Slugger O'Toole

The EU needs to face up to the truth that the GFA is being undermined in spirit and context.

Terry Wright on March 5, 2021, 4:56 pm439 Comments | Readers 5473

In referring with regularity to the fact that a majority of voters in Northern Ireland did not vote in favour of Brexit, the European Union, including the Republic of Ireland, never seems to have understood that whilst an estimated 35% of the pro-Union constituency in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, they did not vote to be treated differently to the rest of the United Kingdom or, excluded as a contrived special case within a final deal. No …

If this is a crisis, it’s a manageable one that requires statesmanship, not panic.

Mick Fealty on March 5, 2021, 3:54 pm101 Comments | Readers 2113

You have to root to the bottom of a News Letter article to get a real sense of what the Loyalist Communities Council’s letter to Boris UK PM Johnson and Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin says about the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement: …the letter warned that the protocol undermines the “basis on which the Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) agreed their 1994 ceasefire and subsequent support for the Belfast Agreement”. That’s a little bit different to how it has been …

If the media has figured how to deal with political lying in the US, what can we learn?

Mick Fealty on March 4, 2021, 12:35 pm493 Comments | Readers 3179

At the weekend, the Sunday Times reprinted an article from the academic journal The British Journalism Review by Roy Greenslade. His rather folksy confession to a once closeted Irish Republicanism, precipitated a mini avalanche of outrage. First I heard of it was on Sunday afternoon when a Liverpool mate sent me a droll response to this ‘revelation’ by text. It wasn’t news, as it’s been in the public domain since Nick Davies revealed the matter in Flat Earth News in 2009. …

Stormont’s economic forecasts and the 2022 Assembly election provide the opportunity for a different approach.

Soapbox on March 3, 2021, 8:14 pm124 Comments | Readers 2045

By Philip Wilson Amid the furore of recent weeks, a recent Finance Committee slipped under the radar with some interesting facts about the future of Northern Ireland’s economy. Stormont’s financial settlement for this financial year is something of an aberration as overall expenditure has risen from last year’s £24 million to £28 million for this year. Much of this must be credited to the willingness of the Treasury and Bank of England to go above and beyond in their COVID-related …

Stray thoughts on the passing of the great spy writer, John Le Carre.

Gerald Dawe on March 3, 2021, 3:36 pm63 Comments | Readers 1969

One of my all-time favourite novelists John Le Carré passed away in December of last year; he was 89 years old and had written some of the most telling insider tales of British identity formation in the post-WW2 period. During lock-down I have been rereading his novels, addictively, along with his memoir The Pigeon Tunnel. Anyways, I was a little miffed to discover that this most diligent of researchers, who went to serious lengths to get his landscapes correct, his …

So what about hosting an “all islands” World Cup tournament (with up to 12 games in Ireland)?

Mick Fealty on March 3, 2021, 9:41 am381 Comments | Readers 1847

This looks to me like a good idea… Spoke to British PM Boris Johnson this morning on the proposed joint bid to host the #WorldCup It's early days – but all sides will cooperate closely on what would be a wonderful opportunity for these islands. https://t.co/7HZ9cIy5RQ — Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 2, 2021 The Irish Times reports: Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport Catherine Martin said: “This is an exciting possibility, but we are still in the very early stages …

Perception of the UK Covid performance rises as public confidence in the Republic drops…

Mick Fealty on March 2, 2021, 2:37 pm322 Comments | Readers 3350

Fascinating comparison of the legal basis on which the two entities effectively competed over limited supplies for their respective populations, which effectively in Ireland has lead to two very different timetables and regimes on the one island. One core difference has been the way the respective contracts with AstraZenica were written up …the starkest example of difference is a clause in the U.K. contract stating that if any party tries to force or persuade AstraZeneca or its subcontractors to do anything …

Where are we with mental health stigma?

John Moriarty on March 2, 2021, 12:34 pm8 Comments | Readers 635

On March 24th 2015, the world was hit by the news that a German aircraft had crashed into the French Alps, killing 150 people. Information quickly started to circulate about an apparently ‘suicidal pilot’ who had deliberately caused the crash. He would later be named as 27-year-old Andreas Lubitz: he had co-piloted the flight and locked himself into the cockpit while the principle pilot was in the bathroom. Prior to any formal investigation, news outlets reported that Lubitz had been …

Urban North Belfast – free webinar series today and tomorrow…

Brian O'Neill on March 2, 2021, 10:55 am27 Comments | Readers 710

Today and tomorrow there are 3 online webinars around improving the urban environment in North Belfast. If you are free they should be an interesting watch. Reconnecting North Belfast to the river Tuesday 2nd March 2-4 pm The webinar introduces the alternative urban solution evolved for North Belfast and the road interchange. Tony Fretton – architect London Terri McKeown – Sailortown Regeneration Mary Black – CBE – Public Health professional Michael McGarry – architect Professor QUB Ken Sterrett – retired QUB planner Intro …

Why Anti-Lockdown Protests Should Be Banned

Peter Farrelly on March 1, 2021, 3:44 pm244 Comments | Readers 2140

The unsavoury and despicable scenes during an anti-lockdown protest on Saturday brought shame to our capital. Fuelled by conspiracy theories that are rampant across social media, brought a violent edge to an already misguided protest in the middle of a pandemic. There are genuine frustrations for many people regarding lockdowns but protesting in this current climate, while breaking public health guidelines undermines so much. Anti-lockdown protests should be banned. There is a fine line being played here with the right …

Health cannot continue to be dealt a poor hand behind more populist projects at the Executive table

Terry Wright on March 1, 2021, 9:49 am86 Comments | Readers 1080

After his sharp riposte to being called a poodle, we can at least see that the Minister of Health has had the better ‘house-training’ but is this the best political representatives have to offer a few hours prior to an announcement that waiting lists have increased? If anything, the NHS needs a watchdog. Figures provide a picture of increases with small decreases that make uncomfortable reading for the 323,174 waiting for a first consultant-led appointment, the 13,043 waiting for a …

Fergus on Monday

Fergus on March 1, 2021, 8:00 am31 Comments | Readers 1297

Unionism needs to step out from the shadows on the Unity referendum question…

Choyaa on February 28, 2021, 10:14 am845 Comments | Readers 7331

It’s difficult to avoid the reality that discussions about a referendum on the constitutional position of Northern Ireland are gaining momentum. For better or for worse it has become part of our daily lexicon in which every problem within Northern Ireland that arises is a result of partition which can easily be rectified if only the island was united. It also means that every mistake Unionism makes (and there are innumerable) make the demands for a referendum louder. The conversations …

My personal experience of our ever increasing health waiting lists….

Felicity Graham on February 28, 2021, 9:51 am26 Comments | Readers 928

A few months from now I will be able to call myself an octogenarian! I am lucky to have reached this moniker in comparatively good health as I take only vitamin pills and, if I bend my knees, can still touch my toes. My experience of the National Health Service in N.I. had been, until a few years ago, extremely good. Before, during and after the Troubles the service here was remarkable and, along with our doctors and nurses, deservedly …

Despite its problems the Protocol puts opportunity in the hands of NI’s politicians more than ever before

Mick Fealty on February 27, 2021, 6:18 am361 Comments | Readers 4879

The frequent gracelessness of some DUP MPs (Sammy Wilson’s charmless swipe at Robin Swann this week was typical) means their critics often experience a pleasant frisson when sinking the boot as its many petty failures rise to the surface. But I don’t really get the party’s (or indeed wider unionism’s) flirtation with nixing the Northern Irish protocol. Even as tactic. I do see there’s a case for arguing that some activity, at the very least, sends a signal to the base that …

#SluggerTV looks at the NI Protocol and a pathway out of lockdown

David McCann on February 26, 2021, 8:00 pm24 Comments | Readers 1318

Slugger TV returns! This episode we have Belfast Live political reporter, Brendan Hughes and Irish News security correspondent, Allison Morris looking through the developments around the NI Protocol and the new pathway out of lockdown.

Helping your Head to Follow your Heart…

Michael McCoy on February 26, 2021, 12:00 pm28 Comments | Readers 592

It’s a common conflict in life, Head vs Heart: ‘appropriate’ vs ‘right.’ The appropriate, or ‘doing things right,’ includes actions or attitudes to deliver immediate physiological needs, like food and shelter. It also meets our security needs – good health, a roof that doesn’t leak, money in the bank. And it satisfies our social needs: love of family and friends; a sense of belonging. ‘Doing the right thing,’ though, is the stuff of astronauts and inventors, philosophers and statesmen, isn’t …

We have short memories when it comes to remembering how we compromised with paramilitaries

Mick Fealty on February 26, 2021, 10:49 am229 Comments | Readers 4025

The First Minister has made the “mistake” of speaking to the Loyalist Communities Council according to the BBC. Also according to the BBC, at the launch of the Loyalist Communities Council, it was… …backed by the UDA, the UVF and the Red Hand Commando. The initiative was fronted by former Downing Street Chief of Staff Jonathan Powell and has been welcomed by, among others, the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the trade unions, the Irish government and UKIP leader Nigel …

Ireland’s Future-Changing Narratives and Changing Language

Soapbox on February 25, 2021, 6:15 pm130 Comments | Readers 3527

Gerry Carlile is the CEO of Ireland’s Future The labelling of people ‘Green’ and ‘Orange’ to describe their political outlook is becoming increasingly dated. In fact, the laziness inherent in those labels are patronising and offensive. The peace process signalled an end to such broad sweeping and blunt labels to describe an increasingly complex and nuanced spectrum of political views across the north. Even a cursory analysis of those who use these descriptors reveal a certain brand of intellectual and …

How cold is your house?

Ian Clarke on February 25, 2021, 2:37 pm601 Comments | Readers 4299

I worked around the border for most of the past decade. I came to understand for the first time just how unnatural the border is to many people there as they go about their daily business. It gave me a very real and practical sense of their innate Irishness for the first time and I understand exactly why so many people in the border counties were so uncomfortable with Brexit. I shared their discomfort and voted to remain. But I …