Slugger O'Toole

Brendan O’Leary, now a professor at the University of Pennslyvannia, takes another view of the governments’ actions, and lays out three reasons why he thinks the agreement has failed to deliver a lasting settlement: “First, the British government has not fully implemented police reform. That, together with loyalist paramilitary violence, has made demands for the IRA to disband unacceptable to many nationalists who do not trust the police. “Second, the UUP, the most divided party in the executive, has responded …

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ABC News picks it up as Britain to Run Northern Ireland: “Britain has successfully shut down and revived the Catholic-Protestant administration before. But analysts predict this crisis will be the toughest yet to resolve because of rising Protestant hostility to sharing power with Sinn Fein, the Irish Republican Army-linked party that has grown increasingly popular among Catholics, thanks to the peace process.” Alex Fitzpatrick picks up messages from outside the usual sources: “Having lived through three decades of conflict prior …

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Despite a fairly full frontal attack on the poltical integrity of Sinn Fein, David Ervine believes that both the DUP and the main Republican party are at bottom pragmatists who will both eventually agree to work together within an agreed Northern Ireland. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

A full round up of words from Assembly parties at the Guardian. Also they produce their own Q&A on what it means in practice. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

As we expected here on the Letter, most of the institutions will be preserved, but stood down until there is wide enough support for them to be started again. The exception to this is the Policing Board. John Reid has invited it’s current members to reapply for membership, most are expected to accept. Indications are that the North/South Ministerial Council will not continue. Two new NIO junior ministers have been announced, Ian Pearson MP (Dudley South) and Angela Smith MP …

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Malachi O’Doherty yesterday: “The question for Gerry Adams now is whether he still has a political hand to play. He has. He will make the case that the Agreement failed because Unionists could not commit to it. In that case, the British government must make them commit to it. “It takes some gall to advance a case which depends on his overlooking all his own side’s sins, but that is the sort of gall which makes Gerry Adams such an …

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John Reid has spoken to all the main political leaders and announced that the Assembly is to be suspended at 10am this morning. The FT writes, as we suggested here, on Friday: “Mr Reid is also expected to announce the appointment of two additional ministers to support him in the running of the province. He is also set to announce a cut in the salaries of the assembly members during the period of suspension. This will be the fourth time …

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This man proves we have not all lost our sense of humour. Last line first: “The moral of this story? Be careful when hypnotise chickens and don’t slap van drivers in the face if you’re not sure of your facts.” Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Peter Robinson, Minister for Regional Development and his party colleague Nigel Dodds Minister for Social Development have finally started the rolling ball we all knew was coming and resigned their posts. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Anthony McIntyre, a dissident Republican who does not support the Belfast Agreement, nevertheless provides a biting analysis of Sinn Fein’s position after this most trubulent of weeks. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The crisis has been covered by a number of other bloggers. The Shamrockshire Eagle frequently runs a sceptical eye over developments. Hawk Girl is, um, something of an iconoclast on Ulster and many other things besides. Fenian Ramblings is a both and American and Irish Republican, and Badger’s Radio provides a steady stream of interesting material from the fringes of the Republican movement. In addition, Perry de Haviland at Samizdata takes a (largely hostile) English libertarian stance on the role …

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First off, suspension does not mean collapse. Effectively the democratic institutions are being ‘moth-balled’, for an indefinate period to allow for renegotiation between the main Northern Ireland parties. All powers decentralised from the Westminster government will be taken back. Even so, the Assembly members will continue in office on ‘shadow salaries’ (around two-thirds of current pay), though there will be no debates or committee meetings. In fact no official duties will be carried out at Stormont. These come under ‘Strand …

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Many commentators have been in a state of mild shock, since the crisis began last Friday. Tim Pat Coogan, whose most famous work has been a large modern history (US) of the IRA, is anything but sanguine. At times like this, it may be best not to get too carried away in the hyperbole of the dramatic moment. But this morning it is hard to find many who are not suffering serious disappointment. Thanks to the ever excellent Newshound for …

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We Irish have an annoying habit of claiming everything and everyone that moves. So it continues with the big secret of the American presidency now out in the open! And here may be the reason GWB is not always understood by his peers: “Recently, George W. Bush, commenting on his rather confusing oratorical style, compared himself to the inscrutable Irish writer, James Joyce: ‘I must be Irish myself. Every time I speak in public I end up sounding like James …

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For new visitors, and those too bewildered to have taken it all in, here’s a quick recap on recent events in Belfast, according to Letter to Slugger O’Toole. The current crisis broke less than a week ago, with an early morning raid on the Sinn Fein offices in Northern Ireland Assembly Building. The PSNI quickly released details of what was captured in the raid to members of the Sunday press and by Monday, the Nationalist Irish News was calling for …

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The BBC reports that the Assembly is indeed to be suspended on Monday. They also provide a handy Q&A routine covering the main issues of the past week and the glowering future. Here’s another one at the Belfast Telegraph. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Courtesy of Newshound, a report in last Sunday’s People newspaper. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Neill Lochery writing in the Jeruselem Post, frames the primary conflict within the state as a tension between those who follow Hobbes’ thinking: “…humans were basically selfish creatures who would do anything to better their position. Left to themselves, he thought, people would act on their evil impulses. According to Hobbes, people therefore should not be trusted to make decisions on their own. In addition, Hobbes felt that nations, like people, were selfishly motivated. To Hobbes, each country was in …

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David Ervine says exclusion is the key problem. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Alison Hardie produces an excellent portrait of the Scottish Catholic ‘unionist’ Secretary of State, who with a firm knowledge of the complex detail of Scotland’s parallel sectarian daily life, has at times joyfully confounded the expectations of both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland. It goes on to compare him to previous Labour incumbents in the post. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.