Michael Shilliday Iain Dale isn’t impressed with Michael Ancram this morning. I reckon he’s being a little unfair, I find it difficult to disagree with Ancram, even if I do disagree with some of the constituant elements of his argument (including withdrawal from the EU). The Telegraph think that this puts more pressure on Gordon to call an October election – the 10 o’clock news on the BBC last night weren’t so sure about that anymore. Michael ShillidayI used to write and …
The Electoral Reform Society has an NI based argument for introducing PR to Westminster elections. My friend and colleague Graeme Smyth shares my view that just because the UUP aren’t winning the game, that is no reason for us to start calling for the rules to be changed. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
The Newsletter (no link yet) report that Francie Molloy is taking legal advice “after a number of websites claimed he was the Sinn Fein man that the DUP will name in Parliament as a British agent who conspired in murder”. Mark Devenport wonders if anyone involved has actually been libeled; it would certainly be an interesting thing for a republican to have to argue in court. Meanwhile, in the same Newsletter report, Arnold Hatch wonders why exactly David Simpson has …
The Irish News reported yesterday, and the BBC today, that it has been suggested that a Bridge be built from Northern Ireland to Scotland. There are of course larger gaps bridged in the world, in some cases linking a population much smaller than Northern Ireland’s with the rest of it’s country. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
A few weeks ago a comment was left on Mark Devenport’s blog about BBC NI podcasting. The Freedom of Information Act is great for this kind of thing, so I made a request about it, the response to which is below the fold. Essentially I think that they are telling me that it costs nothing to podcast shows such as this, particularly as shows like GMU and Talkback have best of shows already complied each week. Inside Politics could be …
The Assembly published the register of interests last month. Reading through it you will notice that Mayor of Carrickfergus David Hilditch and West Tyrone MLA Allan Bresland are both: In receipt of Disability Living Allowance since retirement on ill-health grounds. I seem to remember ethical questions being raised about Cherie Blair claiming child support benefit some years ago. DLA is NOT (see comments, I was led to believe that DLA is means tested) means tested, but in a welfare state …
Iain Dale covers the remarks of Conservative MP Mark Field on the relationship between the home nations. It’s not exactly how I would do it, but it’s an interesting idea. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
I like the BBC. It performs a quality set of services that the market just couldn’t. The reporting of the end of Operation Banner however, was disgracefully one sided across the BBC. The event was used with impunity by Republicans to lie about the troubles, misrepresent facts, and I did not see anywhere near balance on any of the channels or shows. O’Neill complained to the Jeremy Vine show, and received a quite abrupt reply. Michael ShillidayI used to write …
Andrew McCann celebrates the success of Operation Banner this morning. When looking about for some information, I came across this website, which looks interesting. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Back in the early days of the DUP’s electoral victories, they thought that it would be strong, positive leadership of Unionism, to run away from fundamental questions. O’Neill reckons that it might be a good idea to put separatist ideas down with the weight of public opinion. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Peter Robinson has released a strange and hideously formatted press release in which he makes some bold claims. On the matter of who agreed what over the Inter Parliamentary Forum, I don’t know the details. But Peter Robinson implies that this: The Council considered and agreed that, recognising that any development of a joint parliamentary forum is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Houses of the Oireachtas, officials from the two administrations should make contact with officials …
Andrew Lilico has expanded on last week’s piece on Lords reform with some even more bizarre suggestions. Some of us still think a fully elected Senate is the only way forward. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Alex Kane in this week’s column recounts the strange tale of Branislav Kostic’s will. Guido has some thoughts too. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Several newspapers carried the story of Willie McCrea disappearing from the Arch in Magherafelt. All, oddly, in the days and weeks AFTER July 3rd. The Newsletter made their scoop known on Saturday. Today though, something new has come to light. Apparently the illuminations for the arch were powered from the Bethel Gospel Bookshop, which apparently is linked to McCrea’s church. Willie’s picture has, as we know, disappeared, now so has the power for the lights. Michael ShillidayI used to write …
Andrew McCann has started a petition calling on the PM to ensure that Londonderry remains called Londonderry. I have signed this despite the fact that the semantics of the way he has worded it makes it sound like he wants Lisburn renamed Londonderry! Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
Yesterday, Willie McCrea wrote an opinion piece for the Newsletter in which he asserts that all is rosy in the garden. Apparently anyone who dares to criticise the DUP are speaking “republican propaganda”. Today there are three comments on the Newsletter article, none of which are complimentary. The Newsletter’s 25 Words SMS feature usually has 4 or 5 comments a day. This morning there around 8 comments directly criticising McCrea, mostly for yesterdays comments, and all 12 of todays comments …
About three years ago I wrote an essay on constitutional reform in the UK. When researching it I came across a Bow Group report by Andrew Lillico, in which he argued that the Monarchy should row back some of the reforms of the past, and start taking an active role in the political life of the UK. Some of his ideas were a little 19th Century, and some just a little strange, but on the whole I’m pretty supportive of …
To return to this, my colleague has given me some more detail. The panel where Mr Paisley’s image used to grace the Arch, now displays Matthew 16:26: What shall it profiteth a man if he gaineth the whole world, yet forfeiteth his soul? Quite. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
The Orange Arch in my home town of Hillsborough has very nice depictions of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh proudly displayed. Last year I was traveling through Magherafelt with a colleague, and was quite surprised to see on their arch, not the Queen and the Duke, but William McCrea and Ian Paisley (the latter of course not being a member of the Institution). My colleague told me that he believed the arch was in fact owned and maintained …
The academic works on Unionism, historical and contemporary, are numerous. But it is always interesting to hear what Unionism means to those who believe in it. United Irelander last week issued somewhat of a challenge to Chekist, who responds with something of a narrative, and something of what ‘Civic Unionism’ means to him. Michael ShillidayI used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t. Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
