A Tale of two Budgets…
2399
The contrast between how the recent budgets in the UK and Ireland have been received by the markets and the general public couldn’t be greater and tells us much about where the respective economies are currently at. (Let us ignore …
Why Unionism cannot afford to divert attention from its own failings any longer.
4950
The publication of the Census Statistics prompted, predictably, a flurry of party and non-party political commentary In an indication that Catholic Nationalism is alive and well, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MP referred to the increase in the Catholic population as a …
Should Unionists engage with Ireland’s Future?
3800
Arnold Carton is a retired schoolteacher from Belfast. I was one of the minority of unionists who ignored the advice and abuse from Sammy Wilson and attended Ireland’s Future in Dublin on 1st October, so was the €10 ticket, money …
We are not moving forward. We are not moving back. We are simply standing in the middle of the road…
803
Colin McGrath is an SDLP MLA for South Down The creation of the National Health Service on 5 July 1948 was the first time, anywhere in the world, that completely free healthcare was made available based on citizenship. It was …
To solve “wicked problems”, we have to get out of whatever “ark of comfort” we’ve retreated into…
2174
I’ve been down with Covid over the last few days and so reduced to consuming politics without being about to think about it critically or write about it. But, courtesy of John Naughton, I’d like to share an insight how …
The pennies are dropping: the UK government are starting to face reality over their mini Budget and restoring the Executive
5918
By far the most important immediate question for Northern Ireland is how to prevent the constitutional question dominating politics even more than before, at the expense of delivering government for the people. Apart from threatening an Assembly election that would …
The results of the census and the revolt of the masses…
1884
Firstly, and briefly, the 2021 Northern Ireland census results. We know the headline figures well by now, that the number of those who are Catholics or from a Catholic background (at 45.7%) now outnumber the number of people who are …
Do they reelly, reelly want it? A reflection on “Ireland’s Future”
2949
Not only in Dublin at the weekend but for the whole series of conferences on Ireland’s Future, the aims are first, to add momentum to the eventual creation of a United Ireland by convening a Citizens’ Assembly ; and two, …
Open Sunday – discuss what you like…
4860
The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. News events we have missed, an interesting article you have read, recommendations for a good podcast, book or tv show. Or maybe you just want a good …
Pro-Unity rallies : why Alliance are right not to attend
4763
Today, there’s a major gathering at the 3Arena in Dublin organised by a company called Ireland’s Future (CRO reg 666463), which campaigns for Irish reunification. A few days ago, the Irish News’ John Manley carried the story that Alliance had …