“His willingness to attend a Sinn Féin ard fheis sometime next year will not resolve this…”

In the Belfast Telegraph Liam Clarke notes Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly’s ‘lukewarm’ response to Chief Constable Matt Baggott’s generous offer to speak at the next SF ard fheis.  From the Belfast Telegraph article Gerry Kelly, the party’s policing spokesman, said: “While it is an interesting suggestion, and presumably the party will give it due consideration, the ard fheis is not until next May, so it’s far too early to suggest who will be invited.” ….. Mr Kelly amplified his criticism …

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“We were painting out political statements…”

The North Belfast News provides an example from the New Lodge area in north Belfast of what happens when “the guerillas” become “the people in power”, and are “pilloried as ‘traitors’ by their young challengers”. From the North Belfast News The day after the clean-up fresh graffiti was daubed on the walls in the Carlisle area of the New Lodge. The slogans included ‘Oppose British Internment’, ‘Free Marian Price’ and ‘Support the POWs’. “We were painting out political statements and …

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Serious issues of independence and effectiveness in the Police Ombudsman’s Office

Sinn Féin’s policing spokesman Gerry Kelly has added his voice to calls for the removal of Al Hutchinson as Police Ombudsman and restoration of independence and effectiveness in the office. Barry McCaffrey, over at The Detail, has seen the draft version of a Criminal Justice Inspectors report on the Office of the Police Ombudsman (OPONI) and it appears to make for damning reading. This follows swiftly on from the the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) publishing a report on Human Rights …

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Gerry Kelly: “and I don’t like being critical of the media…”

In the face of continued criticism of their decision to appoint Mary McArdle as a special advisor to Northern Ireland Culture Minister, Carál Ní Chuilín, Sinn Féin have informed the media of ‘loyalist threats’ against Mary McCardle, Carál Ní Chuilín and Gerry Kelly, MLA.  The PSNI, as usual, have neither confirmed nor denied threats against named individuals. But Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly has taken the opportunity to point a finger of blame at the media.  From the BBC report Mr Kelly said his …

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Gerry Kelly: “we’re not living in the past, we’re not living in the past”

The Belfast Telegraph has a transcript of what happened when BBC NI’s Martina Purdy asked Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly about his party’s recent “mixed messages”.  [Another ‘stupid’ question? – Ed] Indeed.  From the Belfast Telegraph report Ms Purdy ‘tweeted’ after the interview that Mr Kelly had been “exceptionally annoyed” with her, but did not want to comment further yesterday. A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: “Martina Purdy chose to take this opportunity to insult Ireland’s patriot dead as republicans across the …

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End of history: Or how I learned to start worrying and forget about my bombs

Carál Ní Chuilín, MLA and Gerry Kelly, MLA are both open and proud on their previous membership of a now defunct branch of Óglaigh na hÉireann. Both served prison sentences for bombing campaigns in areas mainly used by ‘civilians’ on behalf of that IRA. When the most recent in a long line of British ‘Chief Constables’ controlling policing in the north of Ireland needed a comparative for the recent extended disruption on the Antrim Road, he choose the Omagh bomb. …

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General Election 2010 – Sinn Féin

With 25.5% of the vote SF beat the DUP by 3,700 to get the highest vote of all parties (helped, of course, by DUP absence in FST and North Down). That’s the first time ever in General Elections. (One of the things you wonder about late at night is what would have happened in 1921 with today’s demography?)

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“who pull down statues, who deny the history of any place”

With Londonderry keen to capitalise on its 2013 UK City of Culture title, despite the apparent confusion of some, Mark Devenport notes a singular failure of irony by Northern Ireland junior Minister, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly. Rejecting TUV calls for the historic buildings at the Maze to be demolished, Gerry Kelly told reporters in North Belfast this afternoon that the people calling for the bulldozers to be sent in were the kind of people “who pull down statues, who deny the history …

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What a difference 5 years make

In 2005 Ardoyne had exactly the same problems surrounding the 12th of July parade as those that transpired last night (and it has been going on a lot longer than that). Back then, a full five years ago, 80 police officers were injured during what Gerry Kelly described as control being lost for for a time. In that distant almost forgotten, for some, era he fully blamed the Orange Order for creating the conditions that resulted in the violence: The …

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