Lee Reynolds

The DUP have decided to hold back from direct engagement with loyalist paramilitaries opting to keep working with Loyalist Commission chair, Reverend Mervyn Gibson.It would appear the difficulty of direct engagement with Loyalists could not be squared with refusing to directly engage with republicans with the party insider restating the position that the party: “…has no wish to legitimise anyone engaged in terror and criminality.” Even though the most concerted attempts to transform Loyalist paramilitaries seem to be underway the …

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To mark the 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising, the Daily Ireland will be no more but like a phoenix from the flames “The Republican Daily” will be born.Anton McCabe, contributor to the Daily Ireland and the Sunday Business Post, was granted an interview with ANG boss Mairtin O’Muilleior about the future plans of the paper. Daily Ireland seems to be struggling to develop its own brand loyalty with 50% of readers taking it as their second paper and O’Muilleoir …

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Andrew Rawnsley offers an uncompromising picture of Gordon Brown. Rawnsley argues that Brown will have to change his bruiser approach to politics if he is to succeed in the Prime Ministerial role he so covets but what of our own process? (You may need to use the refresh button to get the link to work). He argues that Brown is: “…an untrendy figure in one crucial respect which is vital to understanding what he would be like as a Prime …

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The Sunday Life claims the SDLP are open to a shadow assembly. This leaves Sinn Fein isolated but Gerry Adams remains in belligerent mood. Ahern’s rhetorical shift from shadow to fully operative seems to have worked. Although the SDLP’s concerns remain they are willing to put their faith in Bertie Ahern. A senior SDLP source said: “We believe that the Taoiseach knows our concerns and knows what we don’t want to see and we expect that he and Tony Blair …

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The Irish Times has more details on the kickstart package Blair and Ahern are working on. However, it will not be a “shadow” assembly but a “fully operational” one.Will the word play be enough for northern nationalism to stop saying No? Lee Reynolds

A series of statements would indicate that engagement between the DUP and Loyalist paramilitaries is near. A chunk of Unionist voters have as little time for Loyalist paramilitaries as they do for Republicans so this would be the most significant risk the DUP has taken with its electorate since the Provos ran away from the Comprehensive Agreement to rob a bank instead. However, the question has arisen how does the DUP square the circle of not engaging with Sinn Fein …

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The shooters have been reliable medal winners for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth and this time is no different with Derek Beattie winning a silver medal but what will be the situation in future games if the Belfast Telegraph and Lord Laird get their way? The Belfast Telegraph is getting itself worked up about the number of legally held firearms in Northern Ireland and Lord Laird has jumped on the bandwagon too. They do not seem to be offering any …

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Despite official disdain, the 11th night bonfire tradition remains strong in working class communities. However, could the bonfires be married with a more creative process by learning from the Las Fallas festival in Spain? UPDATE: The BBC reports the Orange Order, as well as seeking to meet with the SDLP, have been talking to the Northern Ireland Events Company about complimentary events for the Twelfth. Lee Reynolds

They are all angered by Blair’s speech yesterday evening that drew a direct link between Protestantism and murder. In the speech Blair said “”There are those, perfectly decent-minded people, who say the extremists who commit these acts of terrorism are not true Muslims, and of course, they are right,” “They are no more proper Muslims than the Protestant bgiot who murders a Catholic in Northern Ireland is a proper Christian. “But unfortunately, he’s still a Protestant bgiot. “To say his …

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The Daily Ireland has announced its latest success. It is cutting back its production to 5 days a week instead of 6. Despite its sales figures being static (if not down if you look at the use of bulk sales to keep the figures up) Mairtin O’Muilleoir is delighted and continues to demand public subsidy. Does Daily Ireland’s failure to break the mould of local newspaper readership indicate a deeper problem for the republican project? Lee Reynolds

The rumour mill is persistent that a large package is to be announced for deprived Loyalist communities, although David Hanson’s day of announcement seems to keep slipping. The neglect of their working class communities has been a persistent criticism of Unionism but now it is a battle to show who cares the most with the DUP, UUP and UPRG making various suggestions and claims. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein are annoyed with some of the UUP’s latest suggestions. Whoever did or didn’t …

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The Irish Times reveals the Garda believe last week’s raid on properties and offices in the Armagh border area has uncovered crucial evidence. Lee Reynolds

The UUP is dithering over whether it will take its places on the policing board.The only law ever passed for Northern Ireland since partition that directly discriminates against a religious group, the 50:50 rule, wasn’t enough to stop the UUP from signing up to the Policing Board the last time but the argument over one seat on the Board could this time. The disagreement gets even curiouser as the independent nominees include Joe Byrne of the SDLP and Trevor Ringland …

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What more will come out before the weekend? Today had stories about cover-ups involving the Catholic Church, the PSNI and Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries.Republicans usually claim to be the victims of collusion but a former agent today claims intelligence services actually helped the PIRA improve their bombs. The Catholic Church have handed over information on paedophile allegations against 47 priests, some of which they have held from the authorities for 40 years. Meanwhile more revelations about the “non”-investigation into the …

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Max Weber’s famous essay credits Protestantism with the growth and spread of capitalism. Is it time for a comeback to expand Ulster’s private sector?The BBC highlights an ongoing debate about what is called Islamic Calvinism, areas of Turkey with strong economic growth have people who see their religion as the inspiration for their economic activity. The problems and lack of entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland are well-known. While there has been a general decline in religiosity here the growth of smaller …

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Earlier this week a family feud in Shantallow escalated into violence against the Police and Fire Service.Predictably, the aftermath led to a war of words between Sinn Fein and the SDLP about policing. Local Sinn Fein councillor Elisha McLaughlin offered this curious advice to the young people of the area: “I would appeal to young people in Shantallow not to bow down to political policing which is what has been happening here.” For the SDLP the issue was crystal clear …

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St Pat’s day is a week away, any slugger readers made plans to celebrate yet?I was reminded today that St Pats Day is near upon us. I was thinking of dandering down the city centre to see if Belfast City Council’s new approach succeeds then over to the Odyssey for a bite to eat and to catch a film. The screen adaption of Alan Moore’s superb V for Vendetta opens that day. Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving (the one who …

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The DUP have successfully negotiated a good severance package for RIR soldiers faced with redundancy. The RIR announcement last Autumn had the potential to become the DUP’s political equivalent of the UUP and the Patten Report but the DUP seem to have avoided significant political damage though isolated border communities in particular will still have security concerns. Is this successful negotiation an omen of things come? Proposals for some form of devolution seem delayed rather than stopped and David Hanson’s …

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George Bain, the man who pushed through a series of significant reforms at what was an ailing Queen’s University, has been given the task of planning Ulster’s education system for the decades ahead. Will he be as radical with the rest of the education system? The type and quality of education is a key economic driver in the global economy and essential if Northern Ireland is to develop a more dynamic and less dependent economy. Our education sector is also …

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The head of the National Theatre wants a “good, mischievous right wing play” but why are right-wing political attitudes so absent from the creative media? Does it skew social, cultural and political attitudes in British society? The right does nominally dominate the print media but with large sections of society ignoring the mainstream news media do they adopt their narratives from the television and film they watch? The BBC as a public broadcaster should offer some protection but it has …

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