Michael Shilliday BBC Newsline just reported that the SDLP voted against Sinn Fein at City Hall, and that Jim Rogers has become Lord Mayor of Belfast for the second time. UPDATE: BBC have the story online, Deputy Lord Mayor went to the SDLP’s Bernie Kelly. SECOND UPDATE: I’m amazed to say that the Belfast City Council website has the news up already! Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. …
Chris Gaskin thinks he knows: Let’s have a look at our manifesto, or lack there of, for example. I want to make it clear that I don’t blame the people who drafted it, there is a serious problem within the party with policy formation. That being said the manifesto was the biggest pile of watery, airy fairy, head in the f*****g clouds, not a notion of what is going on, bullshit that I have ever had the misfortune of reading!! …
Big Ulsterman has his own opinions on the Bobby Sands film. Like the IRA’s many victims, the film will be shot in Northern Ireland. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Who knew? Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
There has been quite an interesting discussion on Wikipedia over what flag should be used to represent Northern Ireland Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Mark Devenport comments on Roy Beggs and Basil McCrea’s speeches yesterday, the latter of which pointed out that the DUP and Sinn Fein actually deselected sitting female MLAs for the 07 election. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
The Belfast Telegraph say they have a campaign to abolish prescription charges. They and the Alliance are calling on Michael McGimpsey to do so. Of course he would be trying to anyway, as it was a manifesto commitment (PDF, page 8, no mentioned by the Bel Tel or Alliance) Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Henry Patterson in this weeks Sunday Life, with an interesting analysis of the DUP, their recent u-turns and their real motivation. But Paisley’s real enemy throughout his almost 60 year political career has not been nationalism, republicanism or the IRA but the Ulster Unionist Party. His present acceptance of the structures of the 1998 Agreement, which he so bitterly denounced, is clear evidence of this. Being top dog of unionism was what it was all about whatever the long-term implications …
Sir Reg Empey has signalled that the UUP will provide opposition to the DUP/SF coalition despite taking up office. We intend to work with other parties of the centre to offer an alternative to the Sinn Fein/DUP axis; an axis built around carve-up and party political self-interest. It will not be in the long term interests of Northern Ireland to sustain an arrangement of this sort. I think voters in future will want a choice based on social and economic …
This blog is meant to be a journal of Northern Ireland politics and events. I think it worth a mention that I heard something this morning that I haven’t heard in a long time. A controlled explosion. A suspect package was on the Woodstock Road, I think at the junction with Portallo Street. Nothing on the BBC News website, and I don’t have any more details, but it’s worth noting. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I …
Some idiot clearly thinks that telling the BBC about this was clever. The Newsletter are clearly over the top in their headline today, but really, what did these “sources” expect? We’re not talking about splits in the UUP. Reg Empey and Alan McFarland aren’t plotting each other’s downfall, they had a disagreement over small aspects of strategy. It’s not like there are diametrically opposed and irreconcilable positions, which was the case previously.There is also a lot of nonsense being portrayed …
This interview took place around a week ago, but I have only just had time to watch it. What I found interesting about it was the admission from Michael White (near the end) that the benefit a blogger has over a journalist is the instant feedback. On more than one occasion on this blog and the other, I have made errors of fact, some glaring some less so, but nonetheless there is an inevitability that the comment informing that “you’re …
As I type Lembit Opik is on his feet in the Commons. If anyone is interested, this is what he is talking about. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
The BBC have an article explaining d’Hondt. It says that to work out the DUP’s total after their second pick: For a third choice, 15 is cut by three. If another party has more than five, it gets the choice. So it’s not 30 by three then? By this formula I’d imagine the Alliance would have at least one Minister! Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. …
The epetitions concept on the No 10 website interests me. I particularly like this one. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
What did we make of the Spotlight debate tonight? When I saw the format I was unsure, but It seemed to work quite well. I must make a special mention of my good friend Jonny Hadley’s contribution – asking Gerry Adams about the truth recovery process in relation to the RUC. He got quite a reaction. Thoughts? Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Last week I got a very nice email from one Jim Sedgwick. He had noticed all the publicity over the epetitions on the Number 10 website over road charging. This got him thinking about something that he wished to change – the erroneous use of the term Great Britain by UK Athletics for the Olympic team. I have signed his epetition to have the name changed to what it is in all but name, Team UK. Michael ShillidayI used to …
Beano reckons the DUP are trying to blackmail him – and he isn’t happy. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
I remember during an election a few years ago hearing a second hand story of a person hearing a strange noise coming from behind a wall. When they went to investigate they found a man with a hatchet gleefully chopping up Sinn Fein posters. It’s difficult to tell whether the 2007 Election has seen an increase in taking down opponents posters (electoral fraud I believe), or if candidates are just complaining about it more. It happens, always has and always …
Lisburn City Council is consulting on its flags policy. Consultation runs to March 20th. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
