A couple of recent written questions in the Dáil, on the future operation of the Common Travel Area and immigration controls, provided the Irish Government with an opportunity to address what are described as “a number of misleading media reports on these matters in recent days”. From the Dáil record [13 Oct] Brexit Issues 10. Deputy more…
Interesting comments from the Bedfordshire Police Chief Constable Jon Boutcher who has been charged with investigating allegations relating to the activities of the head of the IRA’s crudely appellated Nutting Squad. This week we have heard things that from what the families have told me they have never told anyone before because nobody has asked more…
As some of you know, I was not in favour of Brexit. I still wish it hadn’t happened. Some schools in England are already circulating forms requesting that parents inform the school of the precise citizenship status of their children. And a Tory Councillor in Surrey wants to ‘Amend the Treason Felony Act to make more…
Gerry Thornley on the death of a great servant of Munster Rugby and Ireland, Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley: With his 43rd birthday due at the end of the month, it’s just too sad for words, too shocking to be believed. A legend alright, and much loved. Our deepest sympathies to his wife Olive, his children Dan more…
So John Coakley and John Garry have been working on the numbers from an ESRC funded survey of Northern Irish voters in the Referendum, and have come sup some interesting findings. Let’s start with the most bleedin’ obvious: The most obvious difference is that between the two communities. A striking 60% of Protestants, but only more…
“At this delicate moment, the Guardian and the Irish Times are collaborating on a week-long series exploring the predicament facing Ireland and the UK. Kenny told the Irish Times that he would summon all political players to an unprecedented All Island Civic Dialogue on 2 November. “ In support of the Guardian’s announcement the Irish Times more…
At what point can an organisation which has undergone many years of reorganisations and “efficiency savings” actually create any more efficiencies and still comply with the regulatory regime? Leave aside the arguments about the £350 million lie of the Leave campaign, because it’s not actually relevant until Brexit is complete. Even if every penny we more…
(Hilary Clinton) is an abject, psychopathic demon from Hell that as soon as she gets into power is going to try to destroy the planet. I’m sure of that, and people around her say she’s so dark now, and so evil, and so possessed that they are having nightmares, they’re freaking out.
From POLITICO, the Prime Minister, Theresa May has put together her Brexit war cabinet which is essentially cabinet sub committee with the remit of “overseeing Britain’s negotiations with the EU and formulating wider trade policy.” The report notes that this committee will be the ultimate decision making body over the UK’s exit from the European more…
PARTY CONFERENCE season has started with the Progressive Unionist Party meeting at Corr’s Corner Hotel. Both internal and external voices critiqued the party’s perception problem and hinted at ways that it could addressed. The impact of women in the party continues to grow. Deputy leader John Kyle was honest about the disappointing election result. And more…
My Mum until recently and all but one of my aunts live in South West London and one issue that is hugely controversial is Heathrow Airport. One of the busiest airports in the world and serves as the main hub airport for most of the UK. Yet for many living around it, the airport is more…
ALL THE CAKE: Is the Labour party ready for opposition on #Brexit? John Denham doesn’t think so. By his reading, Labour’s abiding problem is its current rootlessness. Something that was its core strength in the globalising 90s, is now a dragging anchor. It needs to get in behind the majority opinion and pressurise the government more…
This is a rare post from myself that is almost entirely from the perspective of being a motorist. As Belfast City Council’s Growth and Regeneration committee recommends that they do not offer free parking after 6pm or on Saturdays coming up to Christmas, my first reaction is that in fact we are only really discussing more…
The biggest problem in tracking the progress of Brexit (and corollaries) is the fact we know so little about its shape, size and weight. Nicola Sturgeon has just announced her condition for seeking to trigger a second referendum is an exit from the single market. So, it should be noted, the SNP leader is not more…
After four crew of a Scottish fishing vessel was drowned when their ship was capsized by a Royal Navy submarine, stringent measure were put in place. Measures which seem to have been subsquently ignored: BBCNI News reports: Fifteen miles off Ardglass, the Karen had its nets caught and was dragged backwards for 30 seconds last more…
Turning away from Brexit to the home front, congrats to the Guardian for promoting a theme developed there by Professor Paddy Gray, an academic on the Built Environment, an austere title for a school of research which hosts a great deal of imaginative and practical work on developing society. Gray argues that the slow and more…
September marked the annual return of students to their term-time accommodation. And within two days residents of the Holylands had lodged over 150 complaints of anti-social behaviour with Belfast City Council. That university neighbourhood’s term-time population comprises over 90% of students/young people, amounting to an estimated 7,000 in just one square kilometre. It will probably more…
In the FT yesterday, Janan Ganesh had good advice for those of us who might be vulnerable to becoming what Wolfgang Münchau describes as “bitter and without influence” (sound familiar)… It is impossible to know what will happen after a hard exit but almost as impossible to see an alternative to finding out. Pro-Europeans must show more…
You don’t have to think (as I do) that Belfast’s street art puts a priceless, living vein through the heart of our city to be fascinated by how those ‘walls’ happened and where the local scene behind them is going next. Taking Dermot McConaghy as a great example, the established street artist explained how the more…
I’m putting this here for those who wish to comment, from the ICM poll for the Guardian. First thing to note is that there is no statistically significant change, but the position is not great for Labour… Conservatives: 43% (up 2) Labour: 26% (down 2) Ukip: 11% (down 2) Lib Dems: 8% (down 1) Greens: 6% (up more…
