This a slightly updated version of Alex Kane’s column in Saturday’s Newsletter. In it he senses a renewed bullishness in the Trimble camp. And he goes on to take Jeffrey Donaldson to task for precipitating the current crisis, but notes irony in the stern action it has given rise to. By Alex Kane Let us be quite clear on one matter: the UUP is embroiled in a civil war because Mr. Donaldson has chosen to take it down that path. …
Ruth Dudley Edwards takes David Trimble’s predecessor Jim Molyneaux to task for his own track record and latterly for his behind the scenes encouragment of the Gang of Three. 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 break in service earlier today. We’ve not yet blogged number of interesting pieces which have been published over the weekend and today, but we’ll try to bring you some of the backlog over the next day or so. 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 BBC’s plans to make its satellite output free to air over satellite, may have some very far reaching effects for many of its rivals, in particular RTE and UTV. 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 British government is about to clear the way for the creation of controversial International Monitoring Body. Frank Millar argues that this is part of a wider government strategy to prepare for elections in the Autumn. 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
And a snippet of news from across the water, Labour’s record ten year lead over the Tories in the polls appears to be at an end. Via Peter Cuthbertson. 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 looks like David Trimble means business. The three rebel MPs have been suspended from the UUP. It does mean they will have a right to appeal within the next month, but for now the three concerned are now ex members of the party! 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 …
Brian Feeney is scathing (his favourite tone) of the British government’s long term policy of trying to promote a pluralist society in Northern Ireland. Here’s a quick introduction to the Shared Future paper. 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 Irish News editoral lauds Jeffrey Donaldson for his human sincerity, but argues that that is not enough to carry his party to political success. 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 Guardian has very helpfully put together an mini roundup of editorials on the current UUP crisis. 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 move yesterday by three of UUP’s MP at Westminster to no longer take the parrty whip may have delivered the party leader the opportunity to take punitive action against two of the three. More detail from Gerry Moriarty Martin Smyth and Jeffrey Donaldson currently hold official office in the party, which opens up the possibility that Trimble can move against them through a meeting of party officers, probably some time this week. The third member of the rebel team …
The Blanket continues on its theme of press censorship. 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
Arch conservative critic (and bizarrely the wine correspondent in the leftist New Statesman) Roger Scruton makes the case that freedom should come before democracy in a recent edition of the American Conservative. Elected dictatorships, which extinguish opposition, destroy the political process too. It is only where people are free to dissent that genuine democratic choice is possible. Hence liberty should come higher than democracy in the wish list of our politicians. You can have liberty without democracy, but not democracy …
Gail Walker believes that none of the UUP players in the latest drama are well placed to win. Against the odds, it looks like the DUP are the one party most likely to collect on this outcome. 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
Alex Kane continues his narration of the recent crisis within the UUP, but predicting that Jeffrey Donaldson will choose to stay within the party rather than risk either setting up a new party or joining the DUP. However it is Trimble who Kane believes that will have the most to do in the months ahead. ByAlex Kane Last Monday�s set-to in the Ramada Hotel was, essentially, a dialogue of the deaf, conducted in one of Dante�s innermost circles of Hell. …
Well well well. We have a result in the ‘let’s dump Trimble’ campaign – or do we? Today three out of the UUP six Westminster MPs called an early morning Press Conference to announce that although they have decided to stay in the party, they will refuse the party whip. Update: In an indication that this was a surprise move, Trimble has cancelled his planned visit Bertie Ahern. On the face of it, this represents a delicious torture for Trimble. …
Duncan Hamilton argues that the primary difficulty with the Belfast Agreement is its apparent temporary parking of the constitutional and that independence for Northern Ireland may provide a more robust and stable long-term solution. 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
An account of last week’s UUC meeting from two opposite points within the party’s political spectrum. 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
David Burnside, one of the three MPs to resign the whip this morning has stated that Trimble must change direction or himself resign the leadership of the UUP. It seems that in the meantime, the three MPs will seek to maximise the discomfort for the leadership by remaining in the party, whilst making an open alliance with their party’s Unionist rivals. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics …
Queens academic Julian Warner raises some rather ominous questions over the concept of universal freedom of speech which has been one of the big ideas driving the self-publishing revolution on the internet. 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
