Parties – Page 226 – Slugger O'Toole

Adams’ sound and fury continues

Pete Baker on March 16, 2006, 8:04 pm

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Whether SF president Gerry Adams had in mind the Guardian’s [and the Belfast Telegraph’s] interpretation of Mitchel Reiss’ comments to the Joint Committee of the US House of Representatives, or Reiss’ actual testimony, or indeed the continuation of the ban on fundraising isn’t exactly clear, but he is continuing to issue combative statements ahead of tomorrow’s White House gathering. The BBC reports the SF president as saying – “I don’t have high regards for Mitchell Reiss’s input into this process. …

Support for rule of law by all parties foundation for economic success and political stability

Pete Baker on March 16, 2006, 5:50 pm

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The Guardian somewhat over-reaches in the headline on their latest Northern Ireland report – “Sinn Féin needs new peace process incentive, warns US envoy” – based on the testimony of US Special Envoy Mitchel Reiss to the House of Representatives International Relations Committee’s Joint Committee Hearing on The Northern Ireland Peace Process: Policing Advances and Remaining Challenges. Using quotes from Reiss’ assessment of the different parties’ positions the Guardian interprets Mitchel Reiss’s comments, on the section of his testimony on …

President Hain?

Pete Baker on March 15, 2006, 6:57 pm

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Also in Washington, the UUP leader Reg Empey had breakfast at the National Press Club and argued that, according to the BBC report, The US and NI voters “are fast losing patience” with the inability of the parties and governments to restore devolution. But the interesting quotes are in the UTV report, again, were he’s reported as repeating his party’s call for an interim system where the Assembly sits while a team of British ministers runs government departments until full …

“I’ve been invaluable to the White House”

Pete Baker on March 15, 2006, 4:03 pm

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I previously noted the difference in reaction from Sinn Féin to the continuation of the ban on fundraising activities for the party’s president Gerry Adams during his trip to the US. The BBC report that the reaction has now emerged, it’s not the ultimatum previously issued, but there are some note-worthy quotes in the UTV report, including this somewhat strange line from Adams, given the ban, in effect, has been in place since March last year, “It’s quite remarkable, I …

triple-lock on devolving policing powers to become permanent lock?

Pete Baker on March 14, 2006, 7:08 pm

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The Belfast Telegraph report picks out a couple of selected quotes from the debate in the Commons yesterday on the second reading of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, described at one point in the debate as a dog’s breakfast of a bill. But, although the debate ranged over the many points the Bill attempts to deal with, including a pointed exchange around “the pro-consular powers” that the Secretary of State would be given, and the appointment of the Chair …

Chair of PUP appointed Independent Member of Policing Board

Pete Baker on March 13, 2006, 5:34 pm

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Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland, Peter Hain, has announced the new 19 member line-up for the Policing Board due to take over from the current board on 1st April, following his call for nominations from the political parties on March 1st.. there’s an accompanying BBC report here – the UUP are to discuss whether they’ll take those seats, apparently.. and there are few surprises among the party representatives. But among the independent members, most of whom are …

high stakes in co-ordinated raids

Pete Baker on March 12, 2006, 9:03 pm

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One paper paying particular attention to the aftermath of the co-ordinated raids on Thursday is the Sunday Times. Today’s edition carries a lengthy article – including details from Murphy’s failed libel case – in which they note, “This game is being played for high stakes. Noel Conroy, the garda commissioner, and Sir Hugh Orde, the PSNI chief constable, the next day promoted the raid as a showcase for a coming era of cross-border co-operation.” and the Sunday Times points out, …

US State Department win in stand-off with SF

Pete Baker on March 11, 2006, 6:39 pm

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The Guardian’s Owen Bowcott has probably overstated the significance of the names on the invitations to the White House this year, as this BBC report suggests.. only some of those on the list will be meeting the President. The rest will sit and listen to the inventive script-writers’ words. But the interesting aspect of the inclusion of Gerry Adams on the list isn’t so much that his name is there.. it’s the difference in reaction from Sinn Féin to the …

better for them to stay home and work out their problems

Pete Baker on March 11, 2006, 6:08 pm

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The BBC’s Gareth Gordon begins by quoting former Washington Post columnist Mary McGrory, writing in 2000, on the invitations to the White House St Patrick’s Day celebration, “So I have a feeling and I don’t know how widespread it is… that really this year it might have been better for them to stay home and work out their problems. And not come again until it was finally settled.” and suggests that advice should have been followed this year too. He …

but is he a very naughty boy?

Pete Baker on March 10, 2006, 6:32 pm

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An interesting interjection by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, as the searches and examination of documents and computers seized during the co-ordinated raids in Louth and Armagh yesterday continue… as noted by RTÉ – The Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, has described the man linked to a number of ongoing Garda and PSNI investigations, Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy, as not a criminal, but a good republican and a long-standing supporter of Sinn Féin’s peace strategy. He is also reported to have …

Did you get an invite?

