Irish Political News

According to the reports about the memoirs of Tony's Blair former Number 10 aide Jonathan Powell, in 2006 Provisional Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams rang the then British Prime Minister to "express solidarity" over the latter's cash-for-questions problems. According to Powell, Adams rang Blair and amongst other things had the craic about the PIRA's campaign. The bearded one then, it is claimed, suggested to Powell that he and Blair should "seek political status" if they were arrested, and refuse to recognise the court.

Oh dear. The reputed leader of the republican movement joking with the British Prime Minister, a man who has been known to hold his predecessor Margaret Thatcher in high esteem, about the key issue that inspired ten PIRA and INLA men to starve themselves to death is quite startling. It's quite clear that the provisional movement has abandoned the vast majority of its core principles over the past number of years- opposition to a Stormont assembly, abstention from the Dáil, use of violence, etc., etc.- but surely this is a step too far.

This revelation ought to send shockwaves through those who believe in what the provisional movement reputedly stands for. However, the Adams/ McGuinness leadership has so deftly created a situation in which chuckling with arch-bigot Ian Paisley is seen as perfectly normal that hardly an eyelid will be batted in anger.

What next? An SAS colour party greeting delegates at next year's Ard Fheis?

Powell has also admitted in his new book, 'Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland', that the British government lavished attention of Sinn Féin on account of its ability to influence those in control of the guns. He writes: "Seamus Mallon's complaint is that we talked to Sinn Féin because they had the guns. My answer to that is: yes and your point is?" Now the SDLP is to a large extent its own enemy, but confirmation that Sinn Féin was ably assisted by the British government for the past decade certainly explains quite a few things. One would almost wonder why the spooks ran provo informers when the upper echelons of the British establishment already had such close links with Sinn Féin. Wonders never cease.

DUP leader Ian Paisley has announced that he is to resign his position at the head of his party and as First Minister in May.

He is to remain on as an MLA and MP for North Antrim.

More to follow...

Today's Irish News published details of how highly sensitive information on school pupils and their families was found lying about in Camlough, Co. Armagh. The revelation was made by SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley, who had been passed the information.

The highly sensitive material contained information on 120 people who were pupils quite a few years ago and included details about threadbare clothing on unwashed children and derogatory descriptions of parents. The files included details of of doctors' examinations, information on admissions to a psychiatric institution and prosecutions for non-attendance at school.

One parent was described as a 'n'er do well'. Nice.

However, rather than accept Mr Bradley's right as a democratically elected politician- nay, a citizen- to publicise this massive faux pas, Sinn Féin Education Minister Caitríona Ruane described his decision to highlight it as "politically motivated".

What exactly is wrong with him putting this in the public domain? This is an extremely serious issue and I think the public has a right to know. Is Ruane suggesting that Mr Bradley should have kept this quiet? That's not exactly the hallmark of open government. Methinks she's just slightly unhappy at the authorities being embarrassed by a security breach of the highest order. Apart from that, it's both irrelevant and none of her business what Dominic Bradley's motivation was- the fact is that he highlighted a serious mistake by the authorities, and that's all that matters. I really can't see what political gain he stands to acquire as a result of this.

However, to be fair to Ruane, she did add: "I accept that there is a problem."

Understatement of the year.

Dominic Bradley insisted that he had acted in the public interest and told the Ruane not to shoot the messenger. The Assembly was informed by the Education Minister that a full investigation had begun, with Ruane adding that she wanted: "...to say to the adults who were children then we are going to be contacting them and we will totally protect their confidentiality and their identity." I'm sure they'll be reassured by that...

In a shock result, the Ulster Unionist Party has retained its seat on Banbridge District Council after a bye-election in the Dromore area. The DUP, which had forced the bye-election following the resignation of UUP councillor and former rugby player Tyrone Howe, thought it would be a walk in the park. But they hadn't budgeted for the arrival of Jim Allister's Traditional Unionists on the scene.

I was on the ground in the area last night during polling. A lot of people were of the opinion that TUV transfers would go back to the DUP and see them over the finishing post in first place. However, the animosity between the DUP and the two smaller Unionist parties was palpable, and I must admit I had a strong suspicion that the TUV would extract enough support from erstwhile DUP voters for the Ulster Unionists to slip up the middle and win. And that's what happened, with the TUV dislike of the DUP being reflected in their transfers, which benefited the UUP more than many would have assumed.

Although bye-elections aren't the most important in the electoral calendar, they are interesting for the purposes of giving a snapshot at a given time. Given that not a lot was at stake in Dromore, it's clear that many of those who would have traditionally supported the DUP opted to support the TUV in this election to send out a message to Paisley over his Chuckle Brothers routine. It may not be a bloody nose, but it'll certainly sting.

The question now is whether Jim Allister can build momentum for his movement. Certainly there were reports last night of DUP election workers being barracked at polling stations over their decision to abandon everything they had stood for for decades to go into government with Sinn Féin. Certainly this result, which saw the TUV put in a respectable showing, has leant some credibility to Allister's new party. If the Dromore results are reflected in future Assembly elections in other DUP strongholds, then the Paisleyites will be in trouble.

Perhaps this threat to the DUP will come to nothing, but it'll certainly be interesting to watch.

The SDLP, having weighed up what was on offer in the budget against its serious shortcomings, voted against it- fair play to them. Margaret Ritchie stood firm in the face of the DUP/ SF axis bullying tactics and managed to squeeze extra money from them for much-needed social housing. However, it remains an essentially right-wing, anti-community budget. There is of course the lack of detail on water reform and education, and by the recent performance of Nigel Dodds with regard to the abolition of relief for the installation of energy efficient measures, the two big parties cannot be trusted to deliver unless they spell out exactly what they are intending to do.

Some people don't seem to be able to get their heads around the concept that the SDLP are in the Executive as a right, not because they have agreed on a way forward with the DUP and Sinn Féin. This isn't like the situation in the Republic where parties coalesce voluntarily because they agree on a way forward. The SDLP has a democratic mandate to oppose anything they wish to oppose in the Executive.

Technically Margaret Ritchie had to vote in favour of the budget, but the wider party is not bound by these rules and has every right to oppose the budget. That does not undermine its right to be in the Executive- they have a mandate and right to use any Executive seat they have in any way they see fit, as the other parties also can do. Likewise with their party vote in the Assembly. There is nothing morally or legally to say they have to dance to the tune of the DUP/ Sinn Féin axis.

There are some, including the perennially self-righteous Alliance Party, who say the SDLP should quit the Executive. Quitting would be contravening the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement which the SDLP framed. This is about powersharing and scrutiny, not leaving the lunatics in charge of the asylum unchecked.

And then there are those who say that the SDLP should back the budget and every other DUP/ SF point-of-view because they share Executive membership with them. This would essentially mean that the SDLP would have to support the budget even if they disagreed with it. That would be anti-democratic.

There are also those who argue that the SDLP should quit the Executive and form an opposition (a position not provided for in the GFA and which is anti-powersharing and has no legal basis). That would be tantamount to the Westminster-style set-up of the old Stormont regime.

No, the SDLP should remain in the Executive as the guardian of the rights and needs of the people. So what if it has to vote against Executive decisions? If it means standing up for what is right, then so be it.

I don't often bring up the issue of religion on this blog as it's not something I care to speak of much- live and let live, I say. However it is hard to ignore the blatant intolerance displayed by a DUP apparatchik on RTÉ radio this week.

Wallace Thompson, who is an advisor to DUP enterprise minister Nigel Dodds, said on air yesterday that the "Pope is the Antichrist." He also told the radio phone-in that he would oppose any visit to the north by the Pontiff.

If a senior official of a governing party anywhere else in Europe spouted this verbal detritus, there would be public outrage. Yet here in good ol' Northern Ireland, we're just supposed to accept this kind of anachronistic nonsense as if it were somehow normal. Not only that, but if we dare to criticise Paisley's party and its clearly unreformed views on the religious beliefs of a large section of the community here, we're accused of being stuck in the past and for looking for excuses to criticise the 'All New' DUP. With blindingly obvious idiocy such as that displayed by Thompson, added to the intolerance of Ian Paisley Jr displayed upon the pages of Hot Press magazine a few months ago, one doesn't exactly have to look far to find reason to censure the DUP.

And God forbid that people would criticise Sinn Féin for so jovially involving themselves in a sordid little love-in with a party which clearly despises the beliefs of a great many people whom the provisional party purport to represent. That would just be jealousy at the fact that they are now the largest nationalist party in the north, wouldn't it? Clearly we should turn a blind eye to the vicious background of Ian Paisley, the sectarian intolerance displayed down the years by the DUP, and underlying belief that all that went before was completely justified, eh? But I suppose that would come easy to the DUP/ Sinn Féin axis given that they both have a heritage which, from their point of view electorally, is safer forgotten.

However, smiles and suits don't hide the truth.

I must apologise for my irregular appearances on the blog of late- a new computer is winging its way to Áras an Bhlogador so with any luck my contributions will resume a somewhat more orderly rate of publication. As it transpires, Pól has been keeping a steady hand at the helm, guiding El Blogador safely away from being dashed on the iceberg of irrelevance.

Today saw the current Assembly's first budget. After all the wrangling of recent months over who was getting what from the proverbial purse, Margaret Ritchie's department emerged as the 'victor', which in effect means that the people in our society who need help to get a headstart in life are the victors.

Despite being bullied and harrangued by the DUP/ Sinn Féin axis, Margaret has stood firm on a range of issues such as the withdrawing of funding to loyalist-linked projects and protesting against the meagre offerings presented to her by the laughably right-wing draft budget.

They attempted to force her to back down. They attempted to corner her into accepting a budget which would have meant an unfair deal for the people in society who need the most help. They failed.

Today, Margaret Ritchie has been vindicated.

Two-hundred million pounds will be directed into the Department of Social Development bank account to enable it to meet housing targets over the next three years. The result will be the construction of 1,500 new abodes in year one, following by 1,750 in year two and a further 2,000 homes in year three.

Margaret said she was pleased with the money being allocated for social housing: "In respect of social and affordable housing, I think this has been a good day for the people of Northern Ireland and a good budget deal for housing."

Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist Minister Michael McGimpsey has been given more flexibility over his health budget. His financial allocation also includes a much-needed injection of £10m a year for mental health provision.

It just goes to prove- standing up for what you believe in, even in the face of dictatorial opposition, can deliver results. Keep up the good work!