England
Media, politics and influence in the 19th and 21st centuries
It’s hard to talk about politics without the media encroaching on the conversation. In an after lunch session entitled Media, politics and influence three speakers presented papers that looked at a range of topics. Carole O’Reilly is a historian at University of Salford and talked about the influence (and funding) from municipal councillors that created [...] more »
In Defence of Politics, Politicians and Political Science: Blunkett, Riddell and Flinders
The PSA conference started this morning with an opening plenary involving three big hitters – one each from the world of politics, media and academia: In Defence of Politics, Politicians and Political Science. Each speaker’s 10 minute remarks are worth a listen. listen to ‘David Blunkett’s opening remarks at Political Studies Conterence opening plenary’ on [...] more »
#PSA12 Conference liveblog (Tuesday)
The Europa Hotel lobby was busy yesterday with Irish World Dancing Championship participants rubbing shoulders [Ed - and ringlets] and Political Studies Association conference delegates. The former had ringlets, the latter carried conference guides! Prof Paul Carmichael from the University of Ulster is co-convening the conference. listen to ‘In Defence of Politics’ on Audioboo Throughout [...] more »
Cameron’s problem: Definitely in office, but only partly in power…
I suspect that Leo McKinstry’s view that Cameron project has failed is based on view that’s widespread view that his prime failure was in laying out a clear enough alternative to Labour. I think this view seriously under-estimates Labour’s residual popularity. In truth, ordinary English voters did not hold Gordon Brown in the same deep [...] more »
Is a reformed and elected Lords a serious ‘come back’ opportunity for the SDLP?
Interesting piece by Brian Feeney in today’s Irish News, pointing out that a recently leaked committee report talks about beefing up the Lords, redding out the poor attenders (of which there are more than a few Unionist reps) and making all new seats amenable to re-election (albeit for a fifteen year period)… He suggests that [...] more »
Checks on the Scottish border Theresa? Come and look at ours?
Apparently Theresa May thinks there will be border checks along the Scottish border… Well, yes there may be… But not since Maastricht and 1992 has there been any serious commercial disruption along the UK’s only land border… more »
Cruddas case raises the locked and partisan issue of party funding…
Oh dear. It’s hard to know which side of the Irish Sea to start the day’s stories… Hmmm… since it’s a little more pressing (and the Tories don’t wait for the adverse headlines of 15 year long enquiries), let’s start with Murdoch’s sting on Cameron Peter Cruddas, the, erm, very temporary co Treasurer of the [...] more »
Can the Chancellor unlock those mountains of corporate cash?
Tomorrow the Chancellor of the Exchequer faces a number of problems, the greatest of which is the poor growth figures the UK is experiencing… Such cuts as have been delivered have hit local government in England… and probably a great deal harder than the public figures suggest… As Howard Davies points out in the FT, [...] more »
Learning from the Tories: A road map to recovery for parties in trouble?
Noel Whelan’s op ed piece is an intelligent structural rip from Tim Bale’s address to the recent Fianna Fail Ard Fheis on lessons to be drawn from the Tory come back after more than 13 years in the political wilderness.. Professor Bale was drawing on his recent study The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron… [...] more »
Six Nations – yet another boring Welsh Grand Slam?
Ok - I have people staying over for the weekend so forgive me for a post on Thursday. Sam’s back for Wales.. (from the Independent) Whatever. - that’s from Le Monde with the Google Translate here. I don’t think Rougerie is a centre. How many points are Ireland going to beat these idiots by? Foden want’s [...] more »
Boris makes peace with London Irish before election day…
I heard a story recently about the current Mayor of London in some committee where he gave out about people not knowing their Catullus from their Horace (or some such combination of Latin poets/playwrights/philosphers). Apparently the assembled throng did not know where to put themselves. The third London Mayoral elections are coming up and the [...] more »
#CATJRF Playing a game to realise community assets – and collaboration
It can be really difficult to help people both think more enterprisingly about their community project, and also consider collaborating with groups who in the past may have been competitors for resources. Games may help develop some shared understanding, and also build relationships and trust. Last year Drew Mackie and I ran a workshop game [...] more »
“I believe that schools are best placed to make decisions in light of what they believe is in the best interests of their pupils.”
