UUP – Page 21 – Slugger O'Toole

Planet of the apes?

Blank on March 31, 2011, 8:17 pm

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After a 30 year absence from electoral politics the IRSP have announced they will be fielding 5 Council candidates. (though one has been running as an independent recently) Unfortunately their greeness seems to have resulted in the same strap line as that of the Conservatives and Ulster Unionists a mere 10 months ago – Vote for Change. They also state: We have deliberately chosen to not contest the Stormont elections as there does not exist an appetite within our …

McNarry apologises for Nolan outburst…

Mick Fealty on March 30, 2011, 1:26 pm

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Interesting. Ken Reid reports that even though technically speaking David McNarry was right in suggesting Basil McCrea and John McCallister were unforgiveably breaking ranks on a party line (in suggesting the matter of Martin McGuinness becoming First Minister was not important to them), he has apologised for his outburst on Stephen Nolan’s show last week… Mr McNarry apologised for his contribution to last week’s First Minister’s row and said the party was now united. It might have helped if Basil …

“We are going to proceed with the Altnagelvin extension [] and that’s the end of the matter.”

Pete Baker on March 29, 2011, 9:31 pm

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The Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers’ separately declared commitment to reverse the NI Health Minister’s decision to postpone the funding of a new radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin hospital is yet another populist move without regard to budgetary considerations – this time just ahead of an election. It also undermines the position of the smaller parties at the NI Executive table and the authority of the Executive itself. From the BBC report Mr Robinson said it could be overturned on the …

UUP Deputy Chair opposes his own Health Minister…

Mick Fealty on March 23, 2011, 2:22 pm

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Not on everything. But it is perhaps an indication of how far Michael McGimpsey has isolated himself on the left of the party that the party’s Deputy Chair seems willing to attack his own minister in the press (even if it relates to an actual budgetary ‘cut’): Update: According to UTV, Terry Wright appears to have resigned over the issue. The Deputy chair of the Ulster Unionist Party has said the Health Minister’s decision to postpone a new radiotherapy unit …

Calls increase for new investigation into Joanne Mathers’ murder

Turgon on March 18, 2011, 1:13 pm

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The call by Lowry Mathers for further investigation of his wife’s murder (which I covered on Wednesday) may or may not achieve justice for them and their son. Whilst the precedents for success are not good, his comments, after 30 years of dignified silence, seem to have struck something of a chord. It is worth noting that this story came back into the public consciousness due to the work of Londonderry Sentinel journalist Eamon Sweeney whose comments are here. The …

A ‘budget’ for Ministers who want to both have cake and eat it?

Mick Fealty on March 10, 2011, 10:37 am

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In the News Letter, NR Greer is distinctly underwhelmed by what the Northern Ireland Executive (or at least the majority shareholders within it) are now calling the Northern Irish budget: The UUP and SDLP have already set their faces against the budget, which is a cobbled together dog’s breakfast of random and vague proposals, noticeable for its lack of clarity, substance or direction. You would not pass A-level economics (not even new Labour’s dumbed down version) with a document this …

2 Ministers vote against budget, 1 missing…

Mick Fealty on March 9, 2011, 10:46 pm

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Interesting for cross border pol watchers that Sinn Fein is backing a cuts budget in Northern Ireland, whilst criticising the new coalition in the Republic for implementing Fianna Fail’s austerity focused four year plan. [See important caveat by IrishActuary on Twitter]. Just as interesting though is the way the so-called Manditory Coalition seems to be bursting apart at the seams, with the UUP Minister voting against, and Alex Attwood apparently missing in action… Margaret Ritchie: “Devolution was supposed to be …

Positive/negative campaigning

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 9, 2011, 10:45 am

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Political parties have choices in the run up to elections. They have to balance the mix of different sets of messages: celebrating past successes; selling their vision; denigrating their opponents. While local parties often start off election season talking about running positive campaigns, it feels inevitable that they’ll all be provoked into name calling and angry exchanges with their nearest competitors as the weeks go by. And with 48 hours to go before polling, they may even resort to dirty …

Trench warfare, kamikaze style…

Pete Baker on February 22, 2011, 7:46 pm

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The Northern Ireland Executive’s trench warfare continued today with NI deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, issuing a statement claiming that the UUP and the SDLP “were lobbying for public money for their parties in talks with the British government in exchange for adopting an oppositional role in the Assembly.” Well, it’s a variation on his last claim, but the UUP are arguing of the need for a properly funded opposition by 2015. But the SDLP have denied Martin McGuinness’ claim, and they’ve issued a robust statement of …

“I have heard it from very good authority…”

Pete Baker on February 19, 2011, 1:03 pm

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When is calling for a properly-funded opposition not a call for a properly-funded opposition? When it’s secret negotiations over compensation for lost ministerial funds… At least, that’s the line the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, has been busily spinning to anyone who will listen. And it comes “from very good authority”… “within the NIO”. [Ah, “the securocrats” – Ed] They’re on ‘our’ side this time! [They always were… – Ed] Indeed. Pete Baker

“That long term approach is not confined to policing…”

