told me so and that she had canvassed some areas twice. It appears that visiting some people twice was in lieu of visiting some others once. I suppose it balances out in some way…
thedissenter
I certainly received no bombardment of Tory inspired literature, I received precisely three pieces of election literature and none of them were from the UCUNFers.
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Comment on Paula Bradshaw looks through the yellow door
on 4 November 2010 at 11:31 pm
“In fairness that desperation might come from a belief she has something to offer as opposed to blind ambition.”
It’s not important that she believes she has something to offer. The electorate of South Belfast needs to believe it.
Her Westminster campaign was decidedly unconvincing. Being a woman just wasn’t enough to persuade disenfranchised female, socialist (ish), working class unionists that she was a valid choice, what her impact on the males was is hard to evaluate.
She’ll have to do a great deal more than she is now to even begin to chase Anna Lo, never mind catch her. She could start with a little honesty and work her way up to a principle.
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Comment on Dawn Purvis resigns from the PUP…
on 3 June 2010 at 10:04 pm
dodrade
Yes, I would imagine that it does. I think that leaves the Green Party with policies closest to Ms Purvis’s stated aims.
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Comment on Dawn Purvis resigns from the PUP…
on 3 June 2010 at 2:08 pm
That should be joining it, not them. sigh…
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Comment on Dawn Purvis resigns from the PUP…
on 3 June 2010 at 2:06 pm
Nordie Northsider
“I can’t see anything stopping them joining Alliance.”
Ms Purvis stated quite plainly today that as the Alliance party does not support a woman’s right to choose, she could not see herself joining them.
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Comment on Is Nelson McCausland overstepping his remit?
on 26 May 2010 at 9:48 am
Is Nelson McCauseland overstepping his remit?
Yes, he is and it’s embarrassing.
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Comment on New “united” Spratt posters appear in South Belfast
on 6 May 2010 at 5:00 pm
Fat Al knows his market. There has been no sign of him on the other side of the park, maybe he thinks that’s where Westminster is.
…or, shock, horror, could he have a wee touch of the sectarians?
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Comment on Unionist difficulties…
on 31 January 2010 at 4:13 am
I think I might have been the only person watching a lunchtime BBC News bulletin one day, before the creation? of UCUNF, but not long after Sir John Hermon’s death. Owen Paterson and Sir Reg. (what is Empey short for?) were being interviewed about the talks they had been having and the notion that the old alliance would be re-established.
The interviewer asked what Lady Sylvia had said. Sir Reg. squirmed as Owen Paterson held forth about how “poor Sylvia” had been through a rough time and how she couldn’t be expected to understand, what with her brain having been rendered mush by the death of her husband and her being just a little woman and all. There were as many condescending and patronising cliches as I’ve ever heard squeezed into one speech. Alas his words were never broadcast again and I have the awful feeling that I really was the only person who heard apart from the woman herself.
Of course being a lawyer type person Lady Sylvia is aware that direct retribution could get her into trouble, but doing what she is doing now is a perfect revenge.
To this I say, “Good on you, Sylvia!”
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Comment on Lets play Devil’s Advocate for Iris
on 14 January 2010 at 8:32 pm
Mark McGregor
You are quite right, there is an amendment for the other assemblies, but would that amendment only apply if an MLA were detained for treatment in a mental health hospital in Great Britain?
The amendment to the Act does not mention The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, (does it?) so might be arguable unless she were transferred between facilities.
Either way, it’s academic because, as you say, the question wasn’t raised “as directly related to Iris’ situation”, but it is quite a coincidence that it should have popped into someone’s head just then.
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