So sayeth the Northern Ireland Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd. He’s not, however, speaking about academic selection… Following a 12-week public consultation on GCSE reform, which ended on 30 December 2011, the NI Education Minister has decided to give no direction on whether schools should use unitised or linear GCSEs. [Let the market decide! - Ed] Indeed. From [...] more »
Six Nations – Another boring weekend.
OK – in the prediction contest we have two joint leaders, Johnny Boy and Reader. Neither have gone for Tommy Bowe as top try scorer so it’s still very open. Today it’s Wales v Italy and Ireland v Scotland. Tomorrow England travel to Paris. In the Western Mail Michael Owen hails the best Welsh team [...] more »
#AssetTransfer: ‘Meanwhile space’ gives a short term feel for long term solutions…
How do we restore our town centres into exciting and bustling destinations? How do we build the new start-ups that will provide jobs for our young people? How do we create the social enterprises, sustainable businesses and creative manufacturing that will add real value to our economy? Anyone who says they have the answer is [...] more »
#CATJRF: Lough Neagh and the importance of timeliness in transferring assets…
Not much more than a curio at this stage, but Francie Molloy, Micheala Boyle and Oliver McMullan have laid down down Stormont’s equivalent of an early day motion (No Day Named Motion) addressed to two of their party colleagues in the Executive: Establishment of a Working Group to Consider the Return of Lough Neagh into [...] more »
#CATJRF: Putting community budgeting on the agenda for the citizens of Northern Ireland
Economic and social prosperity in Northern Ireland depends on our public services – well-educated young people; an effective health service; welfare services that support and incentivise the unemployed and disadvantaged; and safe streets and communities. As the crunch on spending looks set to continue beyond this spending round and well into the decade, it is [...] more »
“I am delighted to hear that the people of Northern Ireland are the happiest in the United Kingdom”
Some good news! [Peter Robinson will be pleased - Ed] Possibly… According to the Office of National Statistics’ analysis of experimental subjective well-being data from the Annual Population Survey, April to September 2011, the people of Northern Ireland are the happiest in the United Kingdom. In fact the, admittedly subjective, data reveals that the people [...] more »
Thoughts on The New Routemaster and Green Transport
The new Routemaster buses by Wrightbus have finally begun to appear in London. These buses have been championed by Boris Johnston to replace the bendy buses brought in by Ken Livingstone when he was mayor. The buses seem to have proved reasonably popular with the public though a protest bus followed the first new Routemaster [...] more »
Six Nations – Weekend 3
It’s time to start building a fortress. From the Irish Times: WHEN IRELAND first returned to Lansdowne Road in the autumn of 2010, Brian O’Driscoll spoke for all when declaring Ireland’s need to make the Aviva a fortress. Alas, not helped by the IRFU’s ticketing fiasco, as fortresses go it’s been more akin to the [...] more »
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Books
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…if University education were universally available and availed of, the country would collapse in one generation
The words of Brian O’Nolan, variously Brian Ó Nualláin, Myles na gCopaleen, Myles na Gopaleen and, of course, Flann O’Brien. That O’Nolan was referencing his own dissolute student days at UCD only mildly distracts from the prophetic undertone of his words: I paid no attention whatsoever to books or study and regarded lectures as a [...] read our review »
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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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Kevin Myers’ ‘Watching the Door’: Book Review
This reads as if a mad picaresque tale. Myers as first a reporter for RTÉ and then as a freelance journalist with no real experience, finds himself wandering into savagery as he hastens north as the Troubles explode. A soldier dies next to him; he witnesses an IRA ambush; he sees children shot to death [...] read our review »
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