Pete Baker on February 17, 2011, 11:26 pm

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Confirmation that the UK government is to provide an additional £200million to help the PSNI combat the continuing, and increasing, terrorist threat here – over four years with £57.1m in 2011-12, £53.3m in 2012-13, £62.4m in 2013-14 and £26.7m in the final year. And the BBC report carries these comments from the NI Justice Minister, the Alliance Party’s David Ford. David Ford said he had worked closely with the Chief Constable “to ensure that the needs of Northern Ireland are recognised in …

Tom Elliott kicks off campaign with UUP ideas on how to reform Stormont by 2015

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on February 16, 2011, 1:30 pm

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Gathered for breakfast in The Mount conference centre in East Belfast, the local business representatives, UUP candidates and Young Unionists were nearly all decked out in dark pin-striped suits and dresses. Tom Elliott looked confident and relaxed as he arrived in the room and got up following Danny Kennedy’s introduction. It was clear that the UUP were launching their election campaign as Tom Elliott stood at the perspex podium and delivered an end of term report on the past four …

Conservatives and Unionists abandoned on the road to nowhere

Mick Fealty on February 7, 2011, 12:10 pm

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Let’s start with the good news for the Ulster Unionists. Membership is up. And up by quite a bit for a party that’s not exactly been making all the best kind of headlines. Some estimates put it at about 2k. Which (if they are paying their dues) is not bad at all. The bad news is that the failed tie up with the Conservatives, continues to become ever more thin. Jeff Peel (who has consistently blamed the UUs for never …

The UUP: Tom Elliott, defectors, rats and Porsches

Turgon on January 20, 2011, 10:10 pm

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Tom Elliott has had very little of a honeymoon as leader of the UUP. Despite being elected by an enormous margin (still very large even if Fermanagh’s votes had been excluded): he has had multiple problems since being elected. Whilst the alternative leader (Basil McCrea) might well have resulted in an implosion it seems that even with Elliott the UUP may gradually atrophy and die: eighteen months ago, I described their better showing in the European election as possibly a …

Unionist parties agree to greater co-operation…

Mick Fealty on January 20, 2011, 12:32 pm

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Not a pact exactly, (and it’s only in north and west Belfast) but could the new agreement between the UUP and the DUP lead to a much vaunted, but little in evidence realignment of Unionism in Northern Ireland. The News Letter reports: “Unionist co-operation is not so much about voting pacts and electoral arrangements; rather, it is about unionist elected representatives committing themselves to engaging and working together, in continuing partnership with the community, in order to ensure co-operation takes …

Scottish Labour: “Minimum unit pricing was rightly rejected by MSPs because it is effectively a tax on the poor”

Pete Baker on January 18, 2011, 4:19 pm

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The UK’s coalition government has announced proposals to introduce minimum unit pricing on alcohol sold in England and Wales. But with it being a devolved matter, Northern Ireland doesn’t have to follow. Nevertheless, the NI Social Development Minister and the Health Minister have joined forces to announce their intention to launch a public consultation on the issue. Although there is already a wrinkle evident “I am meeting the Irish Minister for Justice and Law Reform Dermot Ahern in Dublin in the …

Another one bites the dust … Harry Hamilton joins Alliance

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on January 14, 2011, 11:51 pm

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As mentioned in the comments below yesterday’s post by Andrew about the number of members taking advantage of the UUP early leavers’ scheme, Harry Hamilton has joined the Alliance Party. When he quit the UUP on the eve of their party conference, it was noted that he would “be open to an approach from the Alliance Party” that has already become home to fellow UCUNF Westminster Candidate Paula Bradshaw. Having missed the UUP conference, he’s signed up in time for …

Bullshit, and joined-up government…

Pete Baker on January 14, 2011, 3:04 pm

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Some four weeks after the departmental allocations were agreed and all Northern Ireland Executive departments have, to a greater or lesser extent, finally published their spending plans. Don’t worry, though. There’ll be an extra week of that public consultation… Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Finance Minister, the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, is complaining that the UK Treasury has “swiped” £300million of NI departments’ yearly underspend – rather than allowing it to be drawn down in the subsequent year. The NIO has issued a statement …

The five, five words of Christmas (incomplete)

Blank on December 23, 2010, 8:39 pm

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Christmas messages run through Wordle. Does what they say a lot, say a lot? DUP Christmas, God’s, Northern, Ireland, birth Sinn Féin Sinn, Féin, Ág, águs, leis UUP Northern, Ireland, Unionist, People, party SDLP: No Christmas message as yet Alliance: No Christmas message as yet Blank

UUP Conference 2010 – Shared Future Panel

Allan LEONARD (Mr Ulster) on December 5, 2010, 1:52 pm

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At the annual Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) conference at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast, I attended a panel discussion on shared future policy. The event was facilitated by Councillor Ross Hussey. Panellists were Duncan Morrow, Bill Manwaring, Lesley Macaulay, Kenny Donaldson. The session began with an introductory presentation by Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council: http://vimeo.com/17487489 Mr Morrow described the opportunities that shared future policy presents, including attracting inward investment, encouraging young people to stay and make their …