Edwin Poots

Edwin Poots to take Christopher Stalford’s South Belfast seat…

Brian O'Neill on March 8, 2022, 2:45 pm | Readers 4103

DUP Leader @J_Donaldson_MP this afternoon announced that @edwinpootsmla would be taking up the vacant South Belfast seat held by our beloved late colleague Christopher Stalford MLA. You can watch the announcement and comments from both Sir Jeffrey and Edwin below. 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/x7fcWZIY0L — DUP (@duponline) March 7, 2022 Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road …

SluggerTV – the DUP melodrama episode

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on June 21, 2021, 8:54 pm | Readers 2436

Commentators Tim Cairns and Sarah Creighton joined Slugger O’Toole’s deputy editor David McCann to discuss the dramatic loss of a second leader and the challenges ahead for the DUP in the latest episode of SluggerTV. What tipped the balance to end Edwin Poots’ leadership? How will the next leader be different? If there’s a by-election in Lagan Valley, might Brenda Hale run for the DUP, and what about the chances of Alliance’s Sorcha Eastwood and UUP’s Robbie Butler? What’s Edwin …

Poots “Ultimately it was my intention had we not got success on the Protocol… then I would have been prepared to pull Paul Givan out of that job”

David McCann on June 21, 2021, 6:50 pm | Readers 3555

Outgoing DUP Leader, Edwin Poots sat down with SKY News Correspondent, David Blevins to talk about the events of last week. In the interview he made a defence of keeping the Assembly to fight the protocol; My focus was on the Northern Ireland Protocol first and foremost because constitutionally that is what is damaging Northern Ireland. “Our best asset at this moment in time in fighting the Protocol is actually having the Assembly.” He also spoke about nominating Paul Givan …

Edwin Poots has resigned as the leader of the DUP…

Brian O'Neill on June 17, 2021, 9:07 pm | Readers 9212

They used to say a week is a long time in politics, but in this new fast-moving social media age a day is a long time in politics. This morning Edwin Poots looked like he managed to fudge the issue of the Irish Language Act, by the end of the day he was gone as DUP leader. Only 20 days in office, absolutely extraordinary. This is a developing story, we will add any updates as we get more info. pic.twitter.com/cgI4GwcWaj …

Et tu, Sammy? The knifes comes out for Edwin…

Brian O'Neill on June 17, 2021, 3:07 pm | Readers 4946

Wow, what a day. The putsch that overthrew Arlene Foster has been met with a counterattack against the new leadership of Edwin Poots. DUP politicians voted 20 to 4 against nominating Paul Givan, but the nomination still went ahead. I understand @duponline reps voted 24-4 AGAiNST nominating — Gareth Gordon (@BBCGarethG) June 17, 2021 A succession of DUP politicians has refused to back their new leader, even the ones who originally supported him. Does Sammy Wilson have confidence in Edwin …

SOAPBOX: As things go from bad to worse, the DUP can’t avoid the ripples of the ‘Beattie Bounce’

Soapbox on June 7, 2021, 2:41 pm | Readers 6233

Dr. Clare Rice is a postdoctoral researcher at Newcastle University: a specialist in power-sharing and Northern Ireland’s politics. She tweets as @Clare_Rice_. All views expressed are the author’s own. The word ‘honeymoon’ evokes sentiments of a relaxing, happy and easy-going time. The big event is over, and in the bubble of positivity that follows, the focus shifts to the future. For Edwin Poots, this phase has been as good as non-existent since he became the new DUP Leader. The unceremonious …

Militancy can only expose Edwin Poots’ weakness. Instead he can claim credit if David Frost delivers acceptable mitigation of protocol terms

Brian Walker on May 17, 2021, 3:14 pm | Readers 5644

The tempo of Protocol politics is quickening. Fresh from calling into the Arcadia deli on the Lisburn road ( a favourite haunt of SDLP, Alliance and Green voters no doubt as it once was of mine ), Brexit minster Lord Frost has issued what sounds like an ultimatum to the EU. “If the Protocol operates so as to damage the political, social, or economic fabric of life in Northern Ireland, then that situation cannot be sustained for long”. The new …

DUP Leadership Ballot to take place on 14th May

David McCann on May 4, 2021, 6:35 pm | Readers 2375

More breaking news tonight – the DUP chairman Lord Morrow has confirmed leadership election will take place Friday 14 May at 11am pic.twitter.com/IDE8rnRNAx — Jayne McCormack (@BBCJayneMcC) May 4, 2021 More from Sam McBride about who can vote, The key part of the DUP statement on the rules for its first ever leadership contest is not the date (next Friday) or that it will be held virtually, but that it appears to include Jim Wells as part of the electorate …

Edwin Poots announces his candidacy for DUP Leader.

David McCann on April 29, 2021, 5:42 pm | Readers 2039

Today, I announce my candidacy for leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. I love this country and its people and I look forward to engaging with party colleagues in the days ahead. pic.twitter.com/Qesd3GTCwR — Edwin Poots MLA (@edwinpootsmla) April 29, 2021 David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs

Foster’s ‘blonde’ comment: only one piece of a bigger picture of sexism within DUP?

Soapbox on May 15, 2017, 6:30 am | Readers 3507

Instances of sexist remarks by DUP politicians are too frequent to be put down to an occasional badly worded comment. It is the job of a politician to say what they mean and there can be little room for ambiguity when it comes to an issue as important as a basic respect for women.

The Irish language hasn’t gone away you know

Concubhar on January 11, 2017, 8:58 am | Readers 2321

I’m back at work though suffering with a cold, flu or ‘man-flu’. I don’t like feeling congested at the best of times. Being back at work at the start of a cold and wet January doesn’t brighten my mood. This is all put in perspective by Martin McGuinness who has serious health issues, it seems. I wish him a speedy recovery. Nara fada go raibh tú ar do shean léim! In the light of his …

On DUP Petitions of Concern (and one possible judicious use of Tippex)… [UPDATED WITH TIPPEXED MARRIAGE EQUALITY POC]

Kris Nixon (Belfast Barman) on November 2, 2015, 7:00 am | Readers 14221

Much attention has been expended on the DUP use of Petition of Concerns (POC). Unsurprising since they’ve had a good run of appearances recently, including: the blocking of a bill for Rates Relief for Sports Clubs; (almost) every amendment to a welfare reform bill in February; a same sex Marriage bill in April; and it is expected another will emerge on the same issue later today. After the April POC, a small number of party insiders furtively suggested to Slugger that the DUP have their MLAs “bulk sign” …

Cartoon – The many uses of a clothes-peg

Brian Spencer on October 9, 2015, 1:35 pm | Readers 699

In a tumult of controversies (in-out resignations, ministerial pay, talks and welfare reform) Edwin Poots has pushed the hard politics to the rear and brought the vintage ad hominem politics out of the cabinet and to the foreground. Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/

NI health minister: will someone think of the service?

Turgon on May 4, 2015, 8:05 pm | Readers 1155

The DUP seem to have had a bit of a problem with Health Ministers. Despite health and personal social services being the largest department by spending, it is actually unlikely that they wanted it. It is unlikely anyone wanted the ministry and it was the penultimate one chosen. At some level the DUP can be given credit that they did not take Higher Education and leave Alliance with the baby but the number of recesses etc. which were held during …

Same sex marriage? No thanks we’re British

The Firemen on January 2, 2015, 6:10 pm | Readers 2921

As of January 1st 2015 Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom where same sex marriage remains illegal. A new law on gay marriage came into effect in Scotland in December 2014 and the first same sex weddings were held at 00:01 on Hogmanay. A total of 250 couples have converted their civil partnerships to marriage since the new law – the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill – came into effect on 16 December. Same-sex marriage …

Cartoon – Degrade and destroy…

Brian Spencer on September 25, 2014, 5:31 pm | Readers 494

Cartoon of Peter Robinson under fire. Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/

Robinson: Will he stay or will he go?

The Firemen on September 24, 2014, 11:14 am | Readers 1349

Following yesterday’s ministerial reshuffle and the axing of Edwin Poots and Nelson McCausland, the DUP appears to be in crisis today following the former Health Minister’s appearance on the Stephen Nolan radio show. When questioned about Peter Robinson’s long term prospects as party leader Edwin Poots effectively announced the First Minister’s resignation by claiming that “Robinson stepping down is public knowledge.” However within minutes the First Minister issued a rebuttal to local media and on Twitter denying that he …

Cartoon – Hear Nesbitt roar!

Brian Spencer on February 18, 2014, 2:05 pm | Readers 27

<div data-boourl=”https://audioboo.fm/boos/1928083-uup-leader-mike-nesbitt-says-poots-must-go-bbcnolan/embed?eid=AQAAAKBnA1OTax0A” ><a href=”https://audioboo.fm/boos/1928083-uup-leader-mike-nesbitt-says-poots-must-go-bbcnolan”>listen to ‘UUP leader Mike Nesbitt says "Poots must go" #BBCNolan’ on Audioboo</a></div><script type=”text/javascript”>(function() { var po = document.createElement(“script”); po.type = “text/javascript”; po.async = true; po.src = “https://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/assets/embed.js”; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();</script> Not like we haven’t heard it before. Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/

Cartoon – ‘The admitted …’

Brian Spencer on February 15, 2014, 12:51 pm | Readers 60

Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/

Cartoon – #UkipWeather

Brian Spencer on January 20, 2014, 2:01 pm | Readers 76