UK Parliament

Gerry Adams’ “illegal detention” Supreme Court ruling needs correction by Parliament to prevent hundreds of compensation claims

Brian Walker on June 2, 2020, 1:44 pm | Readers 2681

Gerry Adams’ victory in obtaining a Supreme Court ruling against the legality of his detention without trial followed by his escape from the Maze in 1975 has produced serious opposition within the establishment. The ruling rests on a technicality with potentially wide implications, that the interim custody order made against him hadn’t been signed personally by the secretary of state Willie Whitelaw. To a lay person this ruling seems more than slightly bonkers; but its defenders will argue that the …

Direct Rule in action: “In the light of the ongoing absence of an Executive…”

Pete Baker on March 13, 2018, 2:40 pm | Readers 1101

Northern Ireland Assembly Legislative Consent Motions, required by the UK Parliament to legislate on devolved matters, may have been devalued by the absence of a protest by the then NI Assembly Speaker in March 2015, but the UK Government could at least pretend that one had been passed at that time. Yesterday there was no such pretence by Steve Brine (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health). Welcome to Direct Rule… My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Lord O’Shaughnessy) …

“Women in Northern Ireland continue to be discriminated against.”

Pete Baker on August 22, 2017, 5:14 pm | Readers 635

With the Northern Ireland Department of Health refusing to update guidance to health professionals here regarding pregnancy terminations, despite the changes to UK policy announced earlier this year, in the Guardian Goretti Horgan, a lecturer in social policy at Ulster University and a founder member of Alliance for Choice in Northern Ireland, argues for change to address the equality issue that failed to make it into anyone’s ‘red lines’. [Because that would break the bastards? – Ed] Probably… From the Guardian …

Question for the NI Justice Minister…

Pete Baker on July 12, 2017, 3:21 pm | Readers 860

Here’s something for an incoming Northern Ireland Justice Minister to grapple with… It’s a question that arises following the UK Government’s decision to provide access for women from Northern Ireland to abortion services in England free on the NHS. From yesterday’s written answers in Parliament. Abortion: Northern Ireland Diana Johnson: [2513]To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to her letter of 29 June 2017 on funding for abortions for Northern Irish women in England, what assessment she …

“We don’t believe that any deal between the DUP here and the English Tories will be good for the people here.”

Pete Baker on June 13, 2017, 2:25 pm | Readers 1657

So stated the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, as he paraded his “Magnificent Seven” MPs [and Carál Ní Chuilín – Ed] in front of the media at a press conference at Stormont yesterday. But whilst most reports focused on that line, or a variation on it, only the Irish Times’ Gerry Moriarty appears to have still been listening when he went on to say… [Gerry Adams] said Sinn Féin would not reject any positive deal that might emerge from these …

Theresa Villiers: “ultimately it is parliament’s decision whether we repeal the 1972 European Communities Act or whether we don’t.”

Pete Baker on June 27, 2016, 7:22 pm | Readers 1771

Andy’s valiant attempt at providing clarity on the role of the devolved institutions in the UK’s withdrawal from the EU doesn’t appear to have worked for some of our local representatives. The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, couldn’t have been clearer. “In the weeks and months ahead we will be working with both the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on all these matters,” [Theresa Villiers] told BBC’s Sunday Politics show. “But ultimately it is parliament’s decision whether we …

Bluff and brinkmanship over press regulation – and blogs?

Brian Walker on March 19, 2013, 6:38 pm | Readers 43

You won’t find it said in the press as they are all inevitably biased as interested parties. But if most of the UK national newspapers are going to reject even a “dab” of statute in a new tougher but still “ voluntary” system of press regulation, why didn’t they come out and say so ages ago rather than faffing about for months? It’s left to a blog, to make the obvious point – leaving aside the one liner that blogs …

Martin McGuinness applies to become paid officer of the Crown…

Pete Baker on December 30, 2012, 11:56 pm | Readers 173

Or as the BBC faithfully report Martin McGuinness has confirmed that he has formally resigned as the MP for Mid-Ulster. “I have served formal notice of my resignation from the position of MP for Mid-Ulster with immediate effect. This is in line with my party’s commitment to end double jobbing,” he said. [Just in time, eh? – Ed] Sadly, he’ll have to wait until he’s actually disqualified from holding his seat. Just like his party leader was… And as we …