This article makes up the third part of a series that takes a satirical look back on the last year and a bit of Northern Irish Politics. The following was written entirely tongue in cheek and none of it should be taken very seriously. Find Parts I and II here: A Year Without Government Series: Part I of III A Year Without Government Series: Part II Talk About Talks About Talks Election over, democracy enacted, job done, time to get …
As the BBC report, the UK Culture Secretary, Karen Bradley, MP, has been appointed as the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Prime Minister Theresa May replacing James Brokenshire – who resigned today due to ill health. Karen Bradley MP becomes Secretary of State for Northern Ireland #CabinetReshuffle pic.twitter.com/5TbHJJRI1h — UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 8, 2018 Adds From the BBC report Mrs Bradley, 47, has been the MP for Staffordshire Moorlands since May 2010, and became a Home …
As the only adult (politician) left in the room, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, has intervened, for a second time, on NI Executive business and reallocated £131 million in funding to local departments [pdf file (216kb)]. From the BBC report Health and education are the major beneficiaries of £131m in additional money for Northern Ireland. The move was announced by Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, as part of a reallocation of funds known as a monitoring round. Health …
The government appear to be on the brink of taking the legacy of the Troubles out of the hands of the Assembly. The only question remains if they would entertain an agreed counter proposal from the Assembly parties . You can work out for yourself the prospects of that The Times (£) are reporting that The British government has moved one step closer to shielding British soldiers who served during the Troubles from murder prosecutions despite concerns that it could …
Banging on so much about culture and identity politics is like debating the Resurrection with a famine victim, at best a momentary distraction, at worst an insult. In politics and too much comment, political rhetoric is easy macho stuff. It produces a quick high and the tunnel vision born of long-term self-satisfaction, while the practical business of government is played out on a sectarian battlefield or put on automatic pilot to look after itself. At the back of their minds, …
The Irish government are fond of reminding us that that they and the British government are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. I’ve always understood a guarantor in financial terms as the person responsible for ponying up if the debt isn’t paid. Well, the north is going further and further into the red financially as well as dearg le fearg (red with anger) at lack of any meaningful progress and the guarantors don’t seem to be fulfilling their responsibilities. Secretary …
New “James Brokenshire warns parties must agree or face second snap election” Oh well done James, you’ve decide to open with the joker, He’s decided to match Sinn Fein’s bottom line with one of his own – incidentally going against the advice of his predecessor Theresa Villiers who called for an extension of the three week period. Theresa May has form, with hard ball as an opening move. Quite a gamble. Will anyone pick it up in time? This …
The recently retired and very steady SDLP veteran MLA Alban Maginness who is also a qualified barrister has been given space to mount a measured criticism against secretary of state James Brokenshire in the Belfast Telegraph for his disastrous article in the Sunday Telegraph complaining that an apparent “imbalance” that has led to a “disproportionate” focus on criminal inquiries involving former soldiers.“I am clear the current system is not working and we are in danger of seeing the past rewritten,” …
As I noted in a post in September In July, the NI First and deputy First Ministers and Justice Minister, Claire Sugden announced the publication of the NI Executive’s Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime – 147kb pdf file here. Costing £50 million over 5 years, it’s jointly funded, £25 million each, by the NI Executive and the Brits the British Government. At the launch of that action plan The [Northern Ireland First Minister, Arlene Foster, deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness and Justice Minister, …
