Tony Blair gave what may have been the keynote speech of the final stage of the Northern Ireland peace process yesterday. We’ve blogged the highlights here: He began by reminding his audience of the reasons for establishing the Agreement in the first place. He went on to outline the problems the process had run into from every side. After a short reminder of some of the benefits the Agreement has brought, he reminded Nationalists and Unionist of their commitments. He …
And suddenly, it was all quiet up at Stomont, despite the front page headline from last night’s Belfast Telegraph. Gerry Moriarty believes that Blair and Ahern are jointly flagging the necessity of the IRA to disarm before the Assembly can re-commence it’s business. There are signs that the broad inconsistency in Unionist condemnation of paramilitaries, has not gone unnoticed in the US. This from yesterday’s Irish News; thanks to Paul Dunne and Newshound. At home, both sides continue to blame …
Peter Robinson, Minister for Regional Development and his party colleague Nigel Dodds Minister for Social Development have finally started the rolling ball we all knew was coming and resigned their posts. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
For new visitors, and those too bewildered to have taken it all in, here’s a quick recap on recent events in Belfast, according to Letter to Slugger O’Toole. The current crisis broke less than a week ago, with an early morning raid on the Sinn Fein offices in Northern Ireland Assembly Building. The PSNI quickly released details of what was captured in the raid to members of the Sunday press and by Monday, the Nationalist Irish News was calling for …
Neill Lochery writing in the Jeruselem Post, frames the primary conflict within the state as a tension between those who follow Hobbes’ thinking: “…humans were basically selfish creatures who would do anything to better their position. Left to themselves, he thought, people would act on their evil impulses. According to Hobbes, people therefore should not be trusted to make decisions on their own. In addition, Hobbes felt that nations, like people, were selfishly motivated. To Hobbes, each country was in …
“When a corpse turned up in the classic detective story, the wise detective always asked �Who had a motive � who stood to gain by this foul deed?�” Jude Collins investigates. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
It seems that whatever happens to the Assembly, suspension will not disrupt the Policing Boards, according to the subscription only Irish News: “A surprising outcome of the almost certain suspension will force the 19-member board to dissolve. However, in a technical move, Secretary of State John Reid is expected to immediately re-appoint the same board. The British government is now expected to suspend the assembly on Monday with Prime Minister Tony Blair outlining his views at Westminster during the week.” …
Though there has been some confusion previously as to what the current status is of the two DUP ministers is exactly; all appears to be clear now (we think). The front page of last night’s Belfast Telegraph, tells us definatively that the DUP quits the Executive, on Friday. Ian Paisley said their pull-out came after David Trimble had rejected a joint initiative. Amid disgruntlement in the anti-Agreement camp, the DUP changed tack to “maximise pressure” on Mr Trimble. The party …
This is a conversation between two men who both share a very direct style of communication. It’s interesting too, because it represents countless other conversations that have abounded since the Belfast Agreement. The interview coincides with the publication of a new biography of Ervine, by Henry Sinnerton. He talks about the proposed exlcusion of Sinn Fein from the Executive �When I view the potential for January I�m saying to myself, �What is it Trimble wants? How many hoops have people …
Ian Paisley, erstwhile leader of the DUP, calls for the dissolution of the current Assembly rather than to prolong the current crisis until the new year. Noel McAdam weighs up what it might mean to Trimble. And in the subscription only Irish News, Roy Garland suggests that things may not be as bad as some liberal Unionists currently believe: “Ulster Unionists have signalled they cannot absorb any more fudging and the ball is now with the republican movement. The British …
Interesting weblog by Westminster MP Harry Barnes. This piece is intriguingly titled; IRA plc and Loyalist Limited. Harry is a member of the House of Commons Northern Ireland Select Committee. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
In an interview with Andrew Cawthorne, Gerry Adams praises Tony Blair’s vision: “The strategic vision, I think, which marked Tony Blair’s involvement in this process some years ago and which was part of bringing about the Good Friday agreement, part of all of the changes which have flowed, has not been reflected in the actions of his Secretary of State over the last 18 months”. In the more immediate term, John Reid has announced the formation of an action group …
Maybe that’s too big a question. What about, who started it? Or even, who continued it when they could have stopped? Although it seems from Alan McQuillan’s recent statement that the current trouble is being driven by dissident loyalists, the truth is this trouble exists in a very nasty continuum. The defence you’ll hear from some Loyalists is that there is nothing in the GFA for them. They then go on to invoke the logic of the IRA’s ‘armed struggle’, …
Suzanne Breen’s thoughtful probing of a word that means all things to all men: “The White House works with terrorists and terrorist states – bin Laden in his mujahedin days and Saddam during the war with Iran – when it suits its strategic purposes. It entertains Provo leaders at official receptions but wants bin Laden, who remains uncompromisingly opposed to its interests, in a wooden box. Downing Street treats the Provos and the UVF, who still practise terror but don’t …
Alex Maskey’s been re-decorating his parlour in City Hall (more). Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
For the ninth time since going into government, the Unionist Party will debate whether they should stay in with Sinn Fein. Trimble appears bullish. Some of Trimble’s people are treating the debate as a leadership challenge, but he told UTV that: “One of the things I was thinking of doing was actually calling a council meeting myself. Others have charged in. There is a danger they may turn what was meant to be a consultation into a confrontation – that`s …
David Trimble, presumably refreshed from holidays, has fed a media hungry for ‘real’ stories with plenty of copy. He is categorically not quitting, according to Alan Erwin. And according to Chris Thornton: The heart seems to have gone out of the No struggle. Several of the most passionate anti-Agreement members have left for pastures oranger, joining the DUP. Many of those who remain prefer to be called Agreement sceptics rather than opponents. South Antrim MP David Burnside, so far the …
The First Minister is due to meet police chiefs today – the first sign that he is back from Europe and back the saddle. The question is, for how long? Update: For those who thought he might give up with a whimper, it looks like he’s not planning to go just yet. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest …
The First Minister will attend the Earth Summit at Johannesburg for the last three days of the Summit. Mark Devenport compares Northern Ireland’s performance on the environment with Scotland and the Republic; and finds it badly wanting. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
As Trimble confirms his attendence at the WSSD comment has been slow to gather about this major world event in Ireland, North or South. The Belfast Telegraph gave editorial space to it to today: With Northern Ireland rapidly running out of landfill capacity such questions suddenly seem pertinent. The mountains of redundant fridges are the tip of an environmental iceberg. Even those who are going to take a ringside at the biggest event since a similar summit in Rio ten …
