I have just come out from two and a half weeks in hospital, which means I haven’t closely followed the anti-immigration riots in Belfast, except to feel – as someone from a Northern Protestant background – horrified and ashamed once again that members of my community were in the forefront of that explosion of racism and violence. I will return to this difficult topic in a forthcoming blog. The 2025 annual report of the Shared Island initiative was launched last …
The government has made an age limit its answer to a system it says is failing children. But the social-media harm on display in Belfast over the past week was made by adults and amplified by platform design, and an age gate reaches neither. The danger is not that the ban is wrong, but that restricting who may use these platforms will be mistaken for regulating how they rank and spread content. Keir Starmer has announced that under-16s will be …
What you need to know SDLP warn that failure to agree Budget could cut public spending by almost £1 billion On Monday (22 June), the SDLP used an opposition day motion to highlight the potential costs of the Executive’s continued failure to agree a Budget, the Belfast Telegraph reports. If a Budget has not been agreed by 1 August, departments will be unable to spend more than 95% of the previous year’s total allocation. The SDLP claims that “research based on …
Artificial Intelligence doesn’t exist as a ghost in the machine you know, living like digital spirits in the cloud alone, oh no. The Chatgpts, Co-Pilots, Claudes and Groks of the world require physical infrastructure. And this infrastructure is, to put it mildly, controversial. A recent poll from Gallup shows that Americans for example are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of having a data centre built in their local areas… Seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial …
The Soapbox piece “The hurl was ours” put up on Saturday night, sets out to present an alternative advocacy for the working-class community of east Belfast through a significant qualification on the racist riots of this last week. It identifies personal credentials to authorativly speak on this: I’ve lived in Belfast most of my life; I’m writing this listening to helicopters overhead for a second day. I know these streets, and I know these communities, and I know, looking at …
The brutal stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie on Monday evening sent shockwaves throughout Northern Ireland. For many, however, the primary shock lay in the graphic video posted online rather than the incident itself, as communities had been bracing themselves for such an attack for some time. The suspect, a 30-year-old Sudanese national named Hadi Alodid, was overpowered by several quick-thinking bystanders, one armed with a hurl. While their actions undoubtedly saved Ogilvie’s life, he has been left with devastating, life-changing injuries, …
The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …
In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any …
Just one for Andy to fix?
Former BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, Univ Coll. London
Earlier this year, Westminster began rolling out new rights for workers which include such things as changes to statutory sick pay, day one family leave, whistle-blowing protections and measures aimed at strengthening the rights of Trade Unions. This is reversal of trends that had been dominant under the previous Conservative government which had sought to curtail Trade Union rights as it could such as with the Trade Union Act of 2016 (which imposed more onerous requirements on organising a strike). …
Predictably enough, the Westminster right wing and the DUP did have to turn it into a row about the border. It was quickly revealed that the Somali (whoops correction) the Sudanese suspect entered NI illegally from the south and was granted leave to remain three years ago. Cue firestorm over immigration policy and in particular -wouldn’t you know it? – the open border and how to police it . From The Times The UK has returned only one asylum seeker …
The latest homelessness bulletin figures released by the Department show a concerning trend in Northern Ireland’s housing system. While the number of people presenting as homeless remains persistently high, a sharp rise in temporary accommodation placements points to a worsening crisis in the ability to move households into stable, permanent homes. The latest Northern Ireland Homelessness Bulletin (October 2025 – March 2026) Northern Ireland Homelessness Bulletin October 2025 – March 2026 | Department for Communities reveals that temporary accommodation placements …
Wear Dark Clothing The TV footage from Belfast this week was striking. On TV news we watched wave after wave of young men, all dressed in black, wearing balaclavas, advancing on police Land Rovers to stone the PSNI. The choice of dark clothing was no accident and it serves a purpose In advance of the rioting on Tuesday, there was a call on social media and Whatsapp for “men of the age of 18 and over to wear dark clothing and …
And so, now, to the annual pogroms. The pogroms have a two-fold effect, as they allow for the Great Cleansing of the undesirables, whilst also providing the staining of identity, civic pride, and general decency. Northern Ireland’s regular refurbishment reminds us that this truly is a place apart. On Tuesday, the wide dispersal, organisation, and simultaneous nature of the violence was striking. Yesterday saw further violence in Glengormley (twelve police officers inured) as the unrest made its way to suburbia, …
The 2026 World Cup kicks off today with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. Yet, the buildup to the tournament feels remarkably subdued compared to previous years. A significant factor is the heavily tarnished international reputation of the US under the current Trump administration. Without sliding entirely into Godwin’s Law, there is an uncomfortable “Berlin 1936 Olympics” vibe hanging over the event. A vast number of fans have been actively put off visiting the United States simply due …
I thought I would throw in a brief interlude of beauty amidst our local misery. Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at Barcelona’s iconic La Sagrada Família yesterday, delivering a papal blessing to the highest spire of what is now the tallest church in the world. The basilica’s distinctive Modernist structure has been under construction for more than 140 years. However, this past February, work finally concluded on the central Tower of Jesus Christ. Standing 566 feet tall, the spire is …
Last night’s attack in North Belfast was pretty gruesome, even for a society like ours hardened by the troubles. The PSNI issued this statement: Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a serious assault in north Belfast A man in his 30s, believed to be Sudanese, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a serious assault involving a knife in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast on Monday night, 8th June, shortly after 10.30pm. He remains …
Britain is now staring at a national debt burden approaching £3 trillion, according to recent reports, raising serious questions about the sustainability of public spending across the United Kingdom. At a time when Westminster faces growing speculation about fiscal instability — and even the possibility of some form of IMF involvement — Northern Ireland can no longer assume that repeated financial interventions will continue indefinitely. Against that backdrop, it may be time to revisit a lesson much closer to home, …
For older members of the community, watching the video from Scarva where unionists gathered at one side of the Newry Canal to shout abuse at a perceived enemy on the other side, will bring back unpleasant memories of the 1997 protests outside Harryville Church in Ballymena, or the dreadful scenes (2001–2) outside Holy Cross Primary School. Both events caused significant damage to the reputation of the unionist community around the world and embarrassed many unionists within N. Ireland. However, most …
The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …
