Sometimes I forget that Peter Robinson is First Minister of this place. I don’t know why I should. After all he gets the air-time. However, when I see all the fuss being made about his speech at the DUP Conference I wonder to myself, why all the fuss? And then I remember, oh yes, he’s First Minister.
They say that nations (or, in our case, little county-council sized regions) get the elected representatives they deserve. Perhaps. But I’m genuinely of the view that Peter Robinson is not truly happy in his political skin – it doesn’t quite fit. He has grown into it. People aren’t yet fully aware that he is First Minister. They still consider him to be that little angry chap with the dark glasses that used to hang on to big Ian’s coat-tails. