Posts tagged ‘Westminister’
Westminister: Coalition: one year on
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011agendaNi reviews the Coalition Government’s first year in power and its impact on Northern Ireland. Westminster’s decisions on finance, security and the constitution have important local consequences. “We’re all in this together,” David Cameron affirmed as he visited Stormont last May. Yet one year on, as austerity starts to bite and the devolved nations dissent, Northern Ireland and Westminster seem further apart now than before the general election. This is partly because 2010-2011 has also been the first year of ‘full devolution’ in almost 40 years so Westminster’s...[full story]
Westminister: Westminster notes
Friday, April 15th, 2011Miliband offers open door Ed Miliband will keep an “open door” to the First and deputy First Ministers, in contrast to David Cameron’s refusal to meet them. The Conservatives have said that local parties must sort out their problems locally, rather than running to Downing Street. “This is a totally unacceptable situation and it’s something that certainly never happened under the stewardship of either Tony Blair or Gordon Brown,” said Martin McGuinness. Making his first visit to the province since becoming Labour leader, Miliband pledged to continue the bipartisan approach. The...[full story]
Westminister: Parliamentary memories
Friday, June 4th, 2010Outgoing Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Chairman Sir Patrick Cormack ponders 40 years of work in the House. I entered the House on the same day as Ian Paisley and I well remember sitting in front of him when he made his maiden speech. No one could fail to be impressed by his forceful eloquence and his mischievous smile, and over the years we became good friends. On the eve of direct rule, in March 1972, our younger son was baptised in the Chapel in the Palace. During the course of the afternoon politicians from Northern Ireland were scurrying hither and dither, and both Dr Paisley...[full story]
Westminister: Distant places & local faces
Friday, May 14th, 2010A look at the local-born election hopefuls and the seats they seek in Great Britain. The main election news, naturally, for Northern Ireland was who would fill our own 18 seats but the locals were also taking to the hustings across the UK. Several contenders who were born or brought up in the province were in the final stages of the campaign trail as we went to press. As reported in March, Labour MP Kate Hoey (from County Antrim farming stock) was defending Vauxhall against Conservative challenger Glyn Chambers (a Belfast native), with Hoey being the clear favourite to keep the inner...[full story]
Westminister: After the collapse
Friday, May 14th, 2010With only one MP the UUP were able to make more in- roads after devolution but they found themselves hampered by the economic downturn. In 2005 the Ulster Unionist manifesto stated that they were “simply British” and the party pledged they would put Northern Ireland “at the heart of the union”. Five years later they are part of an often complicated partnership with the Tories and were left without an MP following Sylvia Hermon’s resignation. Understandably, circumstances change, but the party’s introductory comment that “we do not intend to re-enter an Executive that includes...[full story]
Westminister: High hopes but a modest return
Friday, May 14th, 2010Taking up the social development remit in 2007, the SDLP has arguably delivered on its housing priorities but has had little influence elsewhere. “The SDLP can deliver a United Ireland”, the party’s 2005 manifesto boldly states. Its view of unity, it said, should not be feared by unionists as the same rights and protections that exist for the nationalist community would be in place for them within a united Ireland. Further North/South development was a running theme. The level of co-operation was to be expanded to “reach its true potential”. A squeeze on the moderate parties...[full story]
Westminister: A steady term for Sinn Féin
Friday, May 14th, 2010Republicans can point to successes in the peace process but their performance since devolution returned was more modest. Sinn Féin sees Westminster elections as opportunities to build up support, as it did five years ago with an extra seat. However, the party had broadly the same number of voters as it did in 2001. Following devolution, Sinn Féin’s real power to change policy lay in education, agriculture, transport and water. As the party abstains from Parliament, it relies on negotiations with the British Government to achieve changes in non-devolved areas such as finance, broadcasting...[full story]
Westminister: Outsiders to insiders
Friday, May 14th, 2010The party with the most MPs and MLAs has, in the main, successfully influenced important policies, especially when in government. Full of statements and criticisms of their three main rivals rather than pledges, the DUP’s 2005 manifesto claims that the election would be “a battle with Sinn Féin.” The transition from a “battle” in 2005 to the ‘Chuckle Brothers’ in 2007 saw the party accused of a u-turn by hard-line unionists. However, they would argue that they did what they had to do to defend the union against the possibility of increasing influence from Dublin, whilst...[full story]
Westminister: A Parliament in review
Friday, May 14th, 2010agendaNi takes stock of what the 2005-2010 Parliament meant for Northern Ireland. 2005 Arriving at Westminster after the May 2005 poll, the House’s maiden members from the province were Mark Durkan, Alasdair McDonnell, Conor Murphy, David Simpson and Sammy Wilson. Murphy and the other Sinn Féin MPs started the session on a low note, with their expenses withdrawn after the Northern Bank robbery. Republicans rebuilt their credibility with the IRA’s decommissioning that September. Energetic and controversial, Peter Hain was introduced to Northern Ireland, soon becoming one of the province’s...[full story]
