England

Here’s what a Retronaut is….

Mick Fealty on May 3, 2011, 10:56 am

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I happened in on an Nexters event run by the Big Society Network in London last Wednesday. There were a lot of fascinating projects being presented there, some of which I hope to catch up with after Thursday’s elections (including our apres match session at the Big Election Breakfast) are over… But I managed to catch up with a guy whose work I’ve long admired, Chris Wild, the would be retronaut… Listen! His blog is a fascinating read… Currently he’s …

Royal Wedding

Dewi on April 29, 2011, 1:16 am

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There’s a royal wedding today. How are you celebrating the day?. Me, i’m off to work… DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Vote Fiasco – more ballot paper mistakes, this time in England

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on April 25, 2011, 4:26 pm

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Forest of Dean - Vote Fiasco - headline from The Forester

The Forester newspaper which covers the Forest of Dean region of Gloucestershire splashes the story of a ballot paper mistake over its front page this morning. Postal voters in Northern Ireland’s Lagan Valley constituency were last week sent ballot papers which featured the wrong party logo beside one of the candidate’s names. Across the pond, 2,200 postal voters in four wards – Lydbrook and Ruardean, Mitcheldean and Drybrook, Coleford East and Newent Central – were sent district council ballot papers …

A rap with policy content…

Mick Fealty on April 1, 2011, 1:17 pm

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Now, given I’ve just used Slugger’s bully pulpit to reinforce our Commenting Rules, I am posting this advisedly. It may be a personal attack on the Conservative Secretary of State for Health, but it’s pretty catchy and it has policy content… 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

NI blogger at the heart of much MSM ado about, well, nothing…

Mick Fealty on March 23, 2011, 2:11 pm

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Sharon is, amongst other things, an excellent science blogger. She occasionally writes for Slugger on the subject. She’s been off on a prolonged break from her blog the Voyage and has only come back to it because she found a post on her blog was being taken in vain in the Mail, the Telegraph and even the Guardian Environment Blog… I’m sad to say that the catalyst was veteran children’s presenter, Johnny Ball… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. …

Six Nations 2011 – Final Weekend

Dewi on March 18, 2011, 6:19 am

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OK – Wales are 42 points behind England on goal difference with one game to go. So we need you to win by 41 and beat France in Paris to win the Championship. Stranger things have happened. But. Not. Often. So…Trimble and Sexton back. Zulus? Rorke’s Drift? – what’s Liam Toland on about? Come on Ireland, fix bayonets . . . “At one hundred yards! Volley fire, present! Aim! Fire!” Gatland loves George North (in for Shane). On the video: …

A St Patrick’s Day Blogburst…

Mick Fealty on March 17, 2011, 2:34 pm

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Okay, here’s my response to Mark’s call… – I was at the Irish Embassy in London last night, at a gathering addressed by Joan Burton. Not sure many in the room shared Joan’s optimism. So, we kick off with some grim Scots Tory realism from Alex Massie: …growth is Ireland’s only chance. That means wholesale reform of the public sector to assist deficit reduction but that won’t be enough either. Many of the things that the French and Germans most …

Royal Wedding Update

Dewi on March 16, 2011, 12:27 am

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At least they will have a decent harpist. God help us… DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Liberal Democrat leadership U turn to support NHS?

Turgon on March 12, 2011, 9:37 pm

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I mentioned the Liberal Democrats and their potentially Faustian Pact with the Tories last week. This weekend saw the Liberal Democrats spring conference. One of the motions carried was about the proposed reforms to the NHS in England. The Liberal Democrat rank and file seem very concerned about effects of the possible changes. The motion carried included this part: Conference welcomes our Coalition Government’s commitment to the founding principles of the NHS: available to all, free at the point of …

Six Nations 2011 – weekend 4….

Dewi on March 12, 2011, 4:16 am

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OK, it’s the big one and we have home advantage. Ireland, Just, Maybe.from the Irish Times. Gwyn thinks we’ll do it.From the Western Mail. Hooky pretty damn cool…from the BBC. At least Gatland isn’t making mischief – Nullify the ball carriers. Oh, and btw Bangladesh have beaten England. Laughed Out Loud! Update from the The Independent: Barry John could spot a gap the size of a mouse hole. So when he was sitting outside the Old Arcade pub in Cardiff’s …

Conservatives struggle to find a coherent foreign policy?

Mick Fealty on March 8, 2011, 4:55 pm

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British Conservative governments generally don’t really do ‘Foreign Policy’. With the exception of the Suez Crisis and the Falklands war, they have tended to err on the side of caution. This government in particular seems to have been almost rigidly focused on domestic issues of rolling back the debt, so that when a genuine international crisis like the Arab Spring uprising comes along they seem have been even less unprepared than their western neighbours. James Forsyth worries that it’s leading …

Jo Yeates landlord no longer suspect

Turgon on March 7, 2011, 11:06 am

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Chris Jefferies The landlord of Jo Yeates the young woman from Bristol who was murdered late last year has been released from police bail and is no longer being treated as a suspect. Mr. Yeates owned the flat which Ms. Yeates and her partner lived in. He was initially arrested a number of days following Ms. Yeates’ murder. Following that arrest Mr. Jefferies became the target of frenzied media speculation. He was heavily involved in his local neighbourhood watch and …

“They can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Terrific Ireland.”

Pete Baker on March 3, 2011, 1:53 pm

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Whether you’re gloating or, like Alan, you somehow missed my ‘excited’ live-blogging of the match [*ahem* – Ed] enjoy the highlights from the final 17 overs of Ireland’s historic win over England in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Group B match yesterday. [While you can… – Ed] As the Guardian’s Kevin Mitchell says What happened in a half-filled Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday was not just the finest day in the history of Irish cricket. It was, certainly, a result and a …

Ireland win by 3 wickets with 5 balls to spare

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 2, 2011, 5:07 pm

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Kevin O'Brien - Getty images screenshot from BBC Sport

Following on from Pete’s excited live blogging in his earlier post (which I’d missed) … I don’t do sport. But colleagues tell me that Ireland have beaten England in the Cricket World Cup and that doesn’t happen every day. If you leprechauns can’t get over the line now, I don’t know… My mum could win it from here; you’ve done the hard work. (Geoffery Boycott) Should I expect cricketing images to adorn gable walls in West and East Belfast in …

ICC World Cup 2011: England V Ireland

Pete Baker on March 2, 2011, 11:33 am

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The Ireland cricket team look set to face a daunting total in their second game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in Bangalore. England won the toss and elected to bat. Currently they’re on 211 for 2 with 15 overs left to bat. You can pick up the Test Match Special radio coverage here. ESPNCricinfo scorecard and over-by-over text commentary. Or the Guardian’s version here. England 327 for 8 from 50 overs. Ireland did well to restrict England to 327 in the …

Six nations 2011 -weekend 3

Dewi on February 25, 2011, 7:06 pm

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So it’s: Italy v Wales and England v France tomorrow and Scotland v Ireland on Sunday. bbc has piles of stuff. Ireland hoping for space. Fragile France.Hmmm…we’ll see… Hooky at centre… For what it’s worth I can’t see France conceding 3 tries against England… DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

AV: Yes, No or Meh? What are we being asked?

Paul Evans on February 21, 2011, 4:03 pm

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I don’t know about you, but I find the outcome of the AV referendum less interesting than the fact that we’re being asked about voting systems at all. Like everyone else, I’ve got my own prejudices here – I particularly dislike the fact that it’s a question that is subject to a referendum in the first place – a strong enough reason to resist the change itself, perhaps? I don’t know whether to vote Yes, No or just say ‘meh‘ …

London 2012. Sports minister’s daft remarks on dissidents

Brian Walker on February 15, 2011, 6:33 pm

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If you’re badly in need of an adrenalin shot or a boost to the wrong people, this is the announcement for you – and just as the events schedule and ticket prices are unveiled. More blurted out than premeditated? Brian WalkerFormer BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution …

Ian Paisley Jr warns against equal rights for the English.

oneill on February 12, 2011, 9:16 pm

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This week the Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill, at first sight a rather innocuous private member’s bill, got a second reading in the House of Commons:

oneill

A UK Unionist and also confirmed devo-sceptic.
I believe the creation of devolved “governments” in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, along with the corresponding unsolved “English Question”, has weakened that Union.

The present-day Conservative Party would be the national party which would come closest to representing my political beliefs. I have previously belonged to the “Friends of the Conservatives” and the UUP but am no longer connected with either party.

Outside of my Unionism, I consider myself as an economic libertarian, social liberal and secularist- e’g. am pro-choice, anti-schools segregated on the grounds of (parents’) religious beliefs.

Very suspicious of NI’s Human Rights’ Oligarchy (in particular the NIHRC) and hope to be writing on this topic, as well as wider UK and European political issues.

www.openunionism.com

Six Nations 2011 – Week 2.

Dewi on February 12, 2011, 11:03 am

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OK, we have: England v Italy and Scotland v Wales today. Tomorrow Ireland host France. Plenty on the BBC. The Guardian makes Scotland favourites. Murrayfield is not a nice place when confidence is low….some of us have nightmares about 1951 (from British Pathe – a nice site..). …7 joint leaders of our prediction contest btw. As to Ireland..it’s a moment of truth according to the Irish Times. Enjoy. DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…