Sectarianism? The PSNI aren’t sure

A week after the murder of 15 year old Thomas Devlin the PSNI reveal they think the attack may have been sectarian but their minds are open. Meanwhile back in Ahoghill Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton (Irish News, subs req) has disputed assertions the ongoing campaign of attacks on Catholics in the village are entirely sectarian preferring to speculate there may be an element of “not getting on with each other” instead. Blank

Sampling opinion

Two polls have been published today, one in the Sunday Business Post, a telephone canvass of 1,000 voters in the south shows 45% of those responding would be happy to accept Sinn Féin in coalition government and a similar number are now more likely to vote for the party.. “What today’s figures show is that the party (SF) is eliminating the “transfer repellency’‘ outside the party’s core base of supporters. If this is carried into a general election – even …

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Afraid to put their case?

Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald has accused Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael of running away from debate on the proposed European Constitution by failing to provide speakers for a conference. (conference details attached) Usually impeccable sources tell me that the conference minus FF and FG may be blogged live by a Slugger regular.16 Speakers from across the EU examine content and implications of EU Constitution Sinn Féin and our partners in the European Parliament, European United Left/Nordic Green Left, …

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PEB links

I haven’t noticed any easy linking to the party election broadcasts. You can get them all here: UUP DUP SF SDLP Alliance Conservatives WP Rainbow George Blank

Problems with justice

Ambrose has already drawn attention to Sinn Féin members in South Belfast feeling hard done by over party reaction to the McCartney justice campaign. While the Derry Journal carries comments from unnamed residents in Galliagh and Shantallow complaining over the activities of some supporters in the ‘Justice for Jimmy’ group. Relatives for Justice and An Fhirinne have protested at the BBC about claims they are refusing to cover their events and the SDLP have called for a more joined approach …

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Building rickety bridges

Jim Gibney, writing in the Irish News (subs), focuses on the need for more dialogue not less, criticises the recent intervention of the Presbyterian Church’s General Board, and highlights what he sees as at the heart of dialogue with Protestant clergy ‘denial by unionists about their responsibility for creating the conditions for the conflict; fifty years of unionist mis-rule, decades of military occupation.’Extracts from the article The Presbyterian’s statement was arrogant and self-righteous. It reminded me of the early dialogue …

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Father Reid, Adams and the Basques

Spanish El Mundo reports on Father Alec Reid’s involvement in the Basque country and claims he has organised a visit by Gerry Adams to the area. (Apologies, the report is in Spanish but an earlier English language blog referring to the story has been deleted) Blank

East West split

The Family Resources Survey Urban Rural Report (2002/3) has been published. It provides an overview of many differences in lifestyle between the East/West, Rural/Urban.Some points from the report. Weekly household income Urban East £461, Urban West £419, Rural West £454, Rural East £542. The Urban West also had the highest proportion of households in receipt of Income Support (including those receiving Minimum Income Guarantee) at 26 percent, compared to only ten percent in the Rural East. The Urban West and …

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I Wish I Was In England..

Singer Christy Moore and his driver were detained for several hours at Holyhead under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2002. Moore was questioned about lyrics in his songs. It seems that the someone had been listening to “The Crack Was 90 In the Isle of Man” and came to the wrong conclusion. Blogged by ShayPaul Blank

The future’s bright

Earlier this week as speculation took place on the DUP meeting Loyalists, their ceasefire was discussed and the future role of Loyalism was explored, Loyalists gave a hint at what they might do in the future. “We have declared an orange line around all Protestant areas. Whilst we realise that one community is growing faster than the other we cannot allow another garden, another house or another street to be attacked.” Blank

Flash

‘Seasonal weakness’ (?) may impact on Taser International shares but hopefully approval for the usage of stun guns in the North should lighten the load. BTW I assume it’s the cops that will be shocking us. When? How many volts? Blank

Bugs taken to leaders

As a second bug is found, this time in Sinn Fein party offices, Gerry Adams has vowed to hand the device back to Tony Blair, Bairbre de Brun (the device was in her offices) has highlighted the issue with 40 MEPs from the GUE/NGL and group leader Francis Wurtz has pledged to raise the matter with the European Parliament President Josep Borrell and the Conference of Presidents. Blank

Water water…

The BBC are reporting on the projected cost of ‘forthcoming’ water charges, a cost that is part of the RRI (Reinvestment and Reform Initiative) agreed by Trimble and Durkan. The original debate in the Assembly shows some of the scare stories at the time over how the loan would be repaid have turned out to be correct.Mr McCartney: Will the rates be increased? The First Minister: The rates might be increased or something else might be increased. That is what …

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