Iris Robinson – Slugger O'Toole

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 …

Assembly report clears Peter Robinson over Spotlight

David McCann on November 28, 2014, 12:27 pm | Readers 1106

Well after a number of attempts the report from the Assembly Standards Commissioner has finally released the report into the BBC Spotlight programme into Iris Robinson in January 2010. The report clears Peter Robinson of any wrong doing, whilst Iris Robinson has been found in “serious breach” of the Stormont code of conduct by failing to declare two payments. Speaking about the reports publication the DUP’s Alastair Ross said; The Committee takes allegations of breaches of the Assembly’s Code of …

#OTRs: a ready made exit strategy?

John Ó Néill on July 17, 2014, 4:25 pm | Readers 1609

So the review of the OTR scheme by a British judge has found it to be ‘not unlawful’ and not secret (pretty much how Dominic Grieve, British Attorney General, had described it before the review). Earlier on today Secretary of State Theresa Villiers made an oral statement to the House of Commons to coincide with the release of the report. The report itself is quite substantial and I’d not expect too much informed reaction to the details, beyond the executive …

Castlereagh Borough Council hurriedly accept the Deloitte report’s recommendations (updated)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 26, 2011, 11:00 am | Readers 72

Three months after the draft Deloitte report was presented to Castlereagh Borough Council on 26 May, the final version was discussed during a private session of the council last night. This morning’s radio bulletins seemed to have gone all West Country with frequent mentions of “luvver” as the reports’ conclusions and political reaction was discussed. Castlereagh Council curtly answered an FOI in May asking for a copy of the report with wording that was believable (though fell far short of …

Castlereagh’s Deloitte report clears Iris Robinson

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 26, 2011, 11:11 pm | Readers 52

The Deloitte report into the awarding of the Lock Keeper’s Inn contract to Kirk McCambley was delivered to Castlereagh Borough Council tonight and gave everyone concerned – Iris Robinson, as well that of other councillors and council officers – a clean bill of health. After the private meeting of council, the DUP’s Jimmy Spratt said: Iris Robinson has been totally exonerated and that is very clear … There is absolutely no criticism of her at any point throughout the report. …

PPS not to prosecute Iris Robinson

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 11, 2011, 6:31 pm | Readers 56

The DUP, and the Robinson family in particular, are slowly closing the book of horrors that opened up last January. Numerous investigations were kicked off after the (multi-award winning) Spotlight programme aired in January 2010. The Belfast Telegraph neatly summarises the programme’s findings: The BBC probe revealed how Mrs Robinson, who was then an MP, MLA and a member of Castlereagh Borough Council, obtained two £25,000 contributions from property businessmen. That money was then paid to Mr McCambley, then aged …

Adams and Robinson: What a difference a year makes…

Mick Fealty on December 21, 2010, 11:19 am | Readers 19

We’ll be launching the full set of categories for the Slugger Awards later this morning, but Chris Donnelly makes something of a pitch for two extraordinary come backs over the last year. Gerry Adams, who this time last year was plunged into a personal and political crisis over the allegation by his niece that he’d known of her accusations of abuse against his brother and had done nothing to help. This was followed in fairly short order by a Spotlight …

Iris Robinson has been attending hospital for ongoing acute condition

Mick Fealty on January 11, 2010, 4:24 am | Readers 78

Just picked this up from Stephen Nolan on Twitter: “Found out in last few seconds. Iris Robinson receiving acute phyciatric treatment in a Belfast hospital.” Update: According to the BBC this evening it appears the story is slightly more complex than we first reported… This treatment is ongoing: ie it is not the result of the last few days but a part of the psychiatric condition she’s been suffering over a longer period… Looks like if the skiing holiday was …

The drip feed isn’t over

Brian Walker on January 11, 2010, 1:44 am | Readers 577

Suzanne Breen in the Tribune has more allegations about Iris’s private life. After Friday, although they kick the Robinsons when they could hardly be further cast down, I regret to say these claims although unsubstantiated are in the public interest. And with her reputation in tatters they are most unlikely to be challenged in court. David Trimble who is taking his revenge cold is surely right about the unforgiving nature of her fall. Meanwhile Sammy Wilson, the nearest the DUP …

Which collapse scenario do you prefer?

