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October 25, 2005
liberty, equality and solidarity
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern faces criticism in the Irish Times today - from two different angles. Ronnie Kasrils, the South African Government Minister for intelligence, and South African Communist Party member, who is visiting Northern Ireland as a guest of Sinn Féin, is reported to be shocked that the Taoiseach has been talking about reclaiming republicanism from those who have "debased" and "abused" it. While Fintan O'Toole argues that "The only way to reclaim republicanism, for Fianna Fáil and for everyone else, is to give it meaning by taking liberty, equality and solidarity seriously." [more] Reg Empey kicks off internal reforms Noel MacAdam reports from the aftermath of Reg Empey's first party conference as UUP leader, and finds a party ready to put the recent past behind them. The new officers in the party now include people like Basil McCrea and Kenny Donaldson. [more] October 23, 2005
Lord Laird to advise UUP on communications
Some coverage in the Sunday papers, and the BBC, of Reg Empey's speech to the UUP conference yesterday - full text here [Thanks to Thomas at About EU]. But, while the reports tend to focus on the same points noted here previously, they've missed one appointment, in particular. As Reg Empey put it "Mr President, I can also report today that an advisory group on Party Communications has been formed under the chairmanship of Lord Laird.".. Yes, that's the same Lord Laird, formerly PR supremo of the Ulster-Scots Agency. October 22, 2005
Not Alexander.. Arnold
Stephen King, in the Belfast Telegraph, and writing prior to the speech today by the UUP party leader, asked whether Reg Empey could cut through the Gordian Knot facing his party. Well, he didn't get Alexander the Great.. it was a big ask.. but I wonder what Stephen thought of the Reginator? The Reginator?!? While the BBC emphasise Reg Empey's comments on loyalist paramilitaries, reporting that he has promised to help those who took steps towards 'calling it a day' - "Northern Ireland is moving on apace and loyalist paramilitaries need to recognise that they no longer have any reason to maintain their structures." - well, that's a carrot, of sorts, where's the stick? - UTV carries a much fuller account of the speech to the UUP party conference [more] October 21, 2005
That's the Right Honourable to you..
As previously October 20, 2005
Seconds out.. Round 2
The Guardian's NewsBlog is live-blogging the second round of voting in the Conservative Party leadership battle, although if their last attempt is anything to go by that will be a more of a semi-conscious-blogging *ahem* ANYway, they're currrently predicting David Cameron to top the poll. This time Ann Widdecombe was waiting at the right door.. Update When I said semi-conscious I meant semi-coherent, as the NewsBlog jumps threads to here.. and [finally?] to here And Fox leaves the hunt.. only Cameron and Davis left in it. Dissent in UUP ranks ahead of conference Tim Collins takes this headline on a report on this weekend's UUP conference, but it seems he will be restricting his participation to a debate on the future, or whether there is one, for the Royal Irish Regiment. The main story appears to be that the UUP will elect their Party President this weekend as well as other party officers.. but not, it seems, their Party Chairman, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer - that's to be decided at a later date by the UUP's Executive. There is dissent in the ranks, however, with the UUP's Chief Executive, Will Corry going public with his complaint. [more] October 19, 2005
7th IMC report published
The 7th IMC report has been made public, assessing paramilitary and criminal activity from 1 March to 31 August this year. Available here [pdf file]. Its general tone could be accurately described as cautious.. maybe, at a stretch, even cautiously optimistic. But the same [cautious, that is] could not be said for Secretary of State, Peter Hain. [more] October 18, 2005
And then there were 3..
Meanwhile.. back at the ranch.. The Guardian's NewsBlog is live-blogging the first round of voting for the next leader of the Conservative Party. [more] October 14, 2005
In lieu of leadership?
Brian Walker acknowledges that both the DUP and Sinn Fein have made poll position in Northern Irish politics, but wonders whether they are not frittering away their leadership positions by not striking out for a clear future. [more] October 06, 2005
Why the IRA was wrong to fight the British
Niall Mulholland argues a socialist line on why the IRA was wrong to fight its long war against the British in Northern Ireland. October 02, 2005
IRA passing baton back to Sinn Féin?
Martin Mansergh in the Irish Times (subs needed) argues that IRA decomissioning, following the statement that it was committing itself to a peaceful, democratic path is a major landmark for this island and finally redresses the "dreadful act of responsibility" by the surving members of the Second Dáil. [more] September 27, 2005
in pursuit of critical mass
IN the Irish Examiner, Fergus Finlay calls yesterday's announcement, of decommissioning, a welcome step.. but not one we should be grateful for. He also has an interesting view of the process so far, and of the still distant prospect of SF in government. [more] not too little.. but much too late The Irish Times carries Ed Moloney's view of the final act of decommissioning by the Provisional Movement[subs req], as announced yesterday by John de Chastelain, the retired Canadian general, who, when first appointed, "had so many strikes against him from an Irish nationalist viewpoint that Dublin and the Provos recruited Bill Clinton's assistance in trying to get him replaced." [more] September 26, 2005
The Long War has failed*
The Guardian (Unlimited) continue to expand their on-line repertoire, with Angelique Chrisafis, in effect, audio-blogging on today's developments[3min 18sec mp3 file]. At the press conference The Observer's Henry McDonald interrupted the Decommissioning Body's studied delivery by asking whether any weapons from after 1996 had been decommissioned. In his report he also notes a comment by The Blanket's Anthony McIntyre that "the disposal of weapons smuggled into Ireland to fight the Long War had 'made republicanism history', rather than partition." [*thread title stolen shamelessly from Henry McDonald's report] No Hallelujah Chorus In the Belfast Telegraph, Sam Smyth raises just two cheers in response to the unfolding choreography - The Provisionals expect a grateful public to raise a Hallelujah Chorus in praise for the dumping of their weapons. But a sigh of relief is more appropriate for their decommissioning of an enormous arsenal of sophisticated weapons and explosives. September 25, 2005
Speculation continues
The speculation continues about when statements will start being issued - since most report that the decommissioning process itself is over. Athough in this BBC report, Peter Hain is still using the future tense, UTV report that the decommissioning has been witnessed by "a catholic priest from West Belfast and a high profile methodist minister".. and that the statements will start tomorrow. There are sceptical voices, Brendan O'Connor in the Sunday Independent - "Trust us, this time it's gonna be big, baby" - while the Sunday Business Post remains cautiously optimistic - "it appears that confirmation of a major act of decommissioning is imminent, signalling the historic retirement of a significant physical force element to Irish nationalism." Somewhere between the two are Greg Harkin in The Independent and Henry McDonald in the Observer. Update Press conference scheduled for 2pm Monday. [more] September 23, 2005
A problem with presentation?.. or content?
Sinn Féin published the official text of Gerry Adams' speech to party members in South Armagh yesterday.. and cautioned to "Check against delivery". Fortunately the Irish Times's Gerry Moriarty did just that[subs req], and noted some interesting divergence from the script. [more] September 20, 2005
Unified in opposition
The Belfast Telegraph reports on a rare example of politicians here, from all parties, setting their ideological differences aside to criticise the government's anti-poverty strategy.. or, rather, the lack of a strategy. The campaign which united them is Enough is Enough, organised by NICVA. Poverty, eh? Down with that sort of thing. September 19, 2005
Buying into the charade
In a further occasional article for Slate.com, Scott MacMillan looks again at the developing situation here and sees unionists[of various hues], in addition to witnessing a failure of political leadership, learning from "a public-relations campaign on the part of IRA leaders". [more] September 18, 2005
The Northern Bank robbery - it hasn't gone away
We'll have to wait until Thursday to actually see the Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into The Big Heist - as they refer to the Northern Bank robbery - an investigation carried out by journalist and author Kevin Toolis. But several of the Sunday papers carry reports on the allegations contained in the programme - Sunday Times, Sunday Independent, Sunday Business Post and the Sunday Life. Interestingly they each focus on slightly different aspects of the programme. [more] September 10, 2005
Make Tacky Jingoist Political Campaigns History...
NO sooner was the Shankill Mirror (still not updated online) off the presses announcing the Love Ulster campaign than Martin McGuinness steps up to present the equally catchy Make Partition History campaign. With total decommissioning imminent (if not already complete), this should convince republican doubters - how can it be surrender when everyone is celebrating? At least it's guaranteed to get better press than Love Ulster did. September 05, 2005
"I can tell you all the things they’re against"
Both the Irish Examiner and the Irish Times note the comments of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in an interview yesterday. As the IE reports, when asked whether he saw any circumstances in which Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin would form a coalition, he replied firmly: “No, I don’t.” [more] September 02, 2005
Mixed messages over murder...
THE DUP'S Ruth Patterson put forward a motion in Belfast City Council last night expressing sympathy to the family of UVF murder victim Craig McCausland (20) and urging politicians to urge anyone with information to contact the police. Councillor David Ervine of the PUP (which has links to the UVF) left the council chamber before the vote, while Sinn Fein abstained on the vote, saying it was politically motivated. It may well have been, but who should witnesses contact if the McCausland's are to get justice? And what is the point of the PUP if it can't even convince the UVF to stop killing innocent Prods, let alone anyone else? Sitting in the public gallery, the McCausland family was not impressed. August 31, 2005
Clarke's a Tory rogue..!
KEN Clarke is to make another bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Do you find him appealing? August 25, 2005
The new "us'uns"...
REPUBLICANS have been exploring the possibility of tapping into the growing foreign worker vote in order to strengthen their political position, the News Letter has reported. Sinn Fein MLA for Newry and Armagh, Davy Hyland, said: "There certainly are large numbers of them here in Newry. I passed a house recently where about 50 were having a party and, as they are mostly Catholic, they are more sympathetic to the nationalist outlook." Who says republicans can't be prejudiced?! August 18, 2005
Could DU(P) better...
THE DUP is still coming under fire for not doing enough to combat sectarian attacks in the Ballymena area, and with a loyalist parade in Rasharkin tomorrow night, more trouble is expected from the knuckledraggers behind the violence. Concerned about future republican activity, the DUP is saying plenty about the imminent demise of the RIR and police station closures. Yet it has said comparatively little about those who present the biggest threat to both its unionist voters and Catholic constituents in North Antrim - the loyalists that DUP politicians were content to be seen mingling with in Ballymena recently. If the DUP expended half the energy it does on giving off about the IRA threat of violence (real or imagined) and channelled it into ending loyalist attacks, we might get somewhere. [more] August 10, 2005
manipulating public opinion
The Irish Times editorial today follows up on its, generally overlooked elsewhere, report yesterday in which Gerry Adams' chief spokesman [Gerry's on holiday dontchaknow] admitted that Adams was wrong when he claimed that the Taoiseach had given a commitment that "MPs elected in the six counties will be able to speak in the Dáil".. a claim which Ahern corrected, as noted here.. they had to unspin the admission though - SF admits Adams wrong on Dáil speaking rights "Perhaps Gerry wasn't qualified enough in what he wrote or didn't explain himself enough," he [Adams' spokesman] said[more] August 01, 2005
"a sophisticated, resourceful and multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise"
When Ed Moloney gave his initial reaction to the IRA statement, on RTE's News at One he was met with a barrage of ad hominem attacks from SF ally Niall O'Dowd and, more particularly, former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds - listen here. Moloney expanded on the theme in an Irish Examiner article the following day, and the Sunday Herald carried another astute article by him yesterday "No matter what was in the IRA statement of this week, there can be little doubt that these activities [IRA criminality] will continue, and may even intensify.".. it's an issue on which, according to the only available poll, 87% of people seem to agree with him. |
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