Lee Reynolds

Being the amateur sophologist/political animal/person worthy of wife’s curious look when explaining why you are staying up/sad sack (*delete as appropriate) that I am I’ll be staying up for the Glasgow East result so will post it here (and maybe some interpretation depending on how tired I am). SNP wins by 365 votes (and I’m going to bed)Turnout is estimated to be 46% down 2% on the 2005 election. UPDATE 42.25% Turnout figure Glasgow East candidates Ind Chris Creighton 67 …

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The News Letter campaign to have a homecoming parade for the RIR seems to bearing some fruit with negotiations ongoing. The notion has also gained cross-party support in Westminster. Lee Reynolds

The Irish News reports TUV sources saying they will not stand in the Enniskillen by-election so on the Unionist side it looks like a straight fight between the DUP and newly Conservative linked UUP. Lee Reynolds

It seems republicans of different hues are beginning to obsess about car-related issues. While a SF MLA urged a (peaceful) campaign against SatNav maps, there was a much more sinister turn of events when the CIRA issued threats to Driver and Vehicle Agency workers (and customs officers) at a republican commemoration at the week-end. Lee Reynolds

A Labour Minister argues that government does have moral duties in particular fighting obesity. Lee Reynolds

Don’t know whether Gail Walker would consider Obamamania as an extension of liberal media bias or not but both the Daily Show and McCain campaigns have picked up on the theme so which is the more effective approach, comedy or quotations? Lee Reynolds

Gail Walker argues that social conservatism is the uniting factor across the communities in Northern Ireland and takes the media to task for continuing in its conflict-era habits: Over the years, the media got into the habit during the ‘Troubles’ of seeking out the minority view — that meant finding someone who didn’t represent any of the main political viewpoints. Somehow that became the sensible view…These causes — which have their own merits — unfortunately became, for the media, something …

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The News Letter (through FoI) has obtained internal government documents confirming problems of sectarianism and poor management practices in the Rivers Agency offices in Enniskillen and Omagh. Lee Reynolds

It seems at least one item of business is not being held up because of SF unhappiness about policing and justice, rural planning. Environment Minister Sammy Wilson said today both the SDLP and SF have backed off from Arlene Foster’s proposals to replace the present policy of PPS 14. He claims they want a policy more liberal than the old one that allowed 7,000 rural dwellings in a year. However, the court ruling did not strike down PPS 14 despite …

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The sister of Andrew Kearney murdered by republicans 10 years ago has called for the PIRA to publicly admit they carried out the killing and apologise. She says they have admitted this privately in the past. Meanwhile, a relative of a victim of the McGurk’s bombing has rejected the government apology for misrepresenting the UVF bomb as the premature explosion of a republican bomb. Lee Reynolds

Saturday night mirth has been sunk by Sunday morning sober reflection. This morning’s Sunday Life reports that the possible legal dispute over Diamond Dan has been resolved at the cost of £86. Meanwhile as Diamond Dan bounds away with his cheesy grin still in place Belfast City Council may not be feeling so happy. The Sunday Life also reports that the new heart shaped logo for Belfast that cost £180K and took a year to prepare has a striking resemblence …

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This week the ‘public theology’ think tank Theos produced a report on the role of Christianity in politics Neither Private nor Privileged: The Role of Christianity in Britain Today (PDF file). It argues Christians face: …the challenge of navigating between theocracy on the one hand and a privatized faith in a secular society on the other is very real… It advocates that: …the specific actions the church should take depend on the nature of the state – that the closer …

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Sinn Fein MLA Barry McElduff has called on nationalists to erase partition by campaigning on issues like SatNavs and UCAS forms. He was speaking at an event in memory of convicted IRA bomber and hunger striker Martin Hurson. The parade followed a GAA football competition at Galbally GAC for the Martin Hurson cup. Lee Reynolds

Geroge Galloway has called on the electorate of Glasgow East to vote for New Labour and the Union. His defence is largely based on a rejection of the negative aspects of nationalism and that socialism could only be achieved in the UK not in Scotland. Lee Reynolds

The News Letter’s city edition gave Alasdair McDonnell MP a new position today, Deputy Leader of the DUP. However, considering the manner and tone of the attack on Sinn Fein the sub-editor could be forgiven for the error. McDonnell argued: Peter Robinson and the DUP are running rings around Sinn Fein in the Executive, blocking them at every turn on every major issue. So Gerry Adams has resorted to the politics he knows so well, the politics of the solo …

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Among the disjointed messages from Orange platforms was a call for Unionist Unity from the Grand Secretary, Drew Nelson. In it he argued that: Many ordinary unionists feel that the divisions in political unionism are driven more by personality clashes, minor differences of opinion and contrived rows rather than genuine philosophical or ideological differences. In terms of the peace process with even TUV nudging the door open to power-sharing (under voluntary coalition) disputes would seem to be over when and …

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Suited and booted once again and about to leave to the master’s house for a couple of bacon butties as preparation for the Belfast walk and my annual constitutional of about 10-12 miles. Here is the mandatory annual piece on the Twelfth. In case anyone wants to know how my Twelfth went here is my thread from last year, pretty much only the weather changes. Lee Reynolds

A registrar who objected to conducting civil partneships has won her Industrial Tribunal case against Islington Council for discrimination of the grounds of religious belief and harrassment. Lillian Ladele described it as: “…a victory for religious liberty, not just for myself but for others in a similar position to mine. Gay rights should not be used as an excuse to bully and harass people over their religious beliefs,” Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell described the decision as a: “violation of …

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A by-election will be called in Enniskillen DEA of Fermanagh Council, following an objection from UUP Councillor Bertie Kerr to a DUP co-option to replace the recently deceased DUP Cllr Joe Dodds (father of Nigel Dodds). It appears it was not a UUP group decision to object. Two previous co-options to the Council (1 DUP and 1 SF) had gone through unopposed. The Enniskillen DEA is the only one in Fermanagh where the DUP outpolled the UUP in 2005. However, …

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Some thoughts on Unionism’s task on the mainland are offered on the Our Kingdom blog. The analysis argues that while the decision lies with Northern Ireland’s electorate Unionism cannot afford to forget about mainland establishment and public opinion. It argues it is a task the Unionist Academy should include in its strategic goals. However, this generational task faces a number of barriers such as general disinterest in unimmediate political issues, lack of resources and the need for a full-time Westminster …

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