Parties – Page 72 – Slugger O'Toole

Unionist realignment: A Conservative view…

Mick Fealty on June 10, 2010, 1:33 pm

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Peter McCann, has a guest post at Jeff Peel’s site: UCUNF could and should have brought a realignment within Unionism. Something that would have been welcomed by a sizeable number of voters. Realignment is not, as has been portrayed by some, Unionist Unity. Unionist Unity is simply ‘them and us’ politics that is devoid of any mature or rational thinking. The realignment that is needed is something that redefines what it means to be pro-union. Pro-union is celebrating our links …

New NI Attorney General Sworn In

Pete Baker on June 9, 2010, 10:43 pm

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As the BBC notes, Northern Ireland’s new Attorney General John Larkin was sworn in at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast today. After taking the oath, Mr Larkin pledged his full backing for the independence of barristers. “I intend to support our independent bar to the best of my ability,” he said. “What I do want to do here is to declare my firm view that an independent bar is a strong and protective force in and for the …

More on NI’s £60million farming subsidy mal-administration fines

Pete Baker on June 9, 2010, 2:37 pm

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The Northern Ireland Assembly’s agriculture committee is in Brussels today where they are reportedly seeking a reduction in the £60million fines imposed due to the NI Agriculture Department’s mal-administration of EU farming subsidies. But a spokesman for the EU Agriculture Commissioner has told the BBC that any reduction is unlikely. Roger Waite said he could not see the commission changing its mind on the size of the fine. “There is an appeal and a conciliation process going on which will only be …

Northern Bank robbery – Redux. Again.

Pete Baker on June 8, 2010, 10:39 pm

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Another, possibly final, update to the convictions resulting from Operation Phoenix. George Hegarty had been charged with IRA membership in May 2009 before pleading guilty to money-laundering offences connected to the 2004 Northern Bank robbery. Today Hegarty was sentenced to 6 years, suspended, for “possessing £66,000 sterling at his address on February 16, 2005, knowing or believing that the money represented the proceeds of a robbery at the Northern Bank, Belfast on December 20, 2004”. From the iol report Detective Sergeant John Cahill gave evidence to …

NI’s £60million farming subsidy mal-administration fines – Redux

Pete Baker on June 7, 2010, 6:17 pm

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The Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister, Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew, and the Chairman of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, the DUP’s Ian Paisley Jnr, teamed up today on the Stormont Live sofa to defend farmers – an aging and confused group, apparently – and to criticise media coverage of the £60 million fines imposed by the EU Commission for the department’s mal-administration of EU farming subsidies. Although, they weren’t entirely on the same page… What they did agree on was that the £60 million …

“It is the Executive’s responsibility to make the decision on the future of the reform programme for local government”

Pete Baker on June 5, 2010, 2:45 pm

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A “qualified yes” is how the BBC characterised NILGA’s response to the Northern Ireland Environment Minister’s question on funding the reform of local government – or, as NILGA President, Cllr John Mathews, put it, Poots’ “exit strategy”. But, having seen a copy of the letter containing NILGA’s response to the NI Environment Minister, it’s worth noting that they have made a number of pointed remarks about the NI Executive’s role. From the letter from NILGA President John Mathews As I have reiterated …

Diane Abbott and Labour’s political monoculture…

Mick Fealty on June 4, 2010, 5:43 pm

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Diane Abbot for Labour Leader? Well, she’s sneaking up slowly in the amount of backers she’s got, from herself and David Lammy now up to six. But she is still a very long way short of the 33 she needs to make the leadership contest in September. One problem is, she left her announcement a little late. The other is her Campaign Group colleague John McDonnell jumped the gun somewhat and threw his hat in the right before talking to …

Purvis resignation: The Hobbesian view…

Mick Fealty on June 3, 2010, 10:52 am

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Sorry for the three posts on the same subject in a couple of hours, but I think Mark Devenport’s blog piece flags up an interesting Hobbsian aspect of the Purvis resignation: Having condemned the murder of Bobby Moffett and the subsequent intimidation of people in the Shankill area, Dawn Purvis today went an extra mile by parting company altogether with the UVF’s political wing, the PUP. Cynics may note that this puts her Stormont allowances beyond the grasp of any …

Dawn Purvis moves on…

Eamonn Mallie on June 3, 2010, 10:26 am

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Dawn Purvis speaking at 2009 PUP party conference

Dawn Purvis emerged from a school of political thinking in Loyalism fostered by Gusty Spence and promoted by the late PUP leader David Ervine. Miss Purvis, just like her mentors is a rare commodity in Unionism in the sense that she doesn’t patronise working class protestants. And she has a sharp instinct for what is correct for her community. She has been exceptional in holding out against the status quo thinking on education in the broad Unionist leadership. She recognises, unlike most Unionist …

Dawn Purvis resigns from the PUP…

Mick Fealty on June 3, 2010, 8:21 am

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Dawn Purvis speaking at 2009 PUP party conference

I had a feeling something like this might happen. Dawn Purvis has resigned from the PUP in the wake of the UVF killing of last week. The historic link with the UVF had always been a limiting factor for the party, and its attempt to garner support for Councillor Dr John Kyle foundered on that particular rock. Barney Rowan reports in today’s Belfast Telegraph: Ms Purvis has resigned both her membership and leadership of the PUP, and will continue in …

13% increase in assaults on police officers over 2 years

Pete Baker on June 2, 2010, 10:56 pm

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The BBC reports the answer to a written question asked by DUP MLA Lord Morrow [scroll down] of the new Northern Ireland Justice Minister, who had to pass it on to the Chief Constable. A total of 2912 officers were assaulted in 2007/08, rising to 2940 in 2008/09 and increasing [again] to 3289 for 2009/10. Most of the attacks on police officers resulted in minor injuries. And in relation to a recent post A breakdown of the areas of assaults for 2009/10 …

“rather than maybe do what people want to hear…”

Pete Baker on June 2, 2010, 8:38 pm

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Police calls for politicians in potential trouble-spots to be more proactive in encouraging the resolution of contentious parades and reducing tensions have produced a furious reaction from… erm… politicians in potential trouble-spots… In reaction to the comments Junior minister Mr Kelly said: “The question to ACC Finlay is why did he do it and where does he get the arrogance to say that there’s not enough being done when in fact throughout the year – not just at this time coming into …

“and a new polar bear for the city zoo…”

Pete Baker on June 1, 2010, 12:56 pm

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In their recent local government elections the citizens of Iceland, or at least the capital Reykjavik, have demonstrated the ultimate result of an anti-politics crusade. From the BBC report The Best Party, founded by comedian Jon Gnarr, secured 34.7% of the vote, ahead of the Independence Party’s 33.6%. Its campaign video featured candidates singing to the tune of Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best”. Key pledges included “sustainable transparency”, free towels at all swimming pools and a new polar bear for …

But what about the boundaries, Minister?

Pete Baker on May 30, 2010, 3:54 pm

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In the two weeks grace the Northern Ireland Executive has given itself to decide the issue of local government reform, the NI Environment Minister is apparently seeking agreement from the existing 26 councils to fund the cost of that reform. That’s an estimated £138million, according to the BBC report. But even if those councils did all agree, by Friday, to foot the bill, what’s happened to the issue that has actually been the sticking point within the NI Executive dysfunctional semi-detached polit-bureau – local government …

Sinn Féin’s veiled threat over police co-operation

Pete Baker on May 28, 2010, 7:32 pm

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As reported by BBC NI’s Vincent Kearney, Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey has been making veiled threats about reviewing the level of the party’s co-operation with the police unless an ongoing legal action taken by the brother of a former Sinn Féin candidate is resolved to their satisfaction. I say veiled threat because, despite Vincent Kearney’s best efforts on Evening Extra, Alex Maskey wouldn’t specify on air what it was the party was going to do. From the BBC report Sinn …

Should nationalism unify? And if so, why?

Mick Fealty on May 27, 2010, 1:43 pm

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There are no indications that there has been any serious contemplation of an O’Loan scenario, in which the SDLP might seek terms with Sinn Fein inside the former. But in today’s Irish Times Fionnuala O’Connor thinks there might be some mileage in it. She notes the immediate context for the idea: Realignment inside unionism has been much discussed, if not to much purpose, since defeat for both the UU and DUP leaders at the polls on May 6th. By contrast …

Basil McCrea calls on Sir Reg to “go soon”

Pete Baker on May 26, 2010, 9:33 pm

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The BBC reports that Ulster Unionist MLA Basil McCrea wants party leader Sir Reg Empey to step down now rather than in the autumn as he had indicated. From the BBC report. Mr McCrea, who is viewed as a possible contender to replace Sir Reg, says the party needs to elect a new leader as soon as possible. “There’s a general rule that whenever people decide that they’re going in any walk of life, that if you don’t go soon, …

Every unionist action should demonstrate life’s better with the union

dodrade on May 26, 2010, 8:49 pm

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Since the election I have been avidly reading the debate on this site regarding the future direction of unionism, with two themes standing out, unionist unity, and providing a positive vision for unionism focusing primarily on “bread and butter issues”. Some, like the DUP and David McNarry have stressed the former, others like Basil McCrea and Liam Clarke the latter. Personally, I cannot see why Unionism cannot do both. Divided unionism has always been a contradiction in terms, and the …

“everyone in Ireland is an economist now”

Pete Baker on May 26, 2010, 3:32 pm

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Mack referred in passing to the Guardian’s G2 feature on Ireland at the start of the crisis in the Eurozone, but it deserves a bigger mention. Here’s a key extract “There were very few of us in the boom who suggested what was going on was nonsense. If you’re against consensus in Ireland, the first phase is ridicule, then it’s violent opposition, and the third phase is universal truth – where everyone pretends they agreed with you all along,” [David] …

23rd IMC Report: “skills are more significant than mere numbers”

Pete Baker on May 26, 2010, 12:45 pm

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As the BBC reports, the 23rd Independent Monitoring Commission report has been published online [pdf file]. NI Secretary of State Owen Paterson responds here. Meanwhile RTÉ notes Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd calling for the IMC to be wound up Mr O’Dowd said the Commission was no part of the architecture of the Good Friday Agreement and had been set up as a unionist comfort blanket. He said it had no role to play in the political process. ‘No doubt the …