On Thursday Basil has a quick fire interview over Twitter, known as a Twinterview, with IoD Northern Ireland (@IoDNI). Here's some of the stand out moments from the interview:
One:
@IoDNI the biggest concerns are skills shortage, access to finance, high rates and debt overhang from property bubble
— Basil McCrea (@basilmccrea) October 31, 2013
@IoDNI skills shortage requires re shaping of education by Unis and FE. Parents...
Youth unemployment - A train-wreck in slow motion
A train-wreck in slow motion: European youth unemployment pic.twitter.com/usFecIQMuA
— Pedro da Costa (@pdacosta) June 2, 2013
Our previous post on youth unemployment here when youth joblessness in NI rose to 22.5...
A protestant party for a protestant people
In a previous post here ('A catholic party for a catholic people') we covered Patrick Murphy's critique of Sinn Fein in The Irish News - a party that operates to the exclusion of the protestant people of Northern Ireland. The DUP are the opposite side of the same medieval coin. As Alex Kane said:
"The DUP (along with the UUP) regards its primary task as the protection, promotion and preservation of unionist interests....
The two worlds of Northern Ireland, Ctd
It's self-evident that the political class in Northern Ireland is entirely out of step with a people rapidly advancing in civilisation. As Mick Fealty said:
"The irony is that in general terms, sectarianism is on the slide, and mixed marriages are up and the wider population is beginning to adopt a more open view of how the world works...
The two worlds of Northern Irelands, Ctd with Rick Wilford
The recent Radio 4 series, 'The Young Devolutionaries' featured a number of young people from the home nations including Northern Ireland. Rick Wilford of Queen's University Belfast made a number of encouraging contributions. In particular Rick Wilford noted how, compared to precious generations, the young people of Northern Ireland are in a far different place compared to their parents. He said:
"One of the things that struck...
If Stormont politicians act like children then people on the street will act like children
Barton Creeth (@bartoncreeth) wrote in an article for the Queen's blog Compromise after Conflict here:
"The patterns of conversation and conflict management modeled by our political leaders matter because they filter through to all levels of society. How our politicians treat each other up in the Assembly and on television directly...
A catholic party for catholic people
Patrick Murphy wrote in the Irish News:
"By representing only nationlists, you [Sinn Fein] have abandoned the Protestant people to unionism - which is more Daniel O'Connell than Wolfe Tone. You speak of a lack of leadership among unionists - but your lack of leadership towards what should be your own Protestant people is even more marked. (Critics of the newly formed republicans - they were just Catholics with guns. The same...
Between the Tory far right and the BNP
Sometimes it's refreshing to speak plain English. To just say what everyone is thinking. Daniel Finn in the London Review of Books confronted the DUP political ideology and practice, one that is out of step with life in the 21st Century, Catholics in Northern Ireland and progressive Protestants. Daniel Finn said:
"In British political terms, the DUP slots in between the right of the Tory Party and the BNP, with a generous side-helping...
My name is Stephen and I'm a recovering apathetic
For most of my life I couldn't really care less about politics:
'Nothing ever changes...'
'Don't vote for them, it only encourages them...'
'The desire to become a politician should ban you from ever becoming one...'
These quotes pretty much summed up my attitude, an attitude borne out of being a child of the 70s, being brought up in Belfast during the trouble. What had politicians ever done for me other than...
Female politicians Reopen Washington
Republican senator Susan Collins sits with President Barack Obama of the Democratic Party
The Telegraph in London and the New York Times have both reported that it was women Senators in the United States who helped to broker a deal that reopened Washington and put Americans back to work. Led by the well-known moderate Republican...
The two worlds of Northern Ireland, Ctd
Northern Ireland is at the same time, incredibly progressive and regressive. Lyra McKee (@LyraMckee) recently said:
"The views of the under-30s are largely absent in this debate and truth be told, most don't want to vote "Republican" or "Unionist" but for a party they believe has the best vision for Northern Ireland. Other parties just get too hung up on the constitutional question."
Previous posts on 'The two worlds of Northern...
Northern Ireland needs more mentors
Entrepreneur Eoin Lambkin and business mentor for Takker wrote in the Belfast Telegraph Business magazine that mentoring should be a key economic policy that could help drive a recovery. He said:
"I would go so far as to say that mentoring could be one of the most important economic tools at our disposal in the flight to turn around our ailing economy. There is not a region in the UK or Ireland that has not written a strategic...
