British government; Westminster.

The suspension of Northern Ireland’s new abortion regulations under pressure from “pro-life” opinion is fake news of the UK government’s making

Brian Walker on May 9, 2020, 11:41 am

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The Irish News story on 8 May THE British government last night withdrew controversial abortion regulations for Northern Ireland before they could be put to the vote in Parliament next week. It means that the regulations put forward by secretary of state Brandon Lewis at the end of March will not now apply. It is understood that the strength of the challenges faced by the proposed legislation, in particular at a Lords select committee, led the government to pull the …

Theresa May wants a Stormont deal before she quits; but will Penny Mordaunt queer the pitch over Army prosecutions?

Brian Walker on May 9, 2019, 11:55 pm

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Theresa May is back again looking for DUP support to get the withdrawal Bill through the Commons either before 23 May the day of the Euro parliament elections or in mid- June, if her party haven’t turfed her out by then. Her bid for support presumably features a customs arrangement with regulatory alignment added in order to dispose of the bogey of a border down the Irish Sea. The pitch hasn’t worked so far with the DUP or in those …

Amnesty for soldiers and police officers appears imminent after the election. And the effect on prospects for restoring the Assembly?

Brian Walker on April 27, 2017, 1:27 pm

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The government appear to be on the brink of taking the legacy of the Troubles out of the hands of the Assembly. The only question remains if they would entertain an agreed counter proposal from the Assembly parties . You can work out for yourself the prospects of that The Times (£) are reporting that The British government has moved one step closer to shielding British soldiers who served during the Troubles from murder prosecutions despite concerns that it could …

The welfare crisis deepens. The DUP are making common cause with Sinn Fein over George Osborne’s cuts

Brian Walker on July 21, 2015, 11:43 am

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The Guardian’s Politics Live feature reports an analysis of the impact of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on the working poor. Read across locally, it has the effect of adding the DUP’s opposition to the UK’s government’s budget strategy to Sinn Fein’s, albeit on more limited grounds. The analysis was made by the highly reputable, unbiased House of Commons library and commissioned by Frank Field, the veteran free thinking Labour MP who is a leading authority on welfare and social policy. …

How the system of “comfort letters” developed. Secrecy was important, Hain admits

Brian Walker on February 27, 2014, 3:36 pm

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Much of the ammunition Peter Robinson needs is already in Mr Justice Sweeney’s lengthy judgment in the Downey case. Key points in this Belfast Telegraph summary. The administrative scheme began in 2000 to rectify the anomaly because as on the runs, they weren’t eligible for the early release scheme. The overall picture is of Gerry Kelly as Sinn Fein’s point man with the British government on the issue, coming forward regularly with new names and the legal authorities led by successive …

From lawyers to Haass. No truth recovery without a conditional amnesty

Brian Walker on October 31, 2013, 3:20 pm

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Following the historians’ pitch from Arkiv, it’s the turn of the lawyers. Prof Kieran McEvoy in the Irish Times makes the case I agree with, for a conditional amnesty as part of truth recovery. He makes the telling point that the historical cases review is unlikely to lead to more than a handful of prosecutions. Even if the number was greater than expected, is it worth going through the long and chancy process for the sake of a nominal two …

The DUP’s approach to dealing with the past rolls back the GFA

Brian Walker on October 24, 2013, 10:52 pm

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Yesterday’s opposition day debate in the Commons on Dealing With The Past initiated by the DUP was attended by only just enough GB MPs – about 20-odd – to make up the quorum of 40. Have a browse in Hansard to get the full flavour if you’re feeling strong enough. Sinn Fein’s absence is a pity. In parliament a real debate is better than sermonising. If they were present there would be a lot more authentic flavour and less of the sound …