EUDEBATENI – nuanced debate and discussion rather than the normal knock about arguments around whether the UK should remain in or leave the European Union.
The deal on offer from Brussels to Cameron this week was given a further dramatic feel by EU Council President Donald Tusk’s use of Shakespearean verse; “To be, or not to be together, that is the question which must be answered not only by the British people in a referendum” His use of the lines from Hamlet Act III, Scene I did resonate with those who merely see the whole process as entirely stage-managed, played-out with artificial suspense before Cameron plays the …
The elections this May are almost certain to see the return of familiar faces of both nationalism and unionism. Of course I’m referring to the elections to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly, whose electorates will go to the polls on 5 May and then again most likely later in the year for the referendum on whether or not to remain in the EU. Whilst there is unlikely to be a change of government in either devolved body, the …
BORDER HOP: Micheal Martin told the Dail yesterday, that it is Fianna Fáil’s intention to lay out the case in Northern Ireland for it to remain as part of the European Union, and that “the case for Northern Ireland remaining is overwhelming and we should not and will not be silent in the campaign”.
CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMES: David Torrance argues that the ideal, perhaps quixotic, answer to the constitutional itch is a reformed federal UK within a reformed, more federal European Union? For only that would give adequate expression to Scottishness as well as Englishness, Welshness and, more awkwardly, Northern Irishness.
Recently I noted on these pages that the impending EU in/out referendum was still shrouded in ‘unknowns’, both on what Brussels will offer David Cameron and what the political landscape will look like, both in Stormont, Westminster and beyond. Today some things may have gotten more interesting as David Cameron today Conservative Government ministers are to be allowed to campaign for either side in the referendum, likely to happen later this year. Given Theresa Villiers’ history of euroscepticism, both during …
I saw an unusual tweet a few weeks ago. Someone had posted a picture of a bannister. That seemed strange until I read the caption and discovered the bannister was in a house where James Connolly had once lived. The tweeter expressed pleasure, perhaps awe, at sliding his hand along an object his hero had once used and it got me thinking about our relationship with the past and how objects and places and can make it come to life …
On Sunday evening, the Front National’s marine blue wave crashed early on the breakers. Despite holding a first round lead in six regions, the party failed to win any contests in the second round run-off. Instead, the Republicans, formerly the UMP but still led by Nicolas Sarkozy, won in seven regions and the Socialist Party of current president Francois Hollande took control of the remaining five. Dédiabolisation Although Marine le Pen has toiled to ‘de-demonise’ the party, the …
RESPONDING: Last month was one of the darkest that Europe has ever seen. Terrorism of any kind is abhorrent, but the scale and indiscriminate nature of the blow struck at the heart of France on 13 November mean that the attacks in Paris will forever be etched in the memory of anyone old enough to comprehend the devastation.
IN OR OUT: Last week may have given something of an insight into the international economic outlook of our largest party.
The debate on EU membership in Northern Ireland has recently kicked off. On Saturday Northern Ireland born Labour MP Kate Hoey laid out the Vote Leave & Labour Leave case from leaving the EU at the TUV conference at the Hilton Hotel in Templepatrick (UKIP`s Paul Nuttall addressed their conference in 2012 on the same issue). Irish Foreign Minister @CharlieFlanagan recently addressed Queens University Belfast on implications for Northern Ireland of Brexit. Both Labours Kate Hoey MP & UKIP`s David McNarry …
LISTEN BACK to Ministers Charlie Flanagan and Arlene Foster explaining their differing positions on what Brexit might mean for Northern Ireland at a QUB-hosted event today. Agreeing that a wide debate about the issues is essential was perhaps their only point of agreement.
IN OR OUT: Sammy Wilson issued an interesting press release today highlighting his attendance at Leave EU event and even had his picture taken with the UKIP leader, Nigel Farage.
UKIP NI: David McNarry challenged the DUP & UUP to come off the fence one way or the other and state their position on the EU referendum. He also called for a victims charter with a proper definition of a victim and criticised the DUP & Sinn Fein – querying what sort of devolved government hands powers back to the Tories in Westminster.
The autobiography of a Redemptorist missionary might not be at the top of everyone’s reading list, but a new book by the late Fr Daniel Cummings should appeal to a much broader audience than might be expected. Rest and be Thankful: Autobiography of a Belfast Missionary – Daniel Cummings C.Ss.R, was published this year and launched at Clonard Monastery in July. The book chronicles the varied and fascinating childhood and religious career of Fr Cummings (1907-1977). It includes descriptions of …
(Source of graphic) As others have noted, this might be the week that the campaign for the EU referendum finally got going. This week the Prime Minister tried to signal he was getting stuck-in to the issue of Europe, indeed on Monday he resolved to “throw himself headlong” into staying-in. On Tuesday he went even further saying he was willing to campaign “heart and soul” to keep Britain in the EU. Enda Kenny for his part was unequivocal in his support …
Make that individuals and political parties… Like David, Sinn Féin had another go at framing the narrative over recent events in Portugal. Unlike David, they didn’t reverse ferret totally change their perspective after reading a random blog post… The initial charge (24 Oct) from the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, TD, was that “Events in Portugal expose anti-democratic nature of EU” …in Portugal we are witnessing the makings of a genuine coup with the unwillingness of the establishment there to …
Dealing with past in Northern Ireland was never going to be an easy complete deal made before last Christmas. Although nearly a year has passed since the Stormont House Agreement, the actual hard negotiations of the legal intricacies are only now being hammered out. While the draft legislation itself is very technical and abstruse, it is apparent that finding the truth about the past in Northern Ireland is not going to be straightforward. Mark Thompson has been sounding the warning …
The idea that data should be ferried from place to place as quickly as possible, regardless of what it is, is how most people assume the internet works. That’s the essence of net neutrality. Yesterday the EU voted through a report on the `European single market for electronic communications`. Most headlines centred on the proposed scrapping of mobile roaming charges including the press release from the DUP. However the future of how the internet works in Europe was also in …
Some blog posts you read can totally change your perspetive on an issue and make you see things from a totally different angle and this is from Jon Worth is one of them and I wanted to bring it to your attention. “Eurozone crosses Rubicon as Portugal’s anti-euro Left banned from power” screamed Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in The Daily Telegraph on Friday last week. The Telegraph even followed up with a piece about why Portugal’s situation was a threat to everyone …
