Alliance Party – Page 3 – Slugger O'Toole

Since Naomi Long’s is the only hat in the Alliance party leadership ring…

Mick Fealty on October 11, 2016, 12:57 pm

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Deputy leader Naomi Long MP addressing Alliance Conference 2012

And as she does so it becomes clear there are no other candidates. No long damaging and divisive leadership race, and an opportunity to reset the tone and the politics of the party which traded off the competent tenure of David Ford as Justice Minister. But whither now for NI’s middle ground party? In East Belfast she has displaced and relegated the UUPs from second rank to almost nowhere. But where does the middle ground prepare for seat crunch and …

Interview with outgoing Alliance leader David Ford

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 5, 2016, 6:24 pm

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INTERVIEW with David Ford MLA who has announced that he will stand down as leader of the Alliance Party tomorrow at noon. He speaks about the highs and lows of his time in office, the challenges facing the party in the future, and dodges the issue of how long he will stay as MLA for South Antrim.

Theresa Villiers: “ultimately it is parliament’s decision whether we repeal the 1972 European Communities Act or whether we don’t.”

Pete Baker on June 27, 2016, 7:22 pm

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Andy’s valiant attempt at providing clarity on the role of the devolved institutions in the UK’s withdrawal from the EU doesn’t appear to have worked for some of our local representatives. The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, couldn’t have been clearer. “In the weeks and months ahead we will be working with both the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on all these matters,” [Theresa Villiers] told BBC’s Sunday Politics show. “But ultimately it is parliament’s decision whether we …

Assembly brinkmanship must end soon

Brian Walker on May 19, 2016, 10:30 am

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In the last mandate David Ford liked to boast that the Alliance party was unique because they had been finally chosen to occupy the Justice department by the whole Assembly rather than selected by the mechanism of D’Hondt. Because of their status they are more essential to the formation of the Executive than the SDLP despite their fewer numbers. So what’s changed? A bit of bargaining is ok at a time of maximum leverage but the brinkmanship should end soon. …

Martin McGuinness: “We now wait to see if SDLP will stand by the principles of the Good Friday Agreement or follow the UUP into opposition…”

Pete Baker on May 12, 2016, 8:57 pm

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The response of Sinn Féin’s new MLA for Foyle, Martin McGuinness, to being upstaged – at the moment of his re-appointment as Northern Ireland deputy First Minister – by the UUP leader Mike Nesbitt’s announcement that his party had unanimously agreed to go into official opposition in the NI Assembly, betrayed a confused, or forgetful, party lashing out at sceptics, and potential sceptics, alike. [Nobody puts Baby in the corner… – Ed] From the Sinn Féin press release [added emphasis throughout] Speaking after …

Subdued Alliance say it’s “time to get Northern Ireland moving forward, faster” #ap2016

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 5, 2016, 8:39 pm

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SUBDUED & LIBERAL – Today’s Alliance Party conference was subdued compared with last year’s ‘Long election rally’. Delegate numbers were stable, but the palpable passion of 2015 was muted. Liberal values were emphasised as much as sharing and reconciliation, with several speeches mentioning the party’s support for LGBT rights and limited reform of abortion.

A positive case for the bridge linking Ormeau Park and Gasworks

Soapbox on February 24, 2016, 10:34 am

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There is a proposal from the Department of Regional Development for a bridge linking the Gasworks with Ormeau Park in South Belfast. Alliance party councillor, Emmet McDonough-Brown writes for us arguing for the bridge… Belfast is a city on the rise. As we emerge from conflict we find our city growing in confidence and ready to claim its place in these islands as a fantastic place to live in, work in and raise a family in. Along the way we …

“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 …

Climate Change and what Northern Ireland is doing about it.

David McCann on November 30, 2015, 3:48 pm

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CLIMATE CHANGE: The Assembly is debating a motion on Climate Change tonight, so how has Northern Ireland been doing on this issue? The Department of the Environment has compiled some statistics of our performance from 1990-2013 (note these figures are never totally exact).

Trevor Lunn declares support for Marriage Equality

David McCann on August 4, 2015, 9:58 am

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Interesting development and another bit of evidence that the tide is turning in favour of marriage equality as Alliance MLA for Lagan Valley, Trevor Lunn announced at an Amnesty event on the issue that he would vote in favour of same sex marriage when it next comes up in the Assembly. Lunn abstained on the issue when it was before MLAs in April 2015. Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn publicly supports Equal Marriage at @FeileBelfast and @AmnestyNI event pic.twitter.com/oQWZE4rypY — NUS-USI …

East Belfast: where the progressives met their Waterloo

Turgon on May 9, 2015, 7:31 pm

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It is the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. These days, however, the French seem to celebrate it as a victory rather than a defeat. So finally we can celebrate after five horrible years as the bastion of awfulness finally fell: oh yes and it was VE day as well. Excitement amongst unionists over the defeat of Naomi Long is tempered by the fact that she was hardly a terrorist cheerleader in chief. Rather much of the pleasure …

LGBT issues: Northern Ireland party views – UPDATED

The Firemen on April 22, 2015, 8:23 pm

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(Updated to include responses from the Ulster Unionist Party and People Before Profit) Research conducted by Ruth McCarthy highlights some stark differences between the parties contesting this years Westminster elections in Northern Ireland on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. A series of questions were asked: 1a Does your party visibly support LGBTQ equality issues in your party manifesto, on your website and in election campaigning materials? If YES, please give examples. If NO, please state why. 1b Please give …

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Northern Ireland

Kris Nixon (Belfast Barman) on March 22, 2015, 3:06 pm

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“I like the idea of democracy. You have to have someone everyone distrusts” – Terry Pratchett Election pacts, who wants ’em, who needs ’em, who gets ’em? That seems to be the name of the game this week, I’m sure not everybody got what they wanted, but if nothing else, a few party higher-ups have added quite a lot of chapters to their autobiographies. Every cloud and all that jazz… I don’t get election pacts, it makes no sense …

Cochrane: I know so many brilliant women who hold back in their careers for fear of being cut down. It’s time to put those fears behind us and create a more progressive society for us all.

Soapbox on March 4, 2015, 1:56 pm

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Continuing on with our series, Alliance party MLA, Judith Cochrane writes for us about her experiences in the Assembly Northern Ireland has seen momentous change since the 1970s. Politically, socially and culturally, we have made huge strides over the past few decades, and have become a more progressive and inclusive society. Women have certainly come a long way. I feel fortunate to have been raised and educated in an age where girls were encouraged to explore their potential, to be …

Stewart Dickson: Comprendre t-il?

Turgon on January 23, 2015, 6:45 pm

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A scant few days ago many in the world were united in saying “Je suis Charlie” to identify with the journalists at Charlie Hebdo. Many may regard Charlie Hebdo as frequently insulting, tasteless and at times unpleasant. However, the point was that freedom of speech to say (or write or draw) insulting, tasteless and unpleasant views is a vital tenant of democracy. Unfortunately Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson seems not to have understood the principle. He has now complained to the …

Ownership of leaflet that provided ‘catalyst’ for flag protests confirmed by DUP councillor

The Firemen on December 3, 2014, 9:52 pm

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Today on BBC Talkback, DUP councillor Lee Reynolds finally publicly confirmed that the DUP and UUP had paid for and distributed leaflets described by authors of the QUB report as having a ‘catalytic effect’ in the run-up to the city hall vote,” The report states “It was this, more than anything else, which inflamed the mood at that point” listen to ‘Ownership of leaflet that provided ‘catalyst’ for flag protests confirmed by DUP councillor’ on audioBoom // The protests as …

Rebooting Stormont … however Alliance walking away from Justice would trigger a faster restart?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 9, 2014, 11:30 am

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Reacting to the most recent political shenanigans and particularly the DUP and UUP walkout from all-party talks [Ed – seemingly with a two page press release agreed and up their sleeves] David Ford says “Stormont needs a reboot”. For too long now public services and the entire community have been held back as a result of the almost complete failure of leadership over crucial issues and the breakdown of functioning relationships between the two main political parties. It is clear …

Will Anna Lo ‘return’ to politics to fight for South Belfast next year?

Mick Fealty on June 11, 2014, 1:28 pm

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Brian asked the question of what the last elections added up to. Having done a lot of detailed analysis I’m still teasing that out. Two thing major things strike me about East and South Belfast though that seem to run counter to pre election expectations. One is the underperformance of Gavin Robinson, someone who was being talked of as the DUP candidate in the next Westminster election, the above expectations of the UUP neither of which necessarily help the sitting …

Election Posters Everywhere, but very few seem to be staying up in some areas

David McCann on April 24, 2014, 8:45 am

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I have always resented people trying to infer whether it is through silly diagrams trying to promote how progressive they are or commentators telling me to return leaflets put through my door by a legitimate political party. My immediate reaction is, thanks, but I can really make up my own mind without you telling me who to vote for. Likewise, I get equally annoyed when I see tweets like this issued from a political party so frustrated that their posters …

Lo is aiming high but needs to figure how not to frighten our jumpy ethnic horses…

Mick Fealty on March 24, 2014, 5:30 pm

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Interesting comments from Brian Feeney and our own Gladys Ganiel on Sunday Politics… In short, Feeney thinks Alliance will suffer in Belfast but it will bring Anna Lo nationalist votes outside its own natural area. Gladys doesn’t think it’s worth the burn to their base. She could be right. In today’s Irish News Tom Kelly, who spent a bit of time at the Alliance Party conference reckons, that even as a short term tactic it has the capacity to tie …