Pete Baker – Page 8 – Slugger O'Toole

Gerry Adams’ White House ‘controversy’: “Quite apart from being bumptious, paranoid and absurdly self-pitying…”

Pete Baker on March 19, 2016, 7:51 pm

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In the Irish News Newton Emerson highlights the unintended consequences of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ intemperate outburst following his recent misunderstanding with security at the White House. From the Irish News GERRY Adams could have been pragmatic and diplomatic about being locked out of President Obama’s St Patrick’s Day reception and simply laughed it off. It is all too believable that the White House has the same hapless jobsworths in its security hut as everywhere else – and that has …

ICC World Twenty20: Bangladesh v Ireland

Pete Baker on March 11, 2016, 1:00 pm

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After defeat in their opening game against ICC World Twenty20 newcomers Oman, Ireland’s cricketers now face group favourites Bangladesh in a must-win match if they are to stay in the running for the Super10 stage. Despite that favourite status, Bangladesh had a scare against the Netherlands in a narrow 8 run win and two of its bowlers’ actions have been called into question by ICC officials. Apparently the Ireland coach, John Bracewell, doesn’t anticipate making many changes to the starting eleven from the first …

ICC World Twenty20: Ireland v Oman

Pete Baker on March 9, 2016, 2:03 pm

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The 2016 ICC World Twenty20 got under way yesterday in the host country, India. The initial groups see the associate teams battle with lower ranked test nations for two slots in the Super 10 stage. The opening matches saw Zimbabwe defeat Hong Kong by 14 runs and Afghanistan overcame a spirited Scotland performance by the same margin. Earlier today, Bangladesh squeaked past the Netherlands by 8 runs. Ireland are about to open their account against the relatively unknown Oman at Dharamsala. Cricinfo has a preview …

“All the time, journalists were missing out on what was actually happening.”

Pete Baker on March 6, 2016, 4:27 pm

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Post the 2016 Irish General Election, RTÉ’s Science & Technology Correspondent, Will Goodbody, was quick off the mark to assess whether, as billed, #ge16 really was “the first truly social media election in Ireland”. In the coming weeks, when the dust has settled, the candidates and parties will be reflecting on what went right, and in many cases wrong, with their campaigns. As part of that post mortem they will no doubt ponder what role was played by social media, who used …

UUP MP’s testimonal “crossed the line on the independence of the court”

Pete Baker on February 27, 2016, 4:46 pm

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A testimonal provided by former UUP leader, and current MP for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliot, in the case of a former soldier who was caught driving while disqualified, has been criticised by a Northern Ireland District Judge, John Meehan, for having “crossed the line on the independence of the court”. As the BBC reports [added emphasis throughout] District Judge John Meehan did not name Mr Elliott in court. However, the judge said the testimonial “crossed the line on the independence of …

Michelle Gildernew and Fermanagh/South Tyrone: “I am honoured to have been selected by South Tyrone.”

Pete Baker on February 20, 2016, 5:31 pm

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[But not Fermanagh and South Tyrone? – Ed] No. She tried that. It didn’t work. So the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle invented a constituency for her. Sinn Féin’s attempts to rewrite the past clearly have no time limit. Witness the party’s shenanigans over candidate selection in Fermanagh/South Tyrone for this year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election. The Ard Chomhairle was forced to re-run their selection convention in Fermanagh/South Tyrone following allegations of unaccounted-for votes which saw former-MP, former-MLA, and current Ard Chomhairle member, …

“We say it’s highly improper and unorthodox, effectively OFMDFM are seeking to resist the grant of leave against the Department of Justice.”

Pete Baker on February 19, 2016, 4:55 pm

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A Belfast High Court judge has adjourned the application for a judicial review of the controversial new law criminalising the paying for sex following a last minute intervention by the Northern Ireland Attorney General on behalf of the Office of the NI First and Deputy First Ministers (OFMDFM). Interestingly, as the BBC report notes A barrister representing the [NI Department of Justice] confirmed it was not opposing Ms Lee’s application for a judicial review of the new law, on the basis that an arguable …

NI Assembly Commission misleads the Assembly, and the public

Pete Baker on February 15, 2016, 3:20 pm

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When the BBC reported the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission’s written answers to some ‘stupid’ questions from TUV leader Jim Allister on Friday they used the headline “Sinn Féin MLAs who claimed almost £700,000 in expenses ‘did nothing wrong‘”. There was also a report broadcast, “Sinn Féin cleared in expenses investigation“. The NI Assembly Commission is chaired by the Speaker, currently Sinn Féin’s Mitchel McLaughlin, and consists of one MLA from each of the Executive parties – who have a vote …

Sinn Féin decommission “Booby Sands” leaflet

Pete Baker on February 8, 2016, 9:57 pm

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As the BBC Trending report notes As unfortunate typos go it could have hardly been worse. The Republic of Ireland is currently a few days into a general election campaign that is taking place amid the backdrop of the hundredth anniversary of the Easter 1916 rising. In one campaign leaflet, Mary Lou McDonald, the deputy leader of Sinn Fein – the fourth-biggest party in the last Irish parliament – wanted to be quoted invoking the spirit of one of the …

High Court awards Elliot £48,750 damages [plus costs] for Flanagan libel

Pete Baker on February 3, 2016, 12:24 pm

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Whilst waiting for the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle to ratify his re-selection as a candidate in Fermanagh/South Tyrone, at the second time of trying, notorious tweeter Phil Flanagan, MLA, has discovered the cost of his “grossly defamatory” libel against former UUP leader, Tom Elliot, then MLA, now MP for FST. As the BBC reports The High Court in Belfast has awarded almost £50k in damages to a former Ulster Unionist leader over a defamatory message posted on Twitter. Mr Justice Stephens …

Phil Flanangan re-selected in re-run convention, Michelle Gildernew not so much…

Pete Baker on February 1, 2016, 1:08 am

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David noted the result of the re-run Sinn Féin selection convention for Fermanagh/South Tyrone. But, interestingly, given the allegation of unaccounted-for additional votes for Michelle Gildernew in the first selection convention [see comment zone] which promoted her above Phil Flanagan at the time, that re-run has seen notorious tweeter Phil Flanagan re-selected by the party, along with fellow sitting MLA Sean Lynch, and Councillor Sean Feeley. Neither the renewed candidate Bronwyn McGahan, MLA, nor former MLA, former MP, and current member of the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle, …

Second Chance at Re-Selection for Sinn Féin’s Phil Flanagan – Updated

Pete Baker on January 30, 2016, 3:54 pm

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Sinn Féin’s other notorious tweeter, Phil Flanagan, MLA, may be facing a sizeable bill for libelling the UUP’s Tom Elliot, but the party’s central office has given him a second chance at continuing his political career. He was deselected by his party constituency organisation on 13 December last year, but earlier this month the party’s Ard Chomhairle decided to re-run the selection process in Fermanagh/South Tyrone. On 22 January, The Impartial Reporter noted Mr. Flanagan refused to comment when contacted by this newspaper, …

“Perhaps it’s best to simply regard Gerry’s book as the political equivalent of an ageing hardman action star taking a role in The Expendables…”

Pete Baker on January 23, 2016, 4:03 pm

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The Guardian’s Marina Hyde on the “exciting publishing news”, the terms may be used advisedly, of the forth-coming publication of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ Little Book of Calm Little Book of Tweets. From the Guardian article Enormous congratulations to Gerry Adams, who is formally elevated to irony’s army council. The Sinn Féin president is the subject of exciting publishing news, with the forthcoming release of a collected volume of tweets and selfies. According to the party bookshop’s blurb, “this …

NI Assembly Insurers Refuse to Cover Sinn Féin’s Phil Flanagan for Compensation and Costs Awarded in Tom Elliot Libel Case

