This story produced an extraordinary amount of journalism, and an equally extraordinary diversity of opinion. I don’t often express strong comment in the letter, but Tom Utley’s offering for Saturdy’s Daily Telegraph beats all comers for its utter vacuity Lennon …

Cahal Milmo on the crisis within the new police service. David Pallister in the Guardian says: “With 10% of the force on sick leave, and more than 730 injured in the past year, Mr Cramphorn said: “The cumulative effect of …

Brian Walker quotes Macauley with regard to the position of the loyalists of Derry: “The faults which are normally found in dominant castes have not seldom shown themselves without disguise at her festivities; and even with the expressions of pious …

The letters pages in any paper often throw up insights that are not picked up by journalists. There’s an interesting reaction to Steven King’s piece in yesterday’s Belfast Telegraph from Christopher Lyttle: “Surely unionists have learnt from the past. The …

Several people (unionists and nationalists) have told me that the real policing issue in Northern Ireland is that outside fully manned riot units (DMSUs), there is a huge numbers deficit following the exit of many of the old RUC force. …

Two of the current favourites to become Trimble’s successor, Messers Burnside and Donaldson, have applied for permission from the party to stand for the Assembly elections – whenever they come. On his return from the Camlough Feile Steven King calls …

We have the first rash of post-mortems on the LVF death threat against the Northern Ireland captain. Henry Winter says: “Neil Lennon, one of life’s decent citizens, a man who lives for football, family and friends, walked away from the …

Neil Lennon withdrew from NI’s friendly game against Cyprus tonight after receiving a death threat from the LVF. The Celtic player was to take over the captaincy from Steve Lomas.

To Brendan O’Neill for promoting the Slugger’s letter to his A-list of recommended sites and particularly for the co-billing with the CAIN on-line database from the University of Ulster – and a tag line of Peace facts no less! Brendan’s …

Sinn Fein defend DUP’s top post – John Kelly of Sinn Fein tells republicans, that they must not seek to dominate unionists. A clear signal from Sinn Fein that it will do business with the DUP after the next election. …