Belfast Gonzo IT’S already the most crowded newspaper market in the UK or Ireland (and possibly even further afield) with, what, 17 daily papers on NI’s shelves now? Seems there’s room for more though, with ex-Sunday People journalist, Ex-Mirror NI editor and ‘Stakeknife’ co-author, Greg Harkin, in charge. The new ‘compact’ (ie it’s a tabloid), Daily View, is expected to be out on April 4 – or was that just Greg’s ploy to spook the Belfast Telegraph, which is also going compact …
ANOTHER day, another Ulster Unionist leaflet – this time they’re ‘speaking up for Ulster’. The UUP is trying to capitalise on its track record of holding the Government to account in the House of Commons, and suggests their MPs are working harder than the DUP’s. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
UNBELIEVABLE! Westminster’s ‘Father of the House’ Tam Dalyell has apologised to the people of Northern Ireland after 44 Labour MPs voted in support of tuition fees for students here. A year ago, they all voted against the introduction of these fees in England. Thanks guys. We know you care, honest.The News Letter reports: Veteran parliamentarian Tam Dalyell apologised to the people of Northern Ireland yesterday after a controversial vote supporting the implementation of university fees in the Province. The Scots …
I’M not sure that this could accurately be described as a ‘racial row’, but it seems the SDLP’s policing spokesman, Alex Attwood, has caused upset with certain remarks he made about the English in conversation with Policing Board human rights advisers. The offence was compounded by the fact that one of the “English lawyers” was in fact from Northern Ireland. Doh!Breaking News reports tonight: The West Belfast MLA said he had personally contacted Mr Starmer to stress any upset was …
ONE little-reported story that I missed was that the Government is holding a consultation to review the administration of charities and relevant legislation in Northern Ireland. The lack of accountability in this area has been one of my bugbears for a few years, so while welcome, it’s very, very late in the day and seems to have been prompted by an IMC report. But will a UK-style Charity Commission be enough to take on the scams in Northern Ireland? The …
AS house prices soar in Northern Ireland, first time buyers are being priced out of the market. The LibDems suggested some ideas the other day to deal with this growing problem. A rise in the stamp duty threshold and restrictions on the sale of properties to those from outside the area has been mooted in the Yorkshire Dales.James Stinson reported today in the Irish News: Northern Ireland is turning into a region of haves and have-nots – those that have …
UP to 4,000 jobs could be created in a £14 million Belfast city masterplan announced by the Government today. The focus is on two major retail outlets and regeneration of the Cathedral and Castlecourt areas. I hope promises that public spaces will be improved and independent retailers will be looked after don’t turn out to be hollow – as they own many of the premises which will be torn down to make way for the new outlets.Social Development Minister John …
THE NI Affairs Committee has strongly criticised the Government for its belated efforts to meet EU targets on waste recycling. This could mean a fine of £180 million – and guess who pays? Looks like we’re nowhere near ‘waking up to waste’. In fact, we’re still fast asleep.UTV Internet reported: Chairman Michael Mates, said some years ago Northern Ireland was the first part of the UK to develop a waste management strategy in response to EU directives setting out how …
ANNE Cadwallader interviews Ian Paisley Jr in Daily Ireland. She finds many parallels between him and his father, who Junior will always be defined against, but are they really such comparable personalities? One interesting note is how Ian Jr doesn’t deny reports that he wrote his father’s “sackcloth and ashes” speech, which some have said scuppered last year’s political deal.In response, Paisley says: “That is a widely held view out there. I do my job. It if attracts adverse publicity, …
PANORAMA tonight (BBC One, Sunday, 27 February 2005, 22:15 GMT) takes a look at Scotland’s ‘secret shame’ – sectarianism. It asks if Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic have done enough to combat bigotry on the terraces. Are some fans just 90-minute bigots, or is the problem so serious that First Minister Jack McDonnell right to convene a summit on sectarianism? Meanwhile, “the Catholic church has called on Scottish police forces to conduct a Northern Ireland-style religious audit of their …
AM I right in thinking that a unionist candidate has just become the new President of Queen’s University Students’ Union? Maybe not such a cold house after all, if this is indeed the case..? Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
THE Secretary of State has officially announced that MI5 is to take over security primacy from the PSNI in Northern Ireland from 2007. Although this was originally Patten recommendation 6.15, it has been opposed strongly by the SDLP and raises many interesting questions about how terrorism here will be fought in the future, and how our security services will be held accountable.This is not an unexpected announcement, as it is understood to have also been recommended in the Chilcott report …
THE UUP has been accused by Sinn Fein of trying to criminalise republicans in its latest leaflet. It pictures Gerry Adams with half his face covered with a balaclava and accuses Sinn Fein of having consistently lied about IRA criminality. Makes a change from attacking the DUP, I suppose.Barry McCaffrey reported in the Irish News yesterday: A bitter war of words erupted last night with Sinn Fein accusing the Ulster Unionists of attempting to criminalise its voters. The row came …
WHILE attention has been focused elsewhere, Sinn Fein has published an (appropriately named!) green paper on Irish unity. Whatever your thoughts on it, surely this is a useful starting point on the debate? Beats bombs anyway.Speaking at the launch, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said: “In 1992 Sinn Féin published a document ‘Towards a Lasting Peace in Ireland’ which set out our party’s peace strategy. That document signposted the development and evolution of the peace process. Now in 2005 we …
AS Michael McGimpsey replaces Rev Martin Smyth as the UUP’s westminster candidate in South Belfast, the DUP says it will offer voters and alternative hardline unionist choice to the Trimble supporter. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
THE Presbyterian Church has said no political party should be in government unless “it is fully committed to democratic methods alone and, where applicable, renounces and forsakes criminality and engages in complete, verifiable decommissioning”. Even Presbyterian liberals like Rev Ken Newell appear to have little confidence in Sinn Fein any longer.On the Northern Bank robbery, Former Presbyterian Moderator the Rev Dr Alastair Dunlop said: “This wilful and planned act violated the law of God, subjected bank employees and their families …
NOW that the Maze site has got the official nod for the new sports stadium, what will we call it? Should the Government hold a competition? Talkback has had a few suggestions phoned in – The Pinnacle, The Oasis, The Amazing (geddit?) – but none seemed to capture my imagination. My prediction? The Coca Cola Stadium, if you’ll excuse the cynicism. Can Sluggerettes do better? Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
JOHNNY Adair has been seen on the Shankill Road and in Portadown. No doubt the Sundays will have plenty more (yawn) on this cretin at the weekend. Meanwhile, the Irish News has reported that Ken Barrett, who was convicted of Pat Finucane’s murder, has been flown to Maghaberry Prison. This means that he isn’t subject to the legal loophole in GB that prevented his early release under the Agreement. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
WHILE Gerry Adams’ popularity has sunk to an ‘all time low’, support for Sinn Fein remains practically unchanged, according to an Irish Independent poll.UTV reported: The poll asked a cross-section of the Irish public a number of questions, among them: “Do you believe or not that Sinn Féin was reponsible for the breakdown of the northern peace process in December 2004 by refusing to allow photographs of weapons being decommussionsed?” to which 46% replied that they thought so, 39% replied …
OUTGOING chief Human Rights Commissioner Brice Dickson has launched a blistering attack on the Government, blaming it for failing to provide the Commission with adequate powers. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster has also called for more powers for another product of the Agreement – the Police Ombudsman.Press Association reports: In a lengthy letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy, Chief Commissioner Professor Brice Dickson castigated the British Government for failing to give his commission proper powers, running down …
