Slugger O'Toole

Move over Darling?

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His words can make stock markets quake. They pushed house prices down further when he failed to quash rumours of a cut in stamp duty. Yet here is that flinty character Alistair Darling confessing all to one of the most winsome women in the interviewing business, Decca Aitkenhead of the Guardian.

Confesses the Chancellor: “We knew the economy was going to slow down.” But he hadn’t the faintest inkling of the financial crisis about to unfold before him? “No, no one did. No one had any idea.”

“The economic times we are facing “are arguably the worst they’ve been in 60 years,” he says bluntly. “And I think it’s going to be more profound and long-lasting than people thought."”

“In the space of 10 months we’ve gone from a position where people generally felt we were doing OK to where we’re certainly not doing OK. We’ve got to rediscover that zeal which won three elections, and that is a huge problem for us at the moment. People are pissed off with us.”

“Can Brown communicate it? “Yes, I do think he can. I do think he will.” Then why hasn’t he? “Er, well,” Darling falters. “Well, it’s always difficult, you know. You can always say, what could you have done better, and all the rest of it. But Gordon, in September, up to party conference, has got the opportunity to do that. And he will do that. It’s absolutely imperative.”

What made him tell all? Was he ambushed or did he fall? It’s a tale of two women…

Update on Robinson upping the ante

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It’s wonderful how a little detail can scale down a story as a day develops...UTV and The BBC’s Mark Devenport report that changes to the “massive” strategy development document Conor Murphy failed to bring back to the Executive for clearance amounted to around “150 changes, many involve references to “Northern Ireland” being changed to “the north".” Are you being serious, First Minister? The air is going out of this story’s balloon. Sinn Fein ministers may well have a case to answer on possible breaches of the ministerial code by stalling on the prescribed fortnightly Executive meetings and much else, like the failure of Martin McGuinness to clear 30 papers for discussion by the Executive. ( see my comments in the earlier thread). But this is a paltry example on which to base such a challenge. I should’ve held my fire. We nervously wait with bated breath to hear what Mr Robinson had to say to the invited press at 5 pm in advance (strangely) of his meeting with the IMC. I’d rather know what there’s to say after the meeting. After all, we want the news fresh at tea time. What’s happened to your news management skills, Peter?

“If he (Obama) wins, the operative word is detachment..”

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Gonzo gave his immediate reaction to Barack Obama’s speech late last night but it’s also worth reading Micky Kaus’ suitably sceptical take at Slate

“A little flat, and not just because of it’s now-required State-of-the Union laundry-list passages”

Meanwhile Máirtín points to an Irish Echo report from a couple of days ago on the reaction by some to Obama’s suggestion that a US envoy to Northern Ireland was no longer required - as previously noted by Brian.

“I’m Shocked, I really am,” veteran Democratic activist Brian O’Dwyer said. “The stupidity of it, that somehow the idea that it is all over (in Northern Ireland) and there is no need for an envoy; this of all things. Irish American is most proud of the fact that it obtained an envoy, O’Dwyer, a prominent supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries, told the Echo. [] “It’s hard for me to fathom how anyone who knows anything about Ireland would say this. This is a signal that the U.S. government will detach. If he (Obama) wins, the operative word is detachment,” O’Dwyer said.

The US involvement here has been mapped out in detail previously and I added some thoughts on the wider view here. And in answer to Máirtín’s question about John McCain’s position on a US envoy to Northern Ireland

John McCain is committed to maintaining the special U.S. envoy for Northern Ireland and that commitment has been enshrined in the 2008 Republican Platform.

Of course, previously, McCain has intervened here personally.. And in related news “Senator John McCain has selected Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate, according to [US] Republican [Party] sources.” Reports here and here. And an Insta-note

Northern Ireland health service comes in second

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Northern Ireland comes second among the four parts of the UK in the amount spent per patient, according to a breakdown just published by the respected Health Service Journal.
“Huge contrasts found between UK nations. Patients in the UK’s four nations have dramatically different experiences of the NHS.”
Scotland came highest in spending per patient at £1262, compared to NI at £1214, Wales at £1186 and England £1,086. NI has the second highest ratio of GPs per 1.000 patients, 0.63 compared with Scotland’s 0.76.

Among the comparisons:

Same day admissions discharged

43% rise in the proportion of emergency admissions discharged on the same day in England between 2004 and 2007.

In Wales the rise was 34% and 12% in Northern Ireland .

In Scotland it fell by 2%.

In Northern Ireland, 12% of emergency admissions were discharged in under a day compared with 25% in England.

Patients discharged in England were 37% more likely to require emergency readmission within 28 days than in Northern Ireland.

There were 193 elective admissions per 1,000 population in Northern Ireland in 2007 - 51% higher than the rate in Wales

The Northern Ireland health department denied the rising elective admissions reflected a greater propensity for surgical intervention and said in part the rates were due to delivering on “very challenging waiting time targets” from 2005-07.

But these quite encouraging facts come with their own health warning.

“Dr Nick Goodwin, from the King’s Fund health think-tank, said the data should be interpreted with caution as it is collected differently in each area. He also warned that the data did not take in to account existing health inequalities or the infrastructure in place before different policies were adopted by each government.”

Still, it’s good to see at least one aspect of devolution working well – the exposure of different performances of varying efficiency and different priorities according to different health needs. More explanations are needed from Michael McGimpsey and co. More details of resources compared are below the fold.

DCC give the atheists to the Prods

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It appears it is not easy to find a grave for an atheist in Donegal. There is no municipal graveyard and Roy Greenslade had been informed that a religious service would be required to use the various church graveyards (although this advice may have been mistaken). So instead his atheist mother’s remains were brought across the border and buried in Londonderry. Derry City Council has different designated areas for different religions within its graveyards but none for atheists, when asked where she would be placed a graveyard official said:

“...we’re putting her in with the Protestants.”

Robinson ups the ante

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Breaking news... The Belfast Telegraph is selling hard the story of deepening crisis in the Executive, although as I type, nobody else seems to have picked up this latest twist. Peter Robinson’s charge is constitutionally a serious one, that the Regional Development minister SF’s Conor Murphy breached the code of office by failing to bring a “ massive” regional strategy to 2025 before an Executive meeting.

“Mr Robinson said he wanted an immediate Executive meeting to deal with the issue before it becomes a matter for the courts.”

In political terms, it’s clearly a straight challenge to Sinn Fein to come in or get out. Quite a gambit. Yet how does it square with yesterday’s story of a meeting with SF next week to try to settle the whole Executive crisis? And why is Robinson flanked by party colleagues meeting the Independent Monitoring Commission today, if not to obtain their views on IRA compliance? Forcing a crisis or calling Sinn Fein’s bluff? We shall see how the news is analysed in the coming hours and days.

What’s the DUP’s next move if Sinn Fein fails to respond?

“This is not worth the paper it’s written on..”

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The BBC’s Mark Devenport had suggested the IMC could play a part of the “serious consequences” predicted by Northern Ireland First Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, if the Executive continued to fail to meet. Whether today’s reported meeting between the DUP and the IMC is more than a sounding of next week’s IMC report isn’t yet clear. But it comes at a time when the NI First Minster has accused the Regional Development Minister, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, of breaching the ministerial code. Adds Mark Devenport has some more details

“I don’t think it’s involves any deep-seated policy differences,” said BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport. “I’m told, of around 150 changes, many involve references to Northern Ireland being changed to the north.”

Mark Devenport said Peter Robinson’s perspective is “basically once a document is passed by the executive then that’s it, it should be put out in that form. “Ultimately, it could go to the courts, but I think it’s more a case of symbolising the bad relations there are at the moment.”

Cut rates as recession gloom deepens, Bank man demands

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Have you ever heard of Blanchflower ? You have now. To most of us, the name conjures up fond memories of two great Belfast footballing brothers of the 1950s and 60s. But now there’s a new Blanchflower – David. (no relation as far as I know). David Blanchflower moves into history as the first member of the Bank of England monetary policy committee (MPC) to break ranks and give a stark warning of deep recession – in public. You aint seen nothing yet, is his jist.

He forecasts 330,000 more people losing their jobs by the end of the year – banks and construction firms being the first to lay staff off. He’s got some evidence on his side. As the Guardian reports: “Fears of recession this winter intensified.. with High street sales in Britain falling at their sharpest pace in at least 25 years this month and the Nationwide building society reporting house prices falling at £150 a day… ”

The speech of Obama’s life…

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WELL, dunno about you but I’ve just watched Obama give what was billed as the speech of his lifetime. And what a show it was from a gifted orator. Was it enough to make him the next US president? I think that’s another matter, but tonight was a night in which Obama set out his stall - not in any great detail, but with an appeal for change and a vision for the future that will attract many undecided Americans. I’m not sure that it’s enough though…

What did Iris say?

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Three cheers for that bureaucratic pain, but first defence of human rights section 75 for taking Gay Rights to the top- even creating a ruffle in the Robinson household perhaps? And two cheers for the Belfast Telegraph for digging out the story under FoI ( great headline guys, you kept it simple). And to Pink News for, well, celebrating the news.

“First Minister to authorise grants despite wife’s outspoken comments
80,000 to gay groups within the next seven months — despite his wife’s controversial views on homosexuality.”

Officials have also confirmed that Stormont grant-aid totalling £100,000 was allocated to the gay sector during Ian Paisley’s period as First Minister.
It has further been revealed that money from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) helped fund this year’s Gay Pride parade in Belfast.”

So they were all at it! Mind you, the Bel Tel must have got a pretty broad hint when they read that Assembly written answer…