Platform4Change

Platform for Change panel of politicians fails to inspire about how to overcome political inertia

| Readers 1005

Platform for Change’s latest – and perhaps last – panel event was hosted last night by Mark Carruthers in the Crescent Arts Centre. Around 40 people attended the session with its bizarrely worded title: Political Inertia to a Flourishing Society – How? The six panellists from centre-ground parties made four minute opening statements before the discussion was opened to the floor. Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP leader, MP & MLA) had come straight to the venue from the airport. He said there …

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Political morality, power, education … believing you are right or being open to debate? #p4cmorals + What’s Platform for Change’s purpose?

| Readers 79

Platform for Change’s look at political morality suffered from wet weather, a low turnout, an imbalanced panel and a topic that the room tended to engage with in a relatively passionless way. Robin Wilson chaired the evening, peppering the panellists’ contributions with quotations and observations. I’ve noted my sense of what I heard in the post below. However, for more full and exact quotes you’ll need to listen to the embedded audio. [Parts one, two, three, four] listen to ‘1/4 …

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A coherent if one-sided Platform for Change discussion about education

| Readers 83

Last night Platform for Change hosted a debate looking at the potential for Northern Ireland to have a coherent education system. Around 65 people attended the two hour event in the Ormeau Avenue Holiday Inn. Initial five minute introductions from the panel of seven were followed by questions from the audience. listen to ‘1/5 First four speakers at @platform4change #p4cedu Education event’ on Audioboo Ciaran Helferty ex-QUB SU President, now with Amnesty/BMA Liam McCusker from Spirit of Enniskillen Bronagh Heatley …

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