Profile for Ed Simpson
Latest posts from Ed Simpson (see all)
Ed Simpson has posted 4 times (0 in the last month).
Lady Hermon weighs in on Corporation Tax
With a couple of notable exceptions, there has been little political opposition to the proposals to allow Stormont to set the level of Corporation Tax. Indeed, it has been almost talked up by many on the hill as the silver bullet, while obviously being careful to not actually say as such. Yesterday however, Lady Sylvia Hermon, the [...] more »
“How parents can help their children avoid homosexuality”
The words of the group, Core Issues, who are organising an event next Tuesday at Belvoir Church of Ireland where they will discuss the ‘merits’ of Reparative Therapy – the belief that through therapy and prayer, Gay people can be ‘cured’ of their ‘illness’. Not surprisingly, a protest has been organised by The Rainbow Project, details [...] more »
Archbishop of Canterbury raises questions about coalitions that apply here too.
It won’t come as a surprise to most Tories that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams isn’t a fan of theirs, though I imagine even they are surprised at the quite frank criticisms he has levelled at them in his editorial for the New Statesman which is previewed here. Williams focuses on the speed and [...] more »
MLA’s Pay Review – Is it needed?
It’s natural, given the economic climate we currently suffer, that when considering the merits of any political decision there is a focus on cost in particular. Of course, that’s not a wholly unhealthy thing to consider and indeed for the most part it’s essential, but there is a danger that this focus leads to wrong [...] more »
Latest comments from Ed Simpson (see all)
Ed Simpson has commented 55 times (1 in the last month).
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Total Politics: Top 20 NI Blogs…
Fair play to Iain, he managed to get over 2,200 people voting in his poll for the top Northern Irish blogs this year… We (just, I imagine) retained our top spot, with Splintered coming straight in at number 2, no doubt his pet subject du jour will have garnered him a lot of fans… I’ve [...] read our review »
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Debating the Churches’ Role in the Peace in Northern Ireland
This morning’s Sunday Sequence featured a substantial debate (about 35 minutes into the recorded programme) on a new book,Religion, Civil Society and Peace in Northern Ireland (Oxford University Press 2011), written by sociologists John Brewer, Gareth Higgins and Francis Teeney. The debate was framed in an opening vignette by presenter William Crawley in uncompromising terms, [...] read our review » -
“It was a trivial problem that… occurs every year”
Just your average family gathering at Christmas, with a bit of an argument about the seating cleaning arrangements… Scuffles have broken out between rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics over a turf war in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. Bemused tourists looked on as about 100 priests fought with brooms while cleaning the [...] read our review »
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Comment on Grammar schools and social mobility: a Northern Ireland contribution to the debate
on 21 May 2012 at 12:48 pm
“If they want our votes, they should offer what the public wants.”
Great piece of leadership from Bob there. ‘You tell me what you want, and I’ll support it’.
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Comment on What if David Ford and the Alliance ruling council did walk away from justice? Allister? Agnew? Hay?
on 13 January 2012 at 2:32 pm
AyeYerMa -
Which particular political reality do you feel the Green Party are failing to grasp? A specific response would be appreciated.
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Comment on Sammy Wilson’s #dupconf routine – complete with doubtful gags about SF’s Long Creche
on 28 November 2011 at 11:22 am
Well this thread really makes me feel positive about the future of Northern Irish politics.
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Comment on Green Party NI conference, the visit of Alex Attwood, and criticism of MLAs who can’t read or believe the speeches written for them
on 2 November 2011 at 8:54 am
Alan – as requested:
As a first time attendee I was really pleased with the way the day went. Naturally, I thought it was a very positive event, based mainly on the issues discussed and the wholehearted support for progressive motions. In particular I was delighted to see the motion to campaign for gay marriage receive overwhelming support from the delegates and hope this issue becomes one of debate in the public eye. I imagine it to be an issue other parties may struggle to cope with without revealing underlying prejudices.
The debate on Nuclear power was eye opening for me. I had thought I was alone in my support for Nuclear Power in the party but it appears that many are actually quite open minded on the issue and prepared to listen to the arguments.
I would have liked an open discussion on electoral strategies to try and generate some ideas and get a feel from the members as to what they think we do well and what we don’t.
Steven Agnew’s jokes? Well, the least said…
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Comment on Green Party NI conference, the visit of Alex Attwood, and criticism of MLAs who can’t read or believe the speeches written for them
on 1 November 2011 at 10:13 am
I’d like to add my own thoughts to this. I ran (unsuccessfully) as an Independent Candidate in May and, after realising that there was little disagreement in policy & following a chat with Steven Agnew, decided to join the Green Party. So, I come at this with both an original outsiders perspective and, as of recently, a Green Party member perspective.