Pete Baker on January 9, 2016, 8:48 pm

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It’s worth noting to begin with that that refusal is in accordance with advice given to Jack Peel, Deputy Head of Finance, NI Assembly in March 2011 by Karen McLaverty, Vice President, Marsh Ltd, who provide the Assembly insurance broking and risk management services. Nineteen months after libelling the former UUP leader, Tom Elliot, then an MLA, now MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone [since May 2015], the recently deselected Sinn Féin MLA, Phil Flanagan, appeared in Belfast High Court yesterday where he recognised the …

US President Bill Clinton: “We’ve all taken our licks for Gerry”.

Pete Baker on January 7, 2016, 4:06 pm

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The BBC’s freedom of information specialist, Martin Rosenbaum, has been reading through transcripts of calls and meetings between US President Bill Clinton and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, between 1997 and 2000, which were released following a BBC freedom of information request to the Clinton Presidential Library. As he notes, [The transcripts] contain substantial redactions, especially of Mr Blair’s remarks… From the BBC report Much of their discussion was about the Northern Ireland peace process, in which President Clinton played a significant part. …

Renua Ireland launches General Election manifesto

Pete Baker on January 4, 2016, 11:46 pm

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[One of] Ireland’s newest political party parties, Renua Ireland, launched its general election manifesto today, and revealed its 18 candidates. The RTÉ report focuses on the proposal for a flat rate of income tax at 23%, and the party leader Lucinda Creighton’s bid for the party as a future coalition partner. Ms Creighton claimed no party would have a clear-cut majority after the election and the question voters had to ask was “who would be their watchdog in government?”. She insisted …

“It will be so loud that if we move in next door to you, your lawn will die”

Pete Baker on December 29, 2015, 2:06 am

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RIP Lemmy, who has died, aged 70, two days after cancer diagnosis. BBC obituary here. Adds Great quote from Lemmy in 2015, from the Guardian’s Lemmy: a life in quotes. To Michael Hann, the Guardian, 2015 “In your twenties, you think you are immortal. In your thirties, you hope you are immortal. In your forties, you just pray it doesn’t hurt too much, and by the time you reach my age, you become convinced that, well, it could be just …

Gerry Adams on Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy’s tax evasion: Yeah but, no but, yeah but, no but…

Pete Baker on December 20, 2015, 5:23 pm

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After the guilty verdict in the trial of, “key supporter of the Sinn Féin peace strategy”, Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy on 9 charges of tax evasion, Gerry Adams, TD, declared that he had “no comment to make until the legal process has been concluded”. Following criticism of that position the Sinn Féin president has, apparently, decided that some comment would be appropriate after all. The journal.ie has his initial further comment, and the Sinn Féin website has a further, further version. From the …

Question for Gerry Adams: Is Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy still “a good republican”?

Pete Baker on December 17, 2015, 2:34 pm

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As the BBC reports, 66-year-old Thomas Murphy has been found guilty of nine charges of tax evasion at Ireland’s non-jury Special Criminal Court. When, in March 2006, there was a series of co-ordinated raids on properties in the UK and Ireland connected to Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy – who had been named previously as both the UK’s richest smuggler and a former Provisional IRA Chief of Staff – the Sinn Féin president, now Louth TD, Gerry Adams declared, “Tom Murphy is not a …

Irony-free Sinn Féin MLA to repay £900 postage bill

Pete Baker on December 1, 2015, 5:23 pm

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The BBC reports that Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff has agreed to repay nearly £900 in postage costs claimed from Northern Ireland Assembly allowances. The cost relates to a circular letter sent in June to over 1000 households in the Drumragh electoral ward in Omagh, County Tyrone, complaining that “the Tories are robbing the assembly and every government department of a workable and sustainable budget”. For which the Sinn Féin MLA subsequently claimed the costs back from charged the costs to public funds… [Update It …