The BBC is now revising its previous low overnight estimate, and is now saying that the final figure for those who died yesterday morning will not be less than 50 (the figure the Italian interior minister gave early yesterday afternoon – thanks BK) but will not top 100. 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 …
Even Ken Livingstone’s most ardent political opponents would find little in his emotional speech yesterday in Singapore, before returning to London, to argue with. It got particularly powerful towards the end, when he addressed the bombers directly: I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others – that is why you are so dangerous. But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free …
Casualty hotline number for those with friends or relatives in London this morning – 0870 1566 344. 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 Tony Blair is to leave the other leaders at the G8 meeting in Gleneagles to return to London. Of the 1000 Metropolitan officers on duty in Scotland several specialists may be picked out to return to the capital. Blair is expected to arrive back in Scotland this evening. Update: BBC saying it looks like it could be Al Queda. Nothing definate though. As Pete says, keep your eye on Neil McIntosh for fresh news and the extraordinary wikipedia. …
Given I was in London only yesterday (thus the pacity of blogging from me) this morning’s news has a greater shock value. Now it seems the tube network is effectively closing down. The death toll is likely to rise during the day, but current estimates are about 20. It appears at least one bus has been ripped apart in Russell Square. It looks like a co-ordinated attack on London’s transport infrastructure. Up-date: We’re hearing via the BBC that all public …
An interesting and uncommonly informative leader from today’s Guardian, which urges the Conservative Party not to rush to the business of being Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition too quickly, but rather to cogitate further on the reasons for their current position, and on how they might get out of it.It focuses on the decision of the party’s 1922 backbench committee to rescind an earlier decision to franchise the whole of the party membership for party leadership elections, but goes on to …
Has Accountability Bloke (aka Mel Dubnick) has found some evidence of strains in the Kingdom? Some Scots are not happy with the new map projection which seems to shrink the physical size of Scotland on the new BBC weather forecast. Another fiendish conspiracy hatched in the South East of England? (Well, actually the Met Office headquarters is now firmly ensconced in the West Country) Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the …
Tom Griffin of the London-based Irish World looks at the current state of devolved politics in Britain and Northern Ireland and argues that ” Today, devolution is the only real integration, because ironically, Britain itself is becoming more nationalist and less unionist”Devolution is the only real integration now by Tom Griffin, 27 May 2005 edition Do unionists want Northern Ireland to be run from Westminster or from Stormont? The choice between devolution or integration is an old dilemma. In …
From the BBC Magazine today: “Stuttering, meandering and generally pointless speeches go down well with us old boys” Veteran MP Nigel Evans on advice to new members 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 follow up to the excellent analysis and discussion on this thread, the Today programme yesterday announced their survey of Tory Party Chairmen which seems to signal a willingness to let the party’s MP’s have a greater say in who leads them after Michael Howard. Michael Heseltine said the party’s voluntary activists were ‘not representative of the middle ground that we have got to regain if there’s a chance of a Tory government’. His tip was Ken Clarke on the …
Veteran Labour politican Tony Benn has suggested that Sinn Fein should take their seats in Westminster. He fully understands their abstentionist position but he thinks now is th right time and it would make political sense. He himself has had problems with swearing an oath of allegaince to the Queen and argues that the oath of allegiance should be to one’s constituents. Will his words fall on deaf ears? Bloomsday Girl
The ever informative Guy Fawkes’ blog has a little snippet that there might be another MP not taking the oath to Her Majesty. Not this time an objection to the ‘British Queen’ but the erstwhile “Member for Baghdad Central & Bethnal Green” is off in America defending himself against allegations and will not be back in time to take his oath. He therefore faces a £500 fine and the vacation of his seat should he set foot in the Commons. …
In today’s Guardian an ex BBC reporter (Robin Aitken) accuses the Beeb of ‘institutionalised leftism” and also thinks that the UUP got a rough ride at their hands. He doen’t make any specific reference to BBC NI… Bloomsday Girl
A bit of speculation in yesterday’s London Evening Standard (Londoner’s Diary page) where ‘Gorgeous George’ (Galloway) will sit when the House of Commons resumes and he doesn’t have many options. I have transcribed the article verbatim as not all news stories/articles have links. ” More trouble for George Galloway, after he latest allegations about Iraqi oil vouchers. The new MP for Bethnal Green may hav won a seat in the Commons – but where does he sit? he is plainly …
Blair’s advice to Bertie In general, Private Eye’s cover skit tends to outperform the cover photo of Phoenix magazine on a week by week basis, but the latest issue really hits it for me. By accident, it seems to aptly complement an essay in this week’s Economist (subs needed) that describes Blair as “…a Tory of the old fashioned pre-Thatcher, one nation sort, superbly repackaged for the modern era. The fact that he presides over an electorally successful and substantially …
Well probably not with a lot in his own party, but the FT predicts that Tony Blair may pull up the drawbridge on a lot of his would be attackers after a few days of ‘sound and fury’ after Lord Goldsmith’s legal advice to Tony Blair about the legality of the Iraq war was leaked to the press.Emily Bell thinks the BBC may even have landed itself in hot water over its handling of the matter. She’s clearly in combative …
Kelly McBride is backing Labour candidate Yasmin Quershi in Brent East , London – (the cosntitency with the largest Irish population in Britain). This is after assurances from both the candidate and the London Mayor, Ken Lingstone, that they will help her in the campaign for her murdered brother. Will this mean that this flagship Irish constutency will revert to Labour once again? Bloomsday Girl
Duncan Hamilton in the Scotsman writes that devolution has weakened British and strengthened Scottish identity and that the next phase of constitutional realignment will not be as a result of a groundswell in Scottish public opinion demanding independence but rather a reaction from England to the disintegration of Britishness and the re-emergence of Englishness”. Is Britishness disintegrating and what effect would the rise of English nationalism have on unionism and Britishness in Northern Ireland? George
Lord Callaghan has died at the age of 92, only 11 days after the death of Audrey, his wife of 67 years Longest living British Prime Minister he uniquely held the 4 great offices of state in the United Kingdom – prime minister, chancellor, foreign secretary and home secretary. Prime Minister during difficult times, he will possibly best be remembered in Northern Ireland for sending troops in 1969. RIP Sunny Jim. Ambrose Uprichard
Whatever your political outlook, spare a thought for the beleaguered leader of the UK opposition Michael Howard. One of his front benchers delivers an argument in a private party debate which is out of line with current Tory public policy (but in line with Tory private thinking). It gets to the press, who go large on it. 24 hours later, the man is no longer a front bencher, and is being stood down from his Arundel constituency ten days before …
