A conflict by any other name
“Nowadays we have more of a cultural conflict rather than a military one” Discuss. Lee Reynolds
Lee Reynolds
Robinson repeats his stall
In the Sunday Times (not online), Peter Robinson, the almost certain favourite to take over as DUP leader, has been outlining what he considers the future direction of the DUP. He repeats the commitment to a ‘corporate leadership’ as it would be impossible for one person to fulfil the same role as Paisley and emphasises again the key points from his Castlereagh speech in October 2007. Lee Reynolds
Ruane’s guide to winning friends and influencing people
The three largest Protestant denominations have expressed their “deep disquiet” over their exclusion from the Area Planning boards established by the Department of Education. The Minister, Catriona Ruane, has blamed a “breakdown in communication”. Lee Reynolds
Cheerio Commission?
The News Letter (not online) claims to have details of the Strategic Review of Parades preliminary recommendations. Notifications in future will be sent to local councils who will then inform relevant parties ie police, community safety, residents (similar to the south african model). Supplemented by a new arbitration panel appointed by OFM/DFM with a shift to more transparent procedures and decision-making. There will also be some broader forum for parade organisers and objectors to discuss issues around the parades but …
King Billy makes a comeback
The Village area used to be known for its large King William mural (most notable was the pictured horse’s ability to walk on water). Demolition removed it a number of years ago but now he is to make a comeback with a King William mural to become a feature of the area again. It will replace a paramilitary mural of the grim reaper (a rip off of an Iron Maiden Album cover). The Arts Council Chief Executive, Roisin McDonough, said: …
P&J Powers = Queen Visit?
Bertie Ahern has linked the devolution of policing and justice powers to a visit by the Queen to the Republic. The RTE report states: “Bertie Ahern says that if the issue of policing was completed in Northern Ireland, and it was scheduled to be in the short term, then he said the Government could put its mind to considering the issue seriously.” A visit in 2008 was also ruled out. Why bother linking the two, it hardly has any leverage …
Nothing to see here
In a BT interview the Education Minister Catriona Ruane has claimed that: “Parents are confident that the changes will be in place in time for their children to transfer. There is no need to cause confusion when there isn’t confusion.” She has also went for the ‘blame everybody else’ approach including the media: “the Minister harshly criticised the Assembly’s education committee, committee chairman Sammy Wilson and the media” Lee Reynolds
DUP taking a lesson from Dromore?
Yesterday Suzanne Breen was predicting big changes and they seem to have started to come to fruition quickly. It would appear the DUP is taking the Dromore result seriously. Lee Reynolds
Dromore by-election – a well placed kick Part II
Questions, broader issues the by-election result raises and suggestions.Disconnections 1. With voters – The core concern for the DUP should be how a significant chunk of voters become significantly disaffected with the party but they didn’t seem to notice or pick up/respond to warning signs? This indicates a disconnection with a section of voters. There was no indication from the local branch or constituency association of issues. The canvas reports didn’t pick it up either. Neither does it appear Party …
Dromore by-election – A well-placed kick (Part 1)
A brave face will be put on in public. Various weak mitigating factors offered to try and reduce the bad look of the result. However in private, DUP members have to accept it was an well-placed electoral kick in the minerals. The key facts of the result are simple. The DUP lost 2 in 5 of their voters. This 40% did not sit at home. It transferred en masse to a new party, Traditional Unionist Voice. This is too large …
Football round-up
Northern Ireland lose to Bulgaria 1-0. England beat Switzerland 2-1. The Republic went down 1-0 to Brazil. Wales had a handsome 3-0 victory over Norway. Lee Reynolds
Facebook v FARC
Massive protests against FARC have taken place in Colombia and in almost 100 other cities across the world. The outpouring is even more extraordinary as it began as the idea of a 33 year old Colombian Facebook member: The protest was started less than a month ago on the social networking website Facebook by a 33-year-old engineer, Oscar Morales, from his home in Barranquilla on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Over 250,000 Facebook users signed on, and the movement was taken up …
Benefits of ‘fundamentalism’?
The Simpsons may have been on to something with different heavens. A new QUB study claims to have found denominational health correlations. Fundamentalists live longest with least chance of lung cancer or alcohol related diseases, some earthly reward for abstinence. Roman Catholics die sooner linked to deprivation. Methodists less likely to die in an accident. Anglicans are more likely to die of a heart attack, must be all those landlord dinners 😉 . Lee Reynolds
Anything you can do
Following the ‘volunteer’ row, a number of victims groups intend to take a legal challenge against the new proposed Victims Commission appointments. This follows the successful challenge to the Parades Commission appointments. Lee Reynolds
Searching for answers
Dave thinks police should have expanded search powers and less paperwork to tackle crime but Sinn Fein is expressing concern about existing arrangements. Lee Reynolds
Assembly Ombudsman clears Paisley Jnr on Ballee lobbying
Tom Frawley, the Assembly Ombudsman has cleared Ian Paisley Jnr of a breach of the Ministerial Code in his lobbying for the Ballee site. The SDLP’s Declan O’Loan had made the original complaint. Lee Reynolds
O’er the sheuch
While parts of the Scottish Executive are caught up in planning rows (1 & 2), Linda Fabani, Minister for Culture, has announced a audit of Scots language provision. As in Northern Ireland, Scots has been the ‘poor’ cousin in terms of government support. The SNP has the most favourable Scots policy among the various parties so if any measures require parliamentary support it may become difficult. Meanwhile advocates for a Gaelic Digital Service, put on hold by the BBC Trust, …
SoS, DUP and ISC
The departure of one former SoS, Peter Hain, has seen the return of another former SoS to front line politics, Paul Murphy, as Secretary of State for Wales. This almost certainly means Murphy will have to depart as Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee. The St Andrew’s Agreement contained a reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee: “There is also the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee whose remit is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the security …
Hain does the decent thing
Hain has resigned from the Cabinet after the Electoral Commission referred the issue of unreported campaign donations to the Metropolitan Police. Over to you Ronnie. Lee Reynolds
A politician’s rant
David Cox of the First Post has had a crack at writing the speech a politician would love to deliver about the public but would never dare to. What speech do you think our local politicians would love to deliver but wouldn’t dare to? Lee Reynolds