UK – Page 23 – Slugger O'Toole

Northern Ireland could be caught in a tariff trap imposed by a British minister. How can such a muddle be avoided in future?

Brian Walker on February 21, 2019, 1:04 pm

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Whatever that latter day Rumpole attorney general Geoffrey Cox comes up with by way of alternative arrangements to try to seal the withdrawal deal at Sharm el Sheikh at the weekend, Northern Ireland’s own arrangements are the least likely to be replaced, as the Irish Times’ Denis Staunton has warned. and is bound to cast fresh doubt on the DUP’s support for a revised deal. (Attorney General) Cox wants the EU to make explicit the temporary nature of …

Can May hold it together or enough defectors pull it apart to strike a deal by 29 March?

Brian Walker on February 20, 2019, 4:35 pm

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British politics has reached the surreal stage as the No Deal deadline approaches. Although aware of the mounting panic at the prospect of No Deal in the real world, they seem too absorbed by their own battles and intrigues to rise to the level of events and be relied on to meet their self imposed deadline of 29 March. Or else like most of us they secretly believe the other guy will do it for them, the EU, a cross …

Three Tory MPs Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen join the Labour breakaway group…

Brian O'Neill on February 20, 2019, 11:31 am

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This is interesting, three pro remain Tory MPs have joined the Labour breakaway group, will more follow? From the BBC: Three Tory MPs have resigned from party over its “shift to the right”. Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen wrote a joint letter to Theresa May to confirm their departure. The pro-Remain trio will join the new Independent Group – made up of eight Labour MPs who resigned from their party over its handling of Brexit and anti-Semitism. In …

“Fair employment and equal opportunities legislation are built upon open and transparent practices, free from political interference…”

Pete Baker on February 19, 2019, 4:26 pm

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The, at best, ill-considered comments by Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald yesterday, on potential candidates from within the PSNI to succeed George Hamilton as Chief Constable, have prompted a sharp reminder from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland to the NI Policing Board of its responsibilities under equality legislation to recruit in a non-discriminatory way. The Equality Commission has expressed its concern about the recent comments made by the Sinn Féin President about the appointment of a new Chief …

Picking the things the other cannot ‘thole’ is the politics of failure. It ain’t rocket science.

Mick Fealty on February 18, 2019, 3:10 pm

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This morning I was on Nolan giving my tuppence worth on the political bankruptcy which is leading (or maybe not) the DUP and Sinn Fein into yet another barren set of talks. Key points were: Two years without a democracy in Western Europe is a disgrace. On top of that, it is still not clear what is keeping our politicians voluntarily out of power. RHI magically transformed into an ILA which when it finally materialised (in the so-called draft deal) …

Seven MPs resign from UK Labour to sit as an independent group in Parliament

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on February 18, 2019, 10:49 am

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Right at the point where Her Majesty’s Opposition might be expected to galvanise their efforts against a Tory party that is pulling itself in different directions, the UK Labour party is in disarray. This morning ‘gang of seven’ MPs have resigned from the Labour Party: Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Angela Smith and Chuka Umunna. Berger explained: “This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, …

Why do some people have such a problem with the Irish Backstop?

Victoria Hewson on February 16, 2019, 2:02 pm

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It has been widely suggested that the DUP and others are misconceived (or worse) in their opposition to the backstop laid out in a protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement agreed by negotiators in November last year. What’s the big problem with “extra checks at Northern Ireland’s seaports and airports” asked David Green in a Spectator blog. In the Times, Northern Irish businessman Mark O’Connell noted that “With so many existing differences already in the law between Northern Ireland and the …

We should at least discuss a border poll, says Colin Harvey. Why not indeed

Brian Walker on February 15, 2019, 7:48 am

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Colin Harvey, Queen’s law professor and an authority on human rights law identifies as a prominent member of nationalist civil society. This is his latest call for a proper discussion of a border poll. My sole concern here is to suggest that in tackling one of the consequences of Brexit – a hard border on the island of Ireland – a principled way forward is to ask people in this region whether they wish to remain in the UK or …

A handbag

Andrew Gallagher on February 14, 2019, 6:26 pm

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Brexit has been sold to the people as the UK retaking its place as a world leader, but its shambolic execution has instead shown that the UK’s place as a world leader is largely an illusion based more on expectation and bravado than on any underlying capability. The incompetence of its leaders has been laid bare as grand promise after grand promise has turned out to be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Over everything hangs the ghost of Margaret …

Things fall apart… but if a new centre is forming, it’s more like a rough beast at the moment

Brian Walker on February 14, 2019, 8:46 am

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As Mrs May faces another defeat … on the Conservative side.. Hardline Brexit supporters are threatening to inflict yet another Commons defeat on Theresa May because they fear the government is effectively ruling out leaving the EU with no deal. Members of the Tory European Research Group are unhappy with the wording of a No 10 motion because it endorses parliament’s vote against any Brexit without a withdrawal agreement. The motion for debate on Thursday simply affirms “the approach to leaving the EU” backed …

UK Media Must Up Its Game

Chris McKee on February 13, 2019, 9:52 am

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Here’s a question for future historians: will the UK media be blamed as much as its politicians, should Brexit really hit the skids in just a few weeks’ time? If not, it really should. Take one story as an example from the weekend: Jacob Rees-Mogg’s fanciful suggestion that a £13.8m shipping contract awarded by the UK Government as part of its emergency No Deal preparations may have collapsed from political pressure from notoriously anti-business Leo Varadkar. The premise? Arklow Shipping Limited, the …

Rumbled! Theresa May’s secret plan to extend Article 50 and stay close to the customs union long term.

Brian Walker on February 13, 2019, 12:28 am

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Theresa May will not mind being forced to extend Article 50 in fifteen day’s time by a cross parliamentary vote, if Tory Brexiteers try to veto whatever she brings back from Brussels. Long suspected as inevitable despite her constant denials, the evidence for this comes – would you believe it ? from that old faithful of hacks’ sources,” overheard in a bar” – in this case by ITN correspondent in Brussels , Angus Walker. Last night, I’d been reporting …

Theresa May is prepared to go right to the brink. The Remainers’ last chance is 27 February

Brian Walker on February 12, 2019, 6:27 pm

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Against most expectations, Theresa May has all but abandoned any effort to strike a cross party agreement with the Labour front bench. To concentrate minds, a cliff hanging finale as late as 26 March – three days before Leave day – is now looking likely. You don’t need to get into her head to come to this conclusion. It’s nakedly obvious from her statement and the exchanges in the Commons today. She’s challenging all sides who so decisively turned down …

Jeffrey Donaldson: “Now is not a time for brinkmanship but for leadership.”

Mick Fealty on February 11, 2019, 8:45 am

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Good to see the DUP deploy Jeffrey Donaldson to the southern space. His oped in the Sunday Independent is probably the most upbeat note to come out of the DUP in some time. He acknowledges that the last few years have damaged relations on the island: The absence of the political institutions, including the Assembly and the North South Ministerial Council, has been to the detriment of all of us. Just think how differently we might have handled this very …

By An Means Necessary – a review of RTE’s Michael Collins era drama ‘Resistance’

Dan McGinn on February 11, 2019, 8:17 am

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After ‘Rebellion’ comes ‘Resistance’. Irish TV dramatist Colin Teevan has returned with a five part showpiece follow-up to his 1916 RTE Easter Rising drama, ‘Rebellion’ which reached international audiences in the United States on the Sundance Channel and other parts of the globe through Netflix. For the Dubliner, ‘Resistance’ is another chance to prove he can craft a gripping, multi-layered period drama in a prime time slot after the rather underwhelming 2015 RTE mini series ‘Charlie’ about Charlie Haughey and …

Despite the coyness at dinner in Phoenix Park, Brexit should be no barrier. We cannot escape the urgent need for a resumption of close British-Irish relations

Brian Walker on February 9, 2019, 10:56 am

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However they’re phased and whatever the context, close British Irish engagement on both Brexit and rescuing the GFA are essential. Who with any wit can doubt it? Brexit provides no excuse. Indeed, it’s one of two pressing reasons for close encounters, the other being the Stormont stand-off. Dinner in Farmleigh House may have been in Theresa May’s programme of displacement activity as she mulls over Labour’s offer to talk and runs down the clock, but at least it displayed dim …

“Given your own position of being a commentator and a bystander in Northern Ireland…”

Mick Fealty on February 8, 2019, 9:28 pm

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Good piece from Gareth Gordon on where Sinn Féin sits a year after Mary Lou brought her own shoes to the role that Gerry Adams defined. One of the affordances of the border [#Partitionist! – Ed], is the ability to say one thing in Northern Ireland and another in the south. But Gordon deftly removes that diaphanous screen to allow the political facts of the last year to speak for themselves. One, Sinn Féin rather than taking power in Northern Ireland …

Ah,oh… UK government gets a little rough with the DUP

Brian Walker on February 8, 2019, 8:47 pm

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From the champions of the precious Union and the busy custodians of devolved government , the crudest bit of spin I’ve seen in a long time, so crude it makes me giggle. Not that it isn’t plausible, mind you! I’m sure Sammy will take it on the chin One senior minister said the prospect is “very real” and very much on the prime minister’s mind. A second cabinet minister warned the government risked “sleepwalking into a border poll”. And a …

Theresa May must do business with Jeremy Corbyn. So is it goodbye DUP?

Brian Walker on February 8, 2019, 2:50 pm

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In her heart, Theresa May must realise that her desperate attempts to hold a Conservative majority together and avoid a crash out No Deal in fifty days’ time are on the point of collapse. She told Donald Tusk yesterday that her party would never unite behind Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit letter and that 30 of her MPs would never back her deal unless changes were made to the Irish backstop. To hear them all talk you’d think they had all the …

Long past time the SDLP tried a different approach to Northern Ireland?

Mick Fealty on February 8, 2019, 7:03 am

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There will be many objections to Colum Eastwood’s policy arrangement with Fianna Fáil. Much of it genuine and heartfelt, some of it with more than a kernel of wise caution about where things could lead in four or five years time. But, for my money, the greatest enemy going forward is the SDLP itself. Its founding members asked no permission from anyone to go their own way or to go out of their way make trouble for the greater good …