UK – Page 9 – Slugger O'Toole

Asking the right questions for a better-informed public

Allan LEONARD (Mr Ulster) on February 4, 2020, 2:03 pm

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Asking the right questions for a better-informed public by Allan LEONARD 28 January 2020 Representing FactCheckNI and as part of a four-person panel, I was invited to give evidence to the UK House of Lords Select Committee on Democracy and Digital Technologies. Fellow witnesses were Ed Humpherson (Director General for Regulation, Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR)), Will Moy (Chief Executive, Full Fact), and Jenni Sargent (Managing Director, First Draft). This was an extension of the committee’s previous call for written …

A way can be found between the EU rock and the GB hard place. But will Boris Johnson let us take it?

Brian Walker on February 4, 2020, 9:09 am

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Katy Hayward We are literally at sea over what Northern Ireland’s special status with the EU will mean in practice. Our Brexit guru – or should I now say, our Guru on Trading Relations with GB and the EU Katy Hayward writing in the Belfast Telegraph explains neatly why Northern Ireland is between a rock and a hard place In the past Katy was keen to repeat assurances that NI’s different economic relationship with the EU from GB had …

Explainer: Injured Victims’ Payments

Luke Moffett on February 3, 2020, 12:25 pm

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The campaign for a pension for seriously injured victims has been a long road since it started back in 2012, following a report by Marie Breen-Smyth on the impact of the Troubles on those injured. Led by members of the Wave injured group and supported by the Commission for Victims and Survivors, the pension campaign was about remedying the way injured victims had been inadequately compensated in the past, discriminated or ill-treated. For many years the issue was caught in …

Assorted thoughts on the realities of border polling and reunification

Brendan Heading on February 1, 2020, 2:44 pm

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There is no question that the brexit process is having a seismic effect on the ties that bind the UK’s four constituent parts. The union has never been weaker, not just because the UK now has a government that clearly places little value on it, but also because the populations of Scotland and Northern Ireland are questioning its value in ever greater numbers. I’ve heard arguments – from supporters and representatives of one political party in particular – that these …

What is your goodbye song for Europe?

Brian O'Neill on January 31, 2020, 4:26 pm

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I am sure tonight as Big Ben strikes 11pm you will all be waving your Union Jacks and joining in a rousing chorus of Rule Britannia. But what song symbolises the UK’s leaving of the EU? For me it has to be this classic from the Queen of Country herself – Miss Dolly Parton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDqqm_gTPjc If I should stay I would only be in your way So I’ll go but I know I’ll think of you each step of the …

#BrexitDay-Nothing but damage

Sarah Creighton on January 31, 2020, 8:27 am

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In Jan Carson’s The Fire Starters, there is a quote: “There is never enough silence to contain all our talking…….we continue to believe that across the sea, Europe (and also the world) is holding its breath for the next chapter in our sad story. The world is not waiting.” More than anywhere else in the UK, Brexit shifted the ground beneath Northern Ireland. It threw us down on different sides, sides that were also the battle lines that came before. …

The latest Brexit crisis – Should there be an Oxford comma on the new 50p?

Brian O'Neill on January 29, 2020, 10:02 am

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Author Sir Philip Pullman has suggested boycotting the new 50p over the lack of an Oxford comma. The 'Brexit' 50p coin is missing an Oxford comma, and should be boycotted by all literate people. — Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) January 26, 2020 Here is the new coin: The coin says: “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations.” With an Oxford comma after the word prosperity it would be: “Peace, prosperity, and friendship with all nations.” What is your view? Personally I …

Free event: Queen’s Policy Engagement Post-Brexit Clinic on 4 February 2020…

Queen’s Policy Engagement on January 28, 2020, 5:19 pm

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Join us for what will be the first post-Brexit Clinic here at Queen’s Policy Engagement. The UK’s request to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 January 2020 was agreed back in 2019 and Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal recently became law after it received royal assent from the Queen, having gone through all the required stages in Parliament. As things stand, the 1st February 2020 will mark the first day of the transition period for the UK and the beginning of a very …

Michel Barnier speaking about #Brexit and the EU at QUB this evening (video + speech)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on January 27, 2020, 8:32 pm

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Making his third visit to Northern Ireland in the role of EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier addressed a packed audience in Queen’s University Belfast’s Riddel Hall this evening. Watch back the video of his lecture and read extracts from his speech.

Paraphrasing what I heard: the UK can no longer dip its hand into the EU sweetie jar as those treats are only for the 27 members. Anyone hoping for a softer edge to Brexit may think again.

Making in progress in Northern Ireland

Paul Gosling on January 14, 2020, 10:11 am

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The resumption of the Assembly and Executive of Stormont is the basis for a reform of government in Northern Ireland and a change in the way our society operates. The big question is how this can be achieved. Holywell Trust conducted interviews with opinion leaders in Northern Ireland and the Republic asking how our society should change. Those 35 ‘Forward Together’ interviews were covered extensively last year by Slugger and broadcast as podcasts. They have this week been published on …

revisited : owning and running an electric car in NI

Brendan Heading on January 13, 2020, 10:26 pm

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Some Slugger readers might remember, back in 2016, that I decided to take the plunge and lease an electric car. Recently, more attention has been paid to this topic; BBC NI recently ran a few segments about it, and I noted at the end of one of the leader’s debates prior to the election that the leaders were all asked if they had plans to change to an electric car. Then, this morning, I noticed that the Department for Infrastructure …

We have a piece of paper… it looks like a Stormont deal, tbc

Brian Walker on January 10, 2020, 12:51 am

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Have we got a deal that the DUP and Sinn Fein sign up to or not? By Thursday midnight, it wasn’t clear. Will all parties turn up to the reconvened Assembly? By the time you read this we should know. In the meantime we have – a document .. But Arlene Foster’s verdict looks favourable.. “On balance we believe there is a basis upon which the Assembly and Executive can re-established in a fair and balanced way… This is not …

Harry and Meghan resign to spend less time with their family…

Brian O'Neill on January 9, 2020, 12:38 pm

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Quite the shock as Prince Harry has decided to quit the family firm. From their statement: After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the …

Uncertainty reigns as the (latest) Stormont talks enter final phase

Mick Fealty on January 9, 2020, 6:00 am

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So today should be the day. Much of yesterday the Secretary of State briefed the ‘problem’ parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin on the nature of the governments’ text without revealing it. The smaller parties receive their briefings today, so whilst Good Morning Ulster is broadcasting from Stormont this morning, the next development is not expected before this evening. Will there be a deal? Gareth Gordon speaking on BBC NI’s Newsline last night pointed out that it will only take …

Medical school plan for Derry Campus now “oven ready” if only an Executive minister signs it off, says NIO minister. Will it happen?

Brian Walker on January 8, 2020, 11:12 pm

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Andrew Adonis, the former Labour cabinet minister and senior adviser to Tony Blair is that rare creature, a British politician who having been introduced to Northern Ireland doesn’t turn away wearily after a short while. He has decided to champion our interests. He’s been mocked recently as a fanatical anti-Brexiteer who has had to face defeat. Undaunted, he has turned to other causes. His speech during a debate in the Lords about the Stormont standoff yesterday triggered an important statement …

Commemorating the RIC and allowing an Irish Language Act are opposite sides of the same coin

Brian Walker on January 7, 2020, 11:58 am

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RTE The Irish government’s decision to commemorate the RIC in a major state ceremony is the right one precisely because it is as controversial as it is fundamental. There is no point in filling an entire decade with an orgy of self congratulation. The modern Irish state was born in insurgency and revolution is always controversial. But it is s also a reminder of that the state born out of revolution was part of a much longer continuum that is …

Brexit, Citizens’ Assemblies and the future of Democracy in the UK

Queen’s Policy Engagement on January 3, 2020, 8:44 am

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The Brexit process has put the UK’s democratic system under great strain, pitting competing democratic visions against each other and exposing weaknesses in each. Join Queen’s Policy Engagement for our first event of 2020 with Dr Alan Renwick from the UCL Constitution Unit where he will examine those weaknesses and consider possible ways of addressing them. Could the 2016 referendum have been designed differently to create a less polarised process? How could the grievances with current politics that the referendum …

In 2020, the fate of the Assembly will be one of the simpler issues

Brian Walker on December 29, 2019, 3:48 pm

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In agonising over terms for recreating a functioning Stormont, the old chestnuts of an Irish Language Act and the petition of concern could be the easy bits – which is one reason why the DUP and Sinn Fein if they have any sense at all, should grab at a deal. Truth to tell they are still in their comfort zone. Far more difficult issues are looming just a little way down the track. And it’s doubtful if the Assembly parties …

Rewarding the centre: Positive-sum, cross-community politics

Soapbox on December 20, 2019, 7:30 pm

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James Devlin is a postgraduate researcher at NUI Galway. The recent general election results were marked by the high positive swing to the Alliance party. Alliance were rewarded with one seat, came within 2000 votes of a second, and increased their share of the vote by approximately 10%, including in areas where they have previously struggled. In doing so, Alliance affirmed their performance in the recent European elections, confirming a general swing in Northern Ireland towards the centre, driven by …

Where did it all go wrong for the DUP?

Stephen Donnan-Dalzell on December 18, 2019, 10:01 am

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Last Thursday’s general election was certainly a shock to the system for the DUP, and Unionists in general, with not a single Unionist party gaining any seats. The DUP lost the formerly safe seat of North Belfast to Sinn Fein’s John Finucane and Emma Little-Pengelly lost South Belfast to the SDLP’s Claire Hanna. It’s not hard to paint a picture that Unionism had a terrible night, even if the Ulster Unionists benefitted from a modest boost of nearly ten thousand …