"Silent majorities don't make history"
"Silent majorities do not make history."
Christopher Hitchens, 'King Billy’s Scattered Legions', New Statesman, 1972
Perhaps it's time for the silent majority, the normal half of Northern Ireland (see here and here) and the Great Unengaged to make history by standing up and speaking against the politicians and street thugs who are so grievously damaging the Northern Ireland economy and its standing in the...
Politicians need to catch up with the people, Ctd
In May 2013 former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland was one of three members of the Elders, a group of global leaders that tackle issues related to conflict, met a number of young people from Northern Ireland in Dublin to hear their present concerns. Brundtland said:
"Talking to young people who have grown up with the peace process showed us that a lot more needs to be done to build a truly inclusive society....
Creating a united Northern Ireland
@Irish_Gaels @brianjohnspencr @EamonnMallie Why not strive for a united NI first?
— Les Clarke (@oulclanker) October 20, 2013
@andrewgdotcom @brianjohnspencr @oulclanker @Irish_Gaels @EamonnMallie Yes, I say it too! Indeed, a United NI is a pre-requisite.
— Ian James Parsley (@ianjamesparsley) October 20, 2013
@ianjamesparsley @brianjohnspencr @oulclanker @Irish_Gaels @EamonnMallie pre requisite for progress of any kind....
John Cunningham - Tackle the big issues
Northern Ireland politicians need to wake up and instead of tackling one another, they need to tackle the problems that most affect people - a lack of jobs, a lack of growth, a lack of opportunities and an education system that doesn't make our young people work ready. As leading Northern Ireland businessman John Cunningham said:
"They need to look realistically at the problems that are facing the province...
#Protests - 10,000 loyalists planned for November 30 in Belfast city centre
We previously recorded here that a group going by the name Loyalist Peaceful Protesters had lodged an application with the Parades Commission which would see 5,000 marchers and supporters march through the city centre on November 30 2013. This was removed and has since been reinstated for the same day, one of the busiest...
Pushing back against sectarianism and violence
The deputy editor of the Belfast Telegaph, Gail Walker, recently wrote an article by the titled 'I'll take Northern Ireland's real politics over the liberals' dreams' which provoked a lot of interest across social media. Many of whom were critical of Walker's tacit approval of the stasis sectarian gridlock, violent state of Northern Ireland. Here's some of the pushback comments made on Facebook. One user said:
"Middle class liberalism...
Creating a united Northern Ireland, Ctd
"For too long we've been told about "us" and "them." Each and every election we see a new slate of arguments and ads telling us that "they" are the problem, not "us." But there can be no "them" in America. There's only us."
Bill Clint...
Gay people must be brought into the debate
A 'listening event' on homosexuality held in Armagh by the Church of Ireland did not invite openly gay men or women to speak. Canon Charles Kenny of Changing Attitude Ireland, a pro-gay pressure group within the church, was highly critical and said:
"We wouldn't have a conference to talk about women with no women present. The people who oppose us fear rather than hate gays. They are frightened of having gay church people in...
Creating a united Northern Ireland, Ctd
Whether you're a unionist or a nationalist, we need a united Northern Ireland. A people united by a shared sense of purpose. United by mutual respect, interest and regard. United by the shared goal of creating a stable and properous country. United by the desire to create a warm, open and plural...
It's not acceptabe outside Stormont, so why should politicians be able to get away with such childish behaviour?
John Cunningham speaking at the launch of efforts to devolved corporation tax to NI.
John Cunningham of the Camlin Group said that, "if [Stormont] were a business they would be bankrupt." He further said of Northern Ireland politics:
"It’s like watching children argue, arguing at school. What relevance does it...
#Protests - 5,000 loyalists planned for November 30 in Belfast city centre
It appears that loyalist protest marchers will once again take to the streets of Belfast city centre on Saturday 30 November to mark the anniversary of the December 3 2012 decision to restrict the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall (see here). News reports are suggesting that the event organised...
The two worlds of Northern Ireland, Ctd
Northern Ireland is simultaneously one of the most progressive and regressive places on the planet. Think Leah Totton (@DrLeahTotton), Hannah Nelson, James McCullagh (@JamesMc_Cullagh), Maria Doran (@Doran_Maria), Craig Gilroy, Jim Eastwood, Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell, Oliver Jeffers, Jonathan McHugh.
Then think, violent...
Politicians have to catch up with the people
Northern Ireland is simultaneously one of the most progressive and regressive places in the world. However its politics is almost singularly regressive. In a speech at the Sinn Fein London conference John McCallister said:
"These transformed relationships have, in many ways, out-paced our politics.
Our citizens, our businesses, and our cultural figures are seeking ways to flourish in and through those transformed relationships......
Mike Nesbitt remains open to unionist unity candidates
Asked by Stephen Nolan on Monday 21 October 2013 whether there would be any more unionist unity candidates, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party said:
"Do I want to see as many pro-union MPs returned in 2015 as possible? The answer to that is yes. How do you achieve that? That is an open question."
People have short memories-there was a time when NI had one Unionist party and it didn't end well!
— David McCann (@dmcbfs)...
#Protests - The cost to Brand Northern Ireland
Whether or not Stormont ministers advocate civil disobedience, it remains that unionist ministers have stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the most extreme in society. The First Minister has also said here that we can expect more protest and unrest this Christmas. But what exactly has been the effect of the rolling...
David McCann - Brother can you spare an economic policy?
David McCann on the Stephen Nolan Show
David McCann (@dmcbfs) is a researcher, academic and writer for Slugger O'Toole and The Journal.ie, below he has written a guest post and laid out a big challenge on the economy for people on both sides in Northern Ireland.
There are some realities in Northern Ireland that...
Northern Ireland needs to follow Washington and move past the 'shutdown'
When America was stuck in a government shutdown with much of the country involuntary furloughed and facing a catastrophic default, America needed real leadership. The morning news show, Today on Morning Joe, held a discussion with the title the "top ten political leaders we (United States) need right now."
The man who helped to create...
#GenYNI - Where is the Post-Conflict generation?
If we are to escape the shackles of our past we need new voices and parties. Where are they? Where is the post-conflict generation?
— Alex.Kane (@AlexKane221b) September 25, 20...
The two worlds of Northern Ireland - Which one are you of?
Pete Shirlow said:
"The peace process appears to be moving at two speeds in which some communities remain caught in a perpetual cycle of poverty, sectarian asperity and intra-community devotion whilst others are shifting into less antagonistic positions. These shifts are paralleled by a decline in voting and political participation."
As Mick Fealty said:
"There are two Northern Irelands. There’s a new one...
Stormont do nothing politics
On August 22 2011 Alex Kane wrote that "it [had] been 5,605 days since the Northern Ireland assembly was first elected, on June 25, 1998 and practically no movement [had] been recorded in any area of politics here in all that time."
800 days later and little has changed. No meaningful programme, no agenda, no business, no focus on the issues that matter to the people. Where there is activity it's the politics...
The answer to policy free politics
In the last post we discussed Northern Ireland's world of policy-free politics, which kind of very much makes the "NI21, where are your policies?" debate a misnomer, non-starter, outlier and non-terrestrial. But there's a problem with living in a world of policy-free politics. As Mick Fealty said: "if there's no policies there's no politics."
The solution? According to Mick Fealty:
"The ‘former moderate’ parties can tag along...
#Protests - Expect more unrest this Christmas
The Belfast Telegraph reported Peter Robinson has said the following on the coming Christmas period:
"I have heard of some proposals to hold protests leading up to the Christmas period."
Can we stand for more of th...
Youth unemployment rises to 22.5%
'We are all in this together'. Not so with unemployment rates. NI youth (18-24yrs) unemployment rate 22.5% v 5.5% (25-49yrs) & 5% (>50yrs)
— Ramseconomics (@Ramseconomics) October 16, 2013
Unemployment has snaked upwards since 2010 as you can see from the graph below and also here.
...
Northern Ireland - A world of policy free politics
Since its inception NI21 has found itself under a shower of inverted criticism as opponents cat call the party for its lack of policies. The doublespeak and hypocrisy is simply breathtaking. Ventriloquising Mick Fealty, editor of Slugger O'Toole, the old-order parties in Northern Ireland practice a special and unique branch of politics: that being, "policy-free politics." As Mick Fealty said:
"Policy...
GenY NI - Your country needs you
Do you remember in June 2013 when Obama implored
Northern Ireland to show the world how to patch, mend and get on? To be an
example to the world. Remember Hannah Nelson stood up and told
a vision of hope and aspiration. Hannah's world is so much the world of the
young people in Northern Ireland. In the months since, NI has been a model...
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