Parties – Page 35 – Slugger O'Toole

Successful McKinney co-option suggests the SDLP leader is slowly getting a grip…

Mick Fealty on September 13, 2013, 7:34 am

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In a time of crisis, you have to do small things well. Much of the SDLP’s decline (which has been slower and gentler than that of the UUP), was marked by doing some small things really badly. The leader, in this case, got his man in, again it has to be said. That’s not necessarily easy for party like the SDLP to pull off. There’s no politbureau, no central intelligence office which constantly grades candidates and has the heft to order …

“Two European countries, Ireland and Norway, have already banned all eel fisheries.” – redux

Pete Baker on September 11, 2013, 6:46 pm

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Despite a brief flurry of activity by Sinn Féin in February this year, around the Northern Ireland Executive Minister with responsibility for regulating Eel Fisheries, Sinn Féin’s Carál Ní Chuilín’s sudden “refusal to support European proposals for a unilateral suspension of eel-fishing”, the Minister’s promised Assembly statement on the issue never materialised. That’s possibly because, at that stage, the proposal was only in a draft report [amendment 8] to the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries by rapporteur, Isabella Lövin, a Swedish MEP. As it was that …

So he’s staying. But what will be the Robinson legacy?

Brian Walker on September 11, 2013, 3:19 pm

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It’s a common tactic of most people in public life to exaggerate the criticism being made of them when they make the feisty reply. Peter Robinson is no exception. His recent output has been genuinely revealing. I have no privileged information whatever but I have read his Florida letter and his Bel Tel article. The Florida missive revealed his default position of lashing out against criticism rather than rising above it at times of tension, the Bel Tel the old trick …

Despite the hostility of the press “…it’s still the DUP which has the muscle to get things done”

Mick Fealty on September 10, 2013, 2:49 pm

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Interesting observations by Alex Kane on the internal life of Unionism… …the Orange Order’s decision to support Gibson’s participation is a very clear signal of their recognition that it’s still the DUP, rather than the smaller unionist parties, which has the muscle to get things done. The PUP also has some big choices to make in the next few months. The announcement that they will be contesting the 2014 Euro elections (first time since 1999, when David Ervine got 3.3 …

UPDATE-Conall McDevitt leaves a huge void for the SDLP to fill…

David McCann on September 4, 2013, 10:50 pm

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Today brought the curtain down on Conall Mc Devitt’s short three and a half year run as an MLA. Always controversial and never boring McDevitt made a real impact on the political life of Northern Ireland. The derision he endured over his southern roots were constantly used against him with labels like ‘the mouth from the south’ and the infamous moment on the Nolan Show when a woman told him to ‘keep his nose’ out of our business ignoring the …

Haass “asked the parties for confidentiality and to put forward their best team of negotiators…”

Pete Baker on September 4, 2013, 6:42 pm

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The BBC reports that “it has emerged” Richard Haass has written to the Northern Ireland Executive parties ahead of the up-coming talks on parades, and other matters. Dr Haass, who is due to chair talks later this month, sent the letter after his mid-July visit to Belfast. He asked the parties for confidentiality and to put forward their best team of negotiators. Dr Haass also requested the parties answer a series of questions around the issues. The negotiations are to …

NI Assembly Commissioner for Standards: “In these circumstances some might have concerns as to my impartiality to consider your complaint…”

Pete Baker on August 31, 2013, 6:24 pm

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I’m not entirely convinced by the reason given by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards, Douglas Bain, for his decision to recommend that the NI Assembly Committee on Standards and Privileges appoint an Acting Commissioner to consider the DUP and TUV complaints about Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly’s attendance and speech at the recent controversial Castlederg parade. Here’s what the Commissioner told the TUV leader Jim Allister, MLA. Thank you for your letter of 12 August 2013 making a …

“that’s why Richard Haass needs proof – right from the start – that the will to construct a deal really does exist”

Pete Baker on August 26, 2013, 4:32 pm

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Having abandoned their first, draconian, attempt to control regulate Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests, Sinn Féin and the DUP may now face a wider variety of emboldened dissenting voices in seeking compromise on the issue. Alex Kane has some advice for the incoming chair of the new, improved, working group on parades. From the News Letter article If I were Mr Haass I would gather all of the parties and assorted hangers-on around the table at 9am on the first Monday morning and …

“giddy zephyrs of the purest conjecture…”

Pete Baker on August 25, 2013, 5:55 pm

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In yesterday’s Irish News Newton Emerson poured cold water on some recent idle speculation – as noted by Alan. From the Irish News Speculation is mounting that Peter Robinson plans to step down as DUP leader. It cannot be stressed enough that this is based on giddy zephyrs of the purest conjecture. An attempt by nationalism to convince itself the Maze U-turn indicated weak leadership was debunked by a mild response from Sinn Féin, which sees exactly how Robinson has launched …

The Maze is part of a shared past

Brian Walker on August 24, 2013, 12:41 am

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Malachi O’Doherty is magnificently right. The best result for the Maze project would have been/ still should be to provide an unsparing and comprehensive account of the Troubles, murders, conspiracies and weasel politics, including the narratives without which it is a meaningless recitation of horror. Conflict resolution could come in the last gallery just before the shop. What a powerful statement it would be coming from the post-Agreement generation of parties and what avenues it would open for collective cognitive therapy. …

Peter Robinson. Strongman or wimp? The spin continues

Brian Walker on August 19, 2013, 12:27 pm

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The headline” Robinson no pushover” doesn’t really fit Henry Patterson’s measured analysis of the first minister’s U turn from Florida in the Newsletter. ..It is remarkable how weak and undeveloped the DUP case was against those who argued that part of the Maze site would house a ‘shrine to terrorism’. The weakness of the DUP case for the Maze was amplified by the fact that apart from occasional interventions by Robinson the only other figure of substance in the …

Robinson U turn shows the urgent need for mediation

Brian Walker on August 18, 2013, 12:18 pm

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They must have put up Chinese walls inside Stormont Castle since I was there last. The sudden collapse of Peter Robinson’s position over the Maze peace centre strongly suggests that the joint leaders haven’t even managed to have frank exchanges about the past, much less wrestled with how actually to deal with it. But the bigger problem stretches down the hill to streets below. DUP electoral dominance has been again exposed as offering no protection against unionist fragmentation and a stampede …

Party funding: NI Parties still making it up as they go along?

Mick Fealty on July 30, 2013, 12:28 pm

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Party donations, eh? We have an exception to the general rule in Northern Ireland. The logic of a recent debate in the Commons was to bring NI into line with the rest of the UK such that donors of more than £7,500 are made publicly available. It failed, much to the apparent puzzlement of some English MPs. The SDLP insisted that it should go ahead, just so long as the anonymity of southern Irish (and by extension, international) donors were left …

NI Affairs Committee: “We understand the sensitivities of this issue for some members of the Executive…”

Pete Baker on July 17, 2013, 5:27 pm

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As the BBC reports, the UK House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has published their report on the Implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland. Among the recommendations noted by the BBC The committee chair, MP Laurence Robertson, said the report highlighted the need for those who serve the country not being disadvantaged because of that. He said while the special political and legal situation in Northern Ireland made the situation potentially contentious, that should not mean …

Quote of the week

Pete Baker on July 16, 2013, 5:33 pm

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From the Professor. It’s all agitprop for low-information voters. If it damages the social fabric, so what? Power is all about power. Our political class has no sense of responsibility or shame. As a diagnosis of a topic in the US, it’s applicable closer to home… Pete Baker

“this Assembly notes the lawful but illogical determination issued by the Parades Commission…”

Pete Baker on July 16, 2013, 3:44 pm

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As the BBC reports, the Northern Ireland Assembly has rejected a tabled Sinn Féin amendment, and supported the DUP’s original motion on the recent north Belfast determination of the Parades Commission by 43 votes to 42 – here’s the Commission’s earlier defence of that decision. And here’s the resolved text from the NI Assembly That this Assembly notes the lawful but illogical determination issued by the Parades Commission on 9 July 2013 in relation to the application by the three Ligoniel Orange Lodges for …

“You can’t put people in one of two boxes, it is much more complex now”

Pete Baker on July 13, 2013, 9:59 pm

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In the Irish Times Gerry Moriarty talks to five northern “unicorns” – Catholics who believe Northern Ireland is better off in the UK “for economic and cultural reasons”. From the Irish Times article If five people from a Catholic background, two of them from nationalist west Belfast – Goss and McKenzie – are so readily prepared to declare their allegiances, there must be more. These people are far removed from the current tensions over yesterday’s Twelfth parades. They have no emotional …

North Belfast kicks off…

Pete Baker on July 12, 2013, 9:27 pm

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The BBC are reporting that water cannon and baton rounds have been used in north Belfast after a sustained attack on police in the Woodvale area. Four police officers and one civilian, to date, are reported to have been injured in the disorder. And there have been a number of clashes between rival loyalist and nationalist groups in the area. The Guardian is live-blogging events. • The first violent clashes erupted around twenty minutes to eight in the north end of …

Parliamentary written answer of the week

Pete Baker on July 9, 2013, 2:44 pm

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Another in an occasional series. An ill-conceived written question can be an opportune moment to remind the questioner of legal technicalities in the State he is in. From Dáil written answers 3 July. 180. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures used by an Garda Síochána when establishing the marital status of a Brazilian citizen living here who proposes to get married in this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32318/13] 184. Deputy Gerry Adams asked …

“The Board has no confidence in the leadership of the Historical Enquiries Team…”

Pete Baker on July 5, 2013, 6:25 pm

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The Northern Ireland Policing Board has agreed a response to the critical HMIC Report on the Inspection of the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team. The BBC’s headline may be somewhat misleading, it’s the leadership of the HET that the Board have no confidence in. From the NI Policing Board statement The following has been agreed: The Board has no confidence in the leadership of the Historical Enquiries Team and the Chief Constable has been asked to review and action the management …