After his recent meeting with Gerry Adams, David Trimble is expecting a major move from the IRA in terms of putting arms beyond use. In return, it appears, Trimble has given Adams a guarantee that if they all return to Stormont, there will be no further collapses in the institutions. 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 …
There was some signs that the ongoing re-organisation of the PSNI is beginning to have positive effects on working conditions inside the Service, with sickness levels dropping by 40% from record highs within the last year. 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
Eammon McCann is a famed orator, particularly within the local organisation of the Socialist Workers Party. This week he launches a broadside on the recent controversy over Superintendent Ali Dizaei, once tipped to be the UK’s first Asian chief constable, and suggests, , that the PSNI has nothing to learn from London’s Metropolitan Police – which is unlikely considering Hugh Orde’s, the current Chief Constable, background in that force. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers …
Steven King claims that the reality on the ground is that people are rather more muted in their view of the absence of democratic institutions. He wades in with a very heavy hint that we may be looking at elections next June, to coincide with European elections. Though it is not clear if it really is a hint, or simply flying a kite for other parties. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts …
And, presumably now basking in the glorious spendour of finally having broken into the media mainstream, our very own David Vance has his spake, on the BBC’s flagship current affairs programme Hearts and Minds! If you have a broadband connection, the programme gives a good flavour of the nature of politics in NI. And you can see David in the flesh, so to speak. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the …
According to Jude Collins, the photograph of Sinn Fein TD’s in Castlerea prison which featured in last week’s Sunday Independent, may be part of a subtle campaign to galvanise prisoners behind the next big push towards a lasting settlement in Northern Ireland. 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: …
The leader of the SDLP, Mark Durkan, has gone on the offensive against Sinn Fein, in the Belfast Newsletter today. The article is based upon a six page dossier compiled on the issue of attacks on the District Policing Partnerships by the party. The full document was available on to the party’s website early today, but the site is currently under attack from computer hackers. His party’s acceptance of the PSNI, which replaced the historic RUC just over a year …
An interesting, if very lengthy essay from Oxford professor Terry Eagleton, which focuses on a recent biography of Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm. In particular he touches on aspects of British cultural life and it’s ability/propensity to absorb and in some cases be driven by the energies of outsiders. As far as ideas go, twentieth-century Britain imported them largely from Central European Jewish émigrés like Hobsbawm himself. Wittgenstein, Namier, Eysenck, Popper, Melanie Klein, Isaac Deutscher, Isaiah Berlin: One can imagine the …
Gary Kent talks to the Green Party candidate and Limerick man Noel Lynch in today’s by election in Brent East, that also sees Kelly McBride from North Belfast standing to highlight the case of her brother’s killers being allowed back into the British Army. See also Peter Kelly’s interview with Belfast Mayor Martin Morgan. By Gary Kent Irish issues are prominent in this week’s by-election in Brent East. Seven per cent of the voters are Irish and the constituency contains …
The BBC’s Northern Ireland economics correspondent James Kerr, has been examining the implications of two recent reports into the economy. The medium term danger he suggests is that the very kinds of lower skilled jobs that have given Northern Ireland phenomenally low levels of unemployment in recent years are vulnerable to developing world economies and accession countries to the EU. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and …
Roy Garland reports from a public meeting in Co Leitrim, which included unionists and nationalists. Interestingly he concludes at a certain point that one whole Act of Completion with regard to decommissioning would not actually be in the direct interests of maintaining the peace process. 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 …
Danny Morrison gives a favourable review to the BBC NI’s security correspondent Barney Rowan’s recent book Armed Struggle. Morrison usefully quotes Rowan’s own pocket synopsis: This book is the story of the many battles since 1994: the battle over guns and governments; the power struggles; the fights and the feuds within loyalism; the emergence of the republican dissidents, who have refused to follow the Adams and McGuinness gospel; the struggles within a divided unionism; and the continuing intelligence war involving …
Andy McGivern’s campaign to extend the right to join the British Labour party to Northern Ireland is to continue. McGivern appears confident that there is sufficient support within the party to win a majority at the party’s October conference in Bournemouth. But there is also considerable opposition, with former shadow Northern Ireland secretary campaigning heavily all summer to oppose any possible motion. Whilst the Irish Labour party does not organise in Northern Ireland, it will accept members who live there. …
Northern Irish historian Mark Mulholland is currently putting together some interesting thoughts on what he believes are the substantive issues in the Republican movement’s espousal of the peace process. Well worth the read! 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
The summit meeting at Chequers this weekend was both a culmination of a series of bilateral talks with and amongst Northern Ireland’s parties. It’s clear that both governments want to hold elections, but it is far from clear as to whether the choreography can be arranged within the next two to three weeks. 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 …
Malachi O’Doherty picks up on a theme of Mark Devenport from last week, the lost potential for a claim against the Libyan government for victims of the ordinance smuggled into Northern Ireland. He believes Unionism may have lost an opportunity to embarass Sinn Fein. 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 …
In discussing the recent intimidation Chief Constable Hugh Orde has claimed that the Provisional IRA as well as the dissident Real IRA have been involved. However he went on to re-iterate that the latter remained the focus of his concerns. At the same time there seems to a continuing, albeit small scale and apparently unco-ordinated, number of attacks and intimidation by loyalist fringe groups. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the …
Paul Morrow is a reader of Slugger and a member of the PUP. In a recent discussion thread he outlined an interesting case for radical reform within the system, that we thought bears looking at again. By Paul Morrow, PUP On the 11+ we do not see a need to end a selection processes. We do see the need to end the testing and the selection of children geared to the current academic curriculum. If everyone were academically orientated it …
Alex Kane further explores the aftermath of the last UUC meeting and suggests that David Trimble must use the time between now and its next annual meeting to consolidate his victory. He argues that the opposition has punched its way to stalemate because it has not been able to sketch out even roughly what it’s alternative to the current Agreement might be. By Alex. Kane This summer�s blockbuster at the American box-office was Jason Vs Freddie, in which the anti-heroes …
This piece by William Graham in yesterday’s Irish News describes the current dilemma exercising a large swathe of the moderate political classes in Northern Ireland; which comes first disarmament or return to democracy. 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
