Stormont breakdown

Looking forward to an early end to the Stormont deadlock. Christmas cheer, or only a Christmas truce?

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How will the parties  “reflect”  on their stance towards Assembly restoration during the Christmas lull? Will it be peace on earth, good will to all or only a Christmas truce? The finger of fate is pointed at the DUP.  Will their resentment spill over into resistance? How dare the secretary of state break precedent and single them out for blame just because all the other parties seem to have supported a deal? Even that is the wrong conclusion because as …

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If one last heave after Xmas fails, the people should vote to dismantle the mutual DUP/ Sinn veto

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The Newsletter editorial is full of alarm and self pity. Its  vehemence is slightly surprising as the paper has been no critical supporter of the DUP. It has been highlighting  their weaknesses throughout. So it  cannot  be greeted just  by schadenfreude.  It needs a considered answer.    For three years, no Conservative and Unionist (as they sometimes style themselves) minister or prime minister has uttered a word of criticism of Sinn Fein. Think about that. The crisis in the NHS …

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The revival of dynamic British- Irish solidarity is essential for rescuing the politics of Northern Ireland

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Perhaps the murder of a model for her generation will produce a paradigm shift in politics. Perhaps they’ll seize the emotion of the moment and strike a deal.   Had it not been for Lyra’s murder, the review of the GFA institutions would have been perfunctory.  Active British government involvement in the government of Northern Ireland had virtually ceased.  British- Irish relations were in cold storage over Brexit.  Vote harvesting is the season’s preoccupation as far as the eye can see, …

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No threat to the Good Friday Agreement in sight, but bolder joint action is needed after St Patrick’s Day

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Traditionally the St Patrick’s Day pilgrimages to America have been occasions for everybody involved in our politics to be on their best behaviour and bask in waves of Irish-American blarney. Not so much this year, as  Arlene Foster and Mary Lou McDonald have been left off the White House invitees list for failing to clinch the deal to get Stormont going again. But Adams and Paisley jnr are lurking in the wings as  living reminders of past glories compared to …

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“…putting manners on the DUP means a huge jump towards voluntary coalition”

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Brilliant as ever from Newton Emerson, on the likely terms of any upcoming ambitious negotiations (£): It is easy enough to see how Stormont should be tweaked to put unionists and republicans on a more solidly equal footing. The dreaded ‘deputy’ should be dropped from the title of deputy first minister, as Sinn Féin has long proposed. Petitions of concerns should be abolished (if the next election outcome does not make them redundant), committees should be opposition led – this …

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Another Groundhog Day which will inevitably lead us back to, Stormont…

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HNIW18 from The Detail on Vimeo. Nothing to add, other than this footnote for those fearful that we might not actually be changing through all of this… 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 Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty