Posts tagged ‘Westminster’
Westminster: The new Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010The changing role of the committee after the devolution of justice. Set up in 1994 to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has gone through major changes since justice was devolved in April. The new role of the NIO is to oversee the Northern Ireland devolution settlement and represent Northern Ireland interests at UK Government level and UK Government interests in Northern Ireland. However, Chairman Laurence Robertson thinks that the committee still has a wide remit: “Every government department...[full story]
Westminster: The new Shadow Cabinet
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010Despite losing out in Labour’s Shadow Cabinet elections, Shaun Woodward has resumed his post as Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary. The Labour leader can select some unsuccessful candidates for his frontbench team. Woodward remarked that he was “incredibly proud” to be re-appointed; he was backed by 72 of the 255 Labour MPs. Paul Goggins has returned to the backbenches. His replacement as Shadow NIO Minister is Eric Joyce, a former army major who served in Northern Ireland. Joyce is MP for Falkirk. agendaNi asked Labour why Woodward was offered the post and whether it was offered...[full story]
Westminster: Tony Blair on Northern Ireland
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010Peter Cheney considers what Tony Blair’s biography says about Northern Ireland. Only five living people know what it’s like to be the UK’s Prime Minister – a fact which in itself makes ‘A Journey’ an intriguing read. It’s not the first, nor the most comprehensive, book penned about the Blair years so many of the anecdotes are well-known. For an intensively detailed history, read Anthony Seldon’s biographies. But this is the inside story, written in an informal, almost conversational style. Northern Ireland readers may find the 47 pages on the province predictable as he...[full story]