Brian Walker on January 10, 2010, 8:07 pm | Readers 3

On Inside Politics, collapse scenarios loomed ever larger. Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly refused to answer Mark Devenport’s question posed twice – if Robinson resigns will McGuinness be renominated? SF’s Urgent Question to Robinson tomorrow is clear evidence of breakdown already. If FMDFM was functioning at any level, it would be dealt with between the two leaders privately and a joint statement would follow. Did you imagine for a second that would ever happen?. Kelly gave credibility to what I’m hearing, …

After the brutality, the sword of Damocles hangs over Peter Robinson…

Eamonn Mallie on January 10, 2010, 5:31 pm | Readers 164

As Peter Robinson is being forced to ponder where he goes from here his wife Iris is preparing to officially exit from the Assembly. The procedural cutting of Iris’s link with the Assembly will necessitate a letter to Speaker William Hay. Inside the DUP an assessment is being made of what damage has already been done as a result of the ongoing allegations being hurled at the Robinsons.In the frankest exposition of his record as a husband and public representative …

“that same glorious tradition of self-indulgence”

Pete Baker on January 10, 2010, 4:15 am | Readers 3

Whilst someone is telling Brian that Sinn Féin “will in effect pull the plug on powersharing next week” – and news that the party intends to table an emergency motion in the Assembly asking the Northern Ireland First Minister to answer questions about recent allegations suggests they’re in a trouble-making mood – in the Irish News Patrick Murphy provides some useful clarity on Sinn Féin’s latest manufactured “crisis” [further background here]. “With only a few exceptions in Irish history, republicans …

Poots drops the first DUP ball of the morning…

Mick Fealty on January 8, 2010, 4:27 pm | Readers 7

At 7.52 this morning, Ed Poots, unprompted by the interviewer, suggested that Robinson’s difficulty was not comparable with covering up child abuse… Of course, on one level he is dead right… But the comparison was foolish coming as part of a defence… It suggests the party was not prepared for the emotional impact of the programme… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and …

Robinson faces a political rather than a legal problem…

Mick Fealty on January 8, 2010, 4:23 pm | Readers 7

Well after days and days of rumours we have some concrete details. Or at least some pretty stiff accusations. Peter Robinson has said he can answer them directly. He should at least be given the chance to be heard. But if yesterday’s testimony on the sex end of the story looked good, the BBC’s case looked just as bad. But I think of all the early analysis, Splintered Sunrise sketches out the political (as opposed to strictly legal) problem for …

Why did Robinson leave calling ambulance for 8 hours…

Mick Fealty on January 8, 2010, 3:42 pm | Readers 14

One of the hot topics on the live blog last night was the events of the night of Iris’s attempted suicide… It took eight hours for the ambulance to be called, and it was called by Iris’s special advisor, Selwyn Black… Not Robinson himself… That will undoubtedly be one of the questions for the First Minister this morning, and one he had better have a good answer for (like, perhaps, he did not actually know at the time)… Mick FealtyMick …

Iris pursued by gay activist?

Mick Fealty on January 7, 2010, 4:05 pm | Readers 8

Interesting spot on Pat Kenny now, Eamonn, Mark Devenport and Stephen King… Kenny alleging that there has been a gay activist on Iris case ever since the abomination accusation… Eamonn saying that the money question is the important one… I’ll be on Talkback later on… 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 now the fall-out

Brian Walker on January 7, 2010, 2:55 am | Readers 11

How remarkable that the leaders of both Northern Ireland’s two main deeply divided parties have been engulfed in personal scandals they’ve been concealing for some time. It would hard to make up more dramatic evidence of how mores and lifestyles in Northern Ireland have changed even in the puritan parties. Adultery in the DUP! Confessions of dire perversion in Sinn Fein! To be fair – and what else can we be? – and to deploy natural human sympathy, the Adams …

Iris – the statement…

Belfast Gonzo on January 7, 2010, 1:54 am | Readers 8

IRIS Robinson’s statement in full… AFTER Christmas I announced that I did not intend to seek re-election for any public office. I did this to allow the party and my colleagues to make preparations and move forward. However, I also indicated that I would want later to explain what lay behind my decision.“I have had physical health problems for most of my life but very few were aware that over recent years those medical problems were both physical and mental. …

And what the Robinson story was really about…

Mick Fealty on January 6, 2010, 11:32 pm | Readers 31

Peter Robinson will come on to the TV tonight to give his story in advance. Given statement comes outside the standard right of reply terms offered by the BBC, expect the Spotlight Special programme to be fore-grounded to later tonight or tomorrow in which the fuller details of the story are likely to emerge. The core of Robinson’s statement is to the effect that his wife has been having an extramarital affair, and that he is preparing to stand by …

Senior political hacks have been summoned to Dundela…

Mick Fealty on January 6, 2010, 7:53 pm | Readers 5

For what, they’ve been called to the DUP party headquarters in East Belfast, we do not know… But I suspect we’re going to find out soon… Update: None of the Belfast print media have been invited. And the press office is disclaiming any knowledge that anything is happening there. But we understand that the BBC are parked outside the building. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and …