Talking a stand for sitting
Indymedia carries a report on the forthcoming trial of five anti-war protestors arrested during a demonstration against George Bush’s April visit and the Iraq war. One of the charges seems to be malicious sitting. Blank
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Is the Pope a feminist?
Academic and writer, and occasional controversialist, Germaine Greer, suggests in the Guardian that the Pope’s recent Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of men and Women in the Church and in the World ‘could be the best thing that has happened to feminism in years’. Pete Baker This post was contributed by Pete Baker and added by myself as he is experiencing technical difficulties. Blank
They haven’t gone away
Gerry Adams talks of being prepared for a future without the IRA while senior Sinn Féin strategist Jim Gibney recalls his doubts over the 1994 IRA ceasefire. Blank
Ireland a template for nuclear powers?
A report from WebIndia123 on a book “Crafting Peace in Kashmir through a realist’s Lens” by Retired Indian Vice-Admiral Verghese Koithara, compares the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir to our own border. Blank
Gay bashing
Belfast City Council has been accused of ‘banning’ a duo from entertaining at a bash to launch the Gay Pride festival. While UK.GAY highlight death threats to a couple in what they describe as a spate of recent homophobic attacks. UPDATE see more. As a result of comments attached to this blog Noel McAdam, the journalist who wrote the Belfast Telegraph article, has forwarded a more complete story from a later edition. ‘A council ‘gag’ slapped on a Gay Pride …
Top stories
Prisoners and visitors are to be restricted wearing football tops. Meanwhile Tom Hartley (SF) has challenged Professor Ed Cairns of the University of Ulster at Coleraine over comments that indicate youngsters in Nationalist areas are purchasing and wearing Glasgow Rangers tops for games of ‘Protestants and Catholics’ (covered in the Irish News, subs only) Blank
Wright, Fisher, Spicer & Iraq
A report in the Asia Times highlights the large contract for private security work in Iraq given to Aegis Defence Services, a company run by Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Spicer, and the campaign against it. Spicer was the commanding officer of Mark Wright and James Fisher who were convicted of murdering Peter McBride then returned to service after a campaign Spicer was prominent in. He has had a chequered history since leaving the British Army. The report also highlights the fact Wright …
SDLP pass the hat
As reported on the BBC the Electoral Commission have published the Statement of Accounts (2003) for political parties. The SDLP (PDF) are facing a shortfall of £93,147 and will be asking their members to cover the deficit. Blank
SDLP ‘objectives achieved, momentum lost’
A former SDLP director of elections has taken charge of the almost official Fianna Fail cumann in Derry. Speaking to the Sunday Business Post, Kevin Downey said ‘But circumstances have changed and in many ways the SDLP have achieved their objectives and lost momentum and many people are unsure of where they are going from here,’ Blank
Life long Republican dies.
Veteran Republican Joe Cahill has died, he was Vice President of Sinn Féin and a man who devoted his entire life to Republicanism (Martin McGuinness). Blank
New boy, new girls, old hand
MEPs have been active in Europe this week. Bairbre deBrun made her maiden speech (in the same session as Mary-Lou McDonald) and was selected for the Committee on Regional Development and a substitute on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. Jim Nicholson, an old hand, was selected for the same committee as Bairbre, Regional Development also European Parliament Quaestor and Parliament’s Bureau Quaestor (The Quaestor positions indicate Jim’s standing amongst his parliamentary group as they are …
No devolution, no accountability
Criticism on the use of external consultants by Government Departments in the North has reached Accountancy Age. DFP rules have been ignored, costs have soared, EU regulations have been broken and the DFP permanent secretary cannot be held accountable by a public accounts committee due to the lack of devolved government. A further report is available: Financial Audit and Reporting 2002-2003: General Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland Dry reading but with a feed like ‘However, …
Irish quality
The UN has declared Ireland the 10th best country to live in, Britain rates 12th. Spending on education and health slip to 21st and 23rd respectively and it is 16th on the human poverty index. Meanwhile Minister Willie O Dea TD has criticised Sinn Fein proposals of increased spending in the failing areas and possible tax increases to pay for them. UPDATE : For the statistic lovers, the report. Blank
Sinn Fein’s new partners
It was officially announced today, though anticipated, that Sinn Fein will join the European United Left/Nordic Green Group (GUE/NGL) in the European Parliament. The groups main objectives appear on it’s website but the parties MEPs said ‘it does not operate a whip system ensuring that for us, it is Sinn Fein`s and Ireland`s priorities, which will come first.’ Blank
Ireland’s bill for Britain
From politics.ie, Barry Andrews TD on the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs has challenged what he claims is €100 million bill for Ireland to subsidise the UK’s membership of the EU Blank
No Pope here? Lucky Pope
Speculation continues on a potential papal visit to the North. Protests are flagged as possible by some and the idea questioned. Meanwhile Ian Paisley has visited David Blunkett to ensure his own particular brand of preaching will not be affected by proposed religious hatred laws. Willie McCrea says, ‘he would oppose the visit because the Free Presbyterian church taught that the Pope was “the anti-Christ” Blank
Cruiser returns to base.
Conor Cruise O’Brien first elected as an Irish Labour party TD in 1969 and more recently a member of the UKUP has returned to the fold after initial rejection of his membership. He has been warmly welcomed by Pat Rabbitte. Blank