I always found it very odd that Brian Wilson chose to stand down as Green MLA & Cllr but decide to run as an Independent Cllr. I didn’t (& still don’t) know Brian or Steven or indeed anyone within the Green Party at that time, but to me it seemed as if Brian knew he could get elected comfortably without the Greens and saw no benefit to staying within the party. Right or wrong, I could see his reasoning. Steven Agnew had recently been elected as leader of the Greens and in effect, Brian’s employee was now also his political boss. While I’m sure there was much more to it than this, it must have had some effect.
Since joining the Greens, however, I haven’t detected a hint of bitterness about the election from anyone in the North Down constituency and the post above from Brian was quite a shock to me. Yes, there was no explicit acknowledgement of Brian’s contribution at the AGM, but so what? Brian played no part in that election for the Green Party. He points no doubt, to his financial contribution, but as a Green MLA, that is what was expected of him. It is no different to any other parties. At what point, Brian, is it acceptable for the Green Party to not mention your contribution?
Brian may argue that he did the Green Party a big favour by being a member but in the same breath decries any imagined accusation that his was an entirely personal vote.
As for promoting Steven Agnew, I’ve no doubt that Brian did help Steven raise his profile, however one thing I always found odd was that the easiest way to raise Steven’s profile would have been for Brian to step down as an MLA and co opt Steven to the Assembly. For sure it would have solved Brian’s problem of having to contribute any more money to the party he intended to stand against in the next election.
Moving onto the election itself: as a constituent in Bangor West it was clear to all that Brian was campaigning for his wife and I fully understand that. What I don’t understand is the demand that the Green Party thank him for that. Joanne Dunlop, a first time candidate and relative newcomer, was one place away from being elected in a DEA that featured Brian & his wife along with another popular Alliance candidate, 2 long term UUP Cllrs and 2 strong and well known DUP Cllr’s. It is to her credit that she polled 8th in a 7 seat DEA. She did this despite Brian’s (who topped the poll) second prefs going to his wife, her Alliance colleague & a UUP candidate before Joanne.
It is far more difficult to examine whether Steven’s assembly vote was down to Brian’s efforts for the Green Party while he was a representative or down to Steven’s hard work on the ground. The fact that he secured a council seat quite comfortably in a separate DEA would suggest that he was doing something right independent of Brian’s influence.
However, all of this is academic now. We know that we can’t rely on the public making a switch to being Green without a huge effort at grass-roots level from members and activists and so we shall set about that task. Brian points out that he is still a member and as such, I can assume he is still on board with the Green Party agenda. Hopefully we in the Greens can all move on from this type of discussion and work to achieve our objectives as a unified party and not as individuals.
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Comment on Loyalist disenchantment moves along the Gold Coast
on 27 June 2011 at 3:37 pm
On point 1, they have no leg to stand on so to speak. We’re only just after an election where the DUP topped the polls in North Down. Their best performer, Alex Easton, enjoys the support of the estates. What exactly have the DUP been doing since the election to betray Loyalists that they weren’t doing beforehand?
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Comment on “How parents can help their children avoid homosexuality”
on 11 June 2011 at 2:16 pm
@Drumlins Rock
I’m not sure you have a good grasp of exactly what it is The Rainbow Project does. I’d say objecting to this kind of event is well within their remit.
@Greenflag
I think that Core Issues and their agenda are morally wrong. I think any support for them is morally wrong. I think politicians that ignore the issue because it may harm their electoral success are morally wrong. Hope that’s clear enough.
@BelfastJJ
I’m sorry, are you actually saying The Rainbow Project is a dangerous practice?
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Comment on Archbishop of Canterbury raises questions about coalitions that apply here too.
on 9 June 2011 at 11:30 am
@andnowwhat
I wasn’t really comparing the 2 coalitions other than to use Williams comments about a lack of mandate as a discussion point to look at the way in which our coalition sets about governing.
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Comment on MLA’s Pay Review – Is it needed?
on 6 June 2011 at 3:55 pm
@DC
It is entirely on the basis of performance. That is the electorate’s opportunity to vote for those who have performed or replace them. That the electorate choose not to do so or vote for different reasons is, when considering the pay of MLAs’, irrelevant.
Also, I purposely didn’t state whether I think there should be a pay rise or not, just that I think it’s right a review is carried out to ensure the level is correct. It should be within the remit of the review panel to take into account the things you have rightly highlighted as factors.
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Comment on MLA’s Pay Review – Is it needed?
on 6 June 2011 at 2:17 pm
@DC
I’m not sure where I have constructed this fallacy.
I would strongly object to the public voting on the issue of pay for the very reason you state.
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