Pete Baker on March 10, 2006, 3:44 pm

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The Irish Times’ Denis Staunton reports[subs req] that the “leaders of all five main political parties in the North will be invited to the White House for St Patrick’s Day next week.” and that “The families of murder victims Robert McCartney and Joseph Rafferty will also be invited to the celebrations, along with representatives of the North’s Policing Board.” He also notes, as is generally expected, that “Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams will be granted a visa to visit the …

The less said the better?

Pete Baker on March 9, 2006, 5:01 pm

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That appears to be the subtext of the brief statement by the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman at yesterday afternoon’s press conference[scroll down] and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was suitably vague in his comments too.. talking of a deadline for publishing proposals before the beginning of the marching season.. and of making progress during the course of the year.. Whether those are firmer deadlines than the last one that just went whooshing by, isn’t entirely clear. Don’t worry though.. as the Secretary …

Ah… there’s a strategy.. apparently

Pete Baker on March 7, 2006, 4:06 pm

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If you don’t recognise the pattern, then you haven’t been paying attention, when Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland, Peter Hain, announced the stop-gap funding yesterday for voluntary and community groups working with children, he flagged up today’s announcement of another 2-year funding package, this time a £61million Children and Young People’s Fund [who hasn’t got a Fund yet? – Ed]. Tucked into a separate BBC report, no official press release for this one, Peter Hain attempted to …

Stalemate is the order of the day

Pete Baker on March 5, 2006, 5:55 pm

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While Mark Devenport wondered whether “the governments have the guts to throw down the gauntlet to the parties with a shadow assembly or some other option which might break the deadlock?” [haven’t they already tried the deadline/big stick approach? – Ed] the Sunday Times editorial argues that it’s time for a different approach Mr Ahern and Mr Blair must exercise caution. Over the past eight years they have been responsible for an erosion of confidence in the political process because, …

decision shyness and relatively little achievement

Pete Baker on March 5, 2006, 5:31 pm

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The BBC’s Mark Devenport notes a distinct failure to communicate between the government and the polictical parties, with “More than one politician expressed the view that they didn’t know what the talks [last Thursday] were meant to be about.” and, as a member of “a waiting press pack which consisted of me[Mark Devenport] and one colleague” he suggests “Whether anyone outside the dwindling press pack and the politicians themselves cares about the quest to restore Stormont is a moot point.” …

don’t hold your breath..

Pete Baker on March 4, 2006, 3:42 pm

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Apparently, both Governments are “strongly in favour of an open and inclusive debate on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, involving the political parties and civic society.” and they will continue to work together to that end… that’s after 8 years of working to that end.. and still counting.. Pete Baker

so much for deadlines..

Pete Baker on March 4, 2006, 3:11 pm

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As previously noted, none of the dancers seem to be able to decide what the next step is in the choreography, and the Irish Times today reports that next week’s meeting between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Prime Minister Tony Blair, on Wednesday 8th March, will now be merely dedicated to “reviewing the process” and assessing the contacts which had been made recently with all parties.. perhaps at some point, eventually, someone’s going to question the Secretary of State for Wales …

Guardian live-blogs Lib Dem leadership result

Pete Baker on March 2, 2006, 8:05 pm

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The Guardian NewsBlog is live-blogging the results of the race for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats.. if previous live-blogging attempts are anything to go by watch out for them to switch to a new thread *ahem*.. anyway, they’re currently reporting that Sky are calling it for Emperor Ming.. Update All Hail the new Emperor!.. Ming that is.From the G NewsBlog First round: Ming: 23,264 Hughes: 12,081 Huhne: 16,691 IT’S MING OFFICIAL .. He puts his arms around the others …

“we are not having the type of engagement perhaps that we would prefer”

Pete Baker on March 2, 2006, 6:04 pm

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A couple of reports in today’s papers on the governments’ apparent acknowledgement that the political parties, and the governments, are dancing to different, and perhaps incompatible, tunes.. as most people should have realised by now. The Irish Times’s Mark Brennock reports “The Taoiseach and British prime minister will outline agreed proposals to make political progress in the North as early as next week, having concluded much earlier than expected that talks between the political parties are making no headway.”[subs req] …

They make a noise like feathers..

Pete Baker on March 2, 2006, 12:36 am

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[IMG]http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c39/petebkr/godot4_sml.jpg[/IMG]So, where were we?.. Oh yes.. the Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness says the proposals for a shadow Assembly are “completely unacceptable to Sinn Féin” and, according to RTÉ, that, if there is no progress by April, the Assembly should be abolished. Meanwhile the DUP’s MEP Jim Allister says, “In the Belfast Agreement form it [devolution] is patently unacceptable, inherently unstable and destructive of unionist interests… if there is to be devolution, then, it must be on a fresh and …