The BBC reports that the Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, wearing his other hat as leader of the DUP, and out-going UUP leader Reg Empey have jointly written to the Irish government to object to the proposed sale of NI Electricity (NIE) to the state-owned Electricity Supply Board (ESB). NIE is currently owned, through Viridian, by Arcapita, a Bahrain-based bank. A RTÉ report adds It has emerged that Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and outgoing UUP leader Reg …
Nevermind the Presbyterian moderator, at least he’s going to be there. Our own little Process™ might have got a special mention as Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Edinburgh today on his first ever state visit to the UK, but no-one from the Northern Ireland Executive was there to hear it – despite an invitation being sent to the Office of the First and deputy First Ministers. Apparently that’s what happens when you can’t meet the Pope/Queen without meeting the Queen/Pope… Adds An otherwise somewhat unbalanced BBC report notes …
There’s been much public posturing from the two main [mandatory] coalition parties here following comments by the Northern Ireland First Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, about the expected cuts in public expenditure. Reported attempts by the deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, to play down suggestions of a split appear to have fallen on deaf, non-Ministerial, ears within his own party. Mark Devenport tells us that DUP sources reckon there’s a difference between the public line being pushed in Sinn …
It’s worth noting Tony Blair’s response to Reg Empey’s claim that “We now know that the foundation of St Andrews was built on lie after lie.” Here’s what Tony Blair told the Irish Times “That’s absolute nonsense,” he retorts. “One of the things I have done in the book is that I have tried to be honest. Now what people actually sometimes say is that we want a honest politician. “They say ‘hey, you are not a saint. That’s not …
Didn’t stand in FST or North Down so the raw result of 25% a little distorted – but losing the leader’s seat was unfortunate to put it mildly. The dynamic in East Belfast is best left until we get to the Alliance so let’s look at other stuff.
Welsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…
Nicholas Whyte has kindly given Slugger permission to reproduce this article.
The DUP are very proud of MEP Diane Dodds becoming a member of the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents. The body while sounding very important is essentially a business committee come speakers’ office and is mainly concerned with timetabling parliamentary business. What the DUP did not point out is; Dodds is not a full member of this body. Indeed she has only been appointed on a 6 month term and has no voting rights. All other members are there as …
From Mick’s linked chapter on Northern Ireland in Tony Blair’s memoirs [pdf file] Such tactical manoeuvres were the warp and woof of the Northern Ireland peace process. Again at the last minute, after the negotiation over the St Andrews declaration of October 2006, up popped the issue of what oath would be sworn by those taking office in the reconstructed Assembly and Executive. All manner of permutations were gone through to find a mutually acceptable formula. Naturally the DUP wanted …
This is a particularly forensic statement from the DUP, which effectively ends what has been (probably by default) a bipartisan line on the NI Water story with Sinn Fein. I’m copying it, less for the political import and more for the nature of the questions it poses. Michelle McIllveen: “This is a deeply serious situation, unprecedented in the Assembly. As Vice-Chairman of the Committee I had already asked for an urgent meeting with the DRD Minister following recent press coverage …
They just can’t help themselves… Mr McGuinness was speaking at the official opening of the first high-speed road link between Belfast and Dublin. He said: “I think Peter Robinson and I will have more good news to announce in regard to the development of the Maze/Long Kesh site. “We have actually reached agreement and we will publicly announce how we intend to take that forward over the next very short while.” As both the BBC and UTV Press Association note …
The BBC report tells us that The NI first and deputy first ministers have published their proposals for tackling sectarianism, racism and hate. That would be the long-awaited Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration. And from what I can glean from the consultation document [pdf file] they propose to form a committee “Panel”. As Mark Devenport says about the document Lots of it is on the “motherhood and apple pie” level. It’s good to hear that the First and Deputy First …
A BBC report picks up on an article in the News Letter by Lord Bannside, aka former DUP leader Ian Paisley Snr. Here’s the section which deals with the question of “unionist unity”. Questions 3 and 4: Is unionist unity essential for the achievement of your vision? And, if so, what does that mean? Unionist unity in its broadest sense within Great Britain is essential for the health of the nation. A unified sense of loyalty to the throne and to the constitution …
It’s more than thirty years since PR STV was introduced to local elections and although it is a complex instrument you would have thought most parties would have cottoned on by now as to how balance their tickets. Danny Kennedy sees unionism’s underperformance in South Antrim as a reason to seek greater co-operation with the DUP: “Here in South Antrim the combined unionist vote was equal to more than five assmebly quotas, yet presently the area only has three unionist …
Anyone watching Sammy Wilson last night on Stormont Today last night, may have noticed he devolved upwards the decision over his future as Finance Minister. It is, he said, a matter for his party leader. Well, the last time we looked it was DUP party policy was to unilaterally bring an end double jobbing. Or in Peter Robinson’s own words: “any of our Assembly Members elected to Westminster will give up their Assembly seats.” Even Sammy himself told Gerry Moriarty …
David Simpson is reported in Saturday’s News Letter calling for a Saville style commission to look into the role of the RoI in the Troubles and specifically the arming, training, sheltering etc. of the IRA. Simpson points out that: “The claim has always been made that since it was the state that was involved in the events of Bloody Sunday that made it different and necessitated the obtaining of the truth and justified the massive expenditure.” He draws the parallel …
Great piece from the Irish Times archives today on Ian Paisley circa 1980… Secretary of State, Humphrey Atkins, found a most reasonable politician in the DUP leader during the recent constitutional talks. This helped arguments in London that Paisley should be thought of seriously as a future prime minister at Stormont. Then the DUP leader had himself arrested outside Armagh Cathedral on the visit of Mr Haughey . The “street demagogue” reappeared. A day or two later, the Official Unionist …
With the publication of the Saville Report focus is now shifting to the possibility of prosecutions, some paratroopers are already under investigation by the Public Prosecutions Service over perjury at the inquiry but it is unknown if any criminal investigations and/or prosecutions will take place over events on the day. The DUP’s Peter Robinson has called for no prosecutions I think from a political point of view I have to say that I do not believe that there is anything …
A week or so ago, Will Crawley noted that a fundamentalist campaign group, the Caleb Foundation, were claiming that NI Culture Minister Nelson McCausland’s intervention at the Ulster Museum was as a direct result of their lobbying. On Evening Extra today, a representative of the Foundation [it may have been chairman, Wallace Thompson] confirmed that, encouraged by that ‘success’, they had contacted the NI Tourism Minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster, seeking a similar ministerial intervention in the consultation over the Giants’ Causeway Interpretive Centre. They had a lobbying campaign already underway. It’s worth noting that …
Yesterday the following motion on the Anniversaries of the B-Specials (demise) and UDR (creation) was defeated in the Assembly and there will be no call from the Assembly to honour either organisation. That this Assembly notes that April 2010 marked both the fortieth anniversary of the dissolution of the Ulster Special Constabulary, or B-Specials, and also the fortieth anniversary of the formation of the Ulster Defence Regiment; expresses its gratitude to the bravery of the many people who served in …
In a special article for Slugger O’Toole, David Gordon examines the General Election fall-out for unionism – with a couple of quotes from his newly-updated book, The Fall of the House of Paisley. Released over Easter, it has a new final chapter entitled The Fall of the House of Robinson? Cometh the hour, here comes Arlene? If Peter Robinson goes as DUP leader, the smart money seems to be on Nigel Dodds as party leader, with Arlene Foster as First …
