Don’t make a martyr of Mohammed

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s promises to be the trial of the century. Three thousand victims of a single conspiracy equals the death toll of the entire Troubles. The scene-set recalls an earlier age in Britain when justice seemed less complicated. In the same manner encountered over the release of al-Megrahi, Americans take a more robust view of justice and terrorism. From the president downwards, vengeance and punishment are unapologetically referred to as justice. And lest there be any doubt, the Attorney …

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We have all the identity we need

Ed Curran’s column, asking what is actually meant by unionism and nationalism today is no less wise by being familiar. He injects a note of basic reflection into a dour political scene that seems trapped in its own silos. Lightening up about identity is one way out. People are often embarrassed to question the fundamentals because like a sermon about God is Love, it fails to reflect ” the real world.” Phooey. I would only add that the choice of …

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SNP reverse serious but not fatal

Glasgow north east was an amazingly good win for Labour in the present climate. Labour learned the lesson of past defeats by dropping the pose of the party of main power and attacking the SNP as the Scottish government. But on a 32% turnout, talk of a rollback of the SNP is premature. Relief is felt that the BNP didn’t cross a psychological threshold after all and pip the unloved Tories into third place, the Conservatives managing to save their …

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The SDLP – too much fashionable pessimism

As noted in comment yesterday, Fionnuala gives the authentic account of the rise and fall of the SDLP, ending with a threnody of prevailing pessimism about its future. Like her and many others of our generation, I knew all the old gang pretty well but have met only a handful of today’s lot, Maginnes, the Attwoods, Hanna, Dallat, Ritchie, McGrady, McDonnell and yes the “hapless”- (unkind and overstated) – Durkan. They don’t strike me as inferior to a round up …

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The struggle for the future – Murdoch v Google

Who in the next 10 years will be more influential – content providers like Murdoch or “ aggregators” like Google? In a survey I took part in, it’s a near dead heat but the trend is unmistakable. YouGovStone polled 1416 members of the YouGovStone panel of influential people between 26th October and 2nd November. YouGov also conducted a parallel survey of the general public, using a national representative sample from the YouGov panel. Who is more influential, and who will …

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Backlash against Sun favours Brown

Roy Greenslade says most it. Even Mrs Janes’ brother has sympathy for Gordon. Mind you, if sympathy turns to pity, I’m not sure it does him any good. ITV’s 10 O’Clock News last night best exposed the flaws in Gordon that dog him constantly- the ability to come clean immediately and admit mistakes in full. Bad as his writing is, it seems clear to me he did misspell Mrs “Janes.” and altered “Jamie” Yet he refused to admit it. It …

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Some questions for Margaret

Taking her claim that the SDLP is “ brimming with ideas” at face value, may I put some questions about what might be thought distinctive about Margaret Ritchie’s SDLP leadership bid?. Thanks to Conall for the text. Unless the party can work up something to broaden the agenda and woo voters with a USP or few, her thoughts will stay what Margaret says they are – personal visions. I’m suprised she has nothing to say on how the SDLP would …

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Will new rights to treatment for the English be introduced in Northern Ireland?

It’s always worth keeping an eye on what other parts of the UK are being promised to try to ensure Northern Ireland isn’t being short changed under devolution. Often, it’s mighty hard to find out. Government has a vested interest in concealment if they fail to match other areas. Like or not, more and more, we are all in a huge post code lottery. Is “BT” doomed never to win the rollerball? Take for example the “NHS Constitution” for England …

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SNP wriggling over independence referendum can’t hide some fall-off in support

It’s no surprise that the SNP have rejected the Calman Commission’s recommendations for more taxation and other powers for the Scottish Parliament as an alternative to independence. Independence was ruled out of the remit. And to be fair, no other party has pledged to implement Calman either, in the depths of recession. However, last night the SNP’s Constitution Minister Mike Russell went further than the Herald’s story. He was perfectly prepared to incorporate “a Calman package” in a multi-option referendum, …

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US health care – divided by a common language

Nothing apart from guns for all makes the US seem quite so foreign as the Great Health Insurance debate. The holy grail of universal health cover is far from a done deal. Having narrowly passed the House, it starts all over again the Senate. The Murdoch-owned Wall St Journal’s (still free) coverage gives us the true fruit of the right wing vine. First, on costs it sounds a lament for the rich the reader is expected to sympathise with. “The …

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Come clean on Afghanistan

What on earth is Gordon Brown trying to say? On the one hand, “I will not risk British lives if Afghans do not end corruption “ On the other: “ We will not walk away”. Well, are we in or out? All we have in a few sentences of typical boilerplate is more Brown confusion and tetchiness from the near-rebellious chiefs of staff. Of course we know British nerves are stretched, waiting on Obama. So why expose yourself now Gordon, …

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Call for radical reform in Ireland – solution or distraction?

In his latest attack on the poor performance of the Republic, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Dan O’Brien targets the whole political culture. The Irish problem is not just what governments do but what they fail to do. Dan argues for wholesale institutional reform and hankers after a government of experts rather than bungling sometimes venal amateurs. Who I wonder would be his ideal taoiseach or finance minister? He complements British departmental cross cutting (perhaps over- generously) and pins much of …

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For some who aren’t even Irish, it’s becoming ” poppy fascism”

An interesting take by the Guardian on the crescendo of poppyness as Remembrance Sunday approaches.. “An observer from another planet might suppose tomorrow’s Remembrance Day ceremonies would at the least be tinged with anger, and might provoke bitter protest. They will not, of course, despite the growing protests of some soldiers’ families. That is no thanks to the dubious new interpretation of remembrance that is evident in the stridency with which poppy-wearing by celebrities and newsreaders and X-factor judges is …

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Kelly botched it

At the risk of being pelted with bricks, metaphorically I hope, my sympathies have swung back towards MPs. I’m not alone. After they’ve rubbed MPs’ noses in it so thoroughly, much of the press are starting to clean them up again. The Indy details the anomalies that will create two classes of MP by taking five years to phase out the present system, one class, those standing again, the other, the new boys and girls. In an open invitation for …

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The big story on Europe isn’t Cameron’s completely predictable climbdown

The big news about Europe this week is way beyond David Cameron. It was EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes who was mainly responsible for splitting the big banks and having a big hand in General Motors to back off from their sale to Magna on the grounds that the Canadian firm’s drastic restructuring plans could run into trouble over state aid. That’s what the EU is most effectively about – setting fair rules for a global market. On Cameron, the …

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The world after double jobbing – learn to be good ministers.

In a welcome sign that we no longer need or deserve special treatment, it’s clear that Northern Ireland is not going to remain the one area where multiple mandates are allowed, as noted by Mick and Pete. Looking ahead, now that devolution is more or less established, the profile for most senior public representatives inevitably shifts away from their role as parliamentarians and focuses on them as ministers. This may create difficulties for the DUP in particular, with their games …

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This body count should not dictate Afghan strategy

“It is time to ask whether the fight against those who are intent on murdering British citizens might better be served by diverting into the work of the UK Border Agency and our police and intelligence services much of the additional finance and resources swallowed up by the costs of maintaining British forces in Afghanistan.” Kim Howells, former foreign officer minister and now chair of the PM’s advisory Intelligence and Security Committee breaks a taboo to ask a fundamental question. …

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The exchange of ideas between Britain and Ireland is drying up

Why is there a dearth of public intellectuals in Ireland? Andreas Hess, an American sociologist currently teaching in UCD poses the question in an Irish Times opinion piece pegged to a RIA symposium later this week. The exercise seems prompted by the fall-out from the recession, recognising that the roots of Irish problems lie deeper than in a discussion about money. The interplay of ideas and events shapes the future. In Britain and Ireland we like to preen ourselves as …

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Salmond’s first wobble

News that the Scottish Lib Dems have decided to sink the SNP’s referendum 2010 Bill is a dog bites man story . Alex Salmond will hardly be surprised. But is his strategy of blaming the unionist majority in Holyrood for denying the People’s right to have a vote on independence still paying off? The latest You Gov poll may be a significant straw in the wind. It’s Alex’s first setback with public opinion since the SNP minority government was formed …

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British xenophobia over top EU posts

While it’s great crack if you’re an anorak, the frantic speculation about the top Euro jobs doesn’t show off my old colleagues in the Westminster lobby at their best. Some are helping to keep Tony Blair’s candidacy for the presidency alive, others are floating David Miliband as “ foreign minister” while the Indy in Sunday thinks it sees a dark plot in it all to make Mandy the Labour leader. It’s all so parochial . At times, it even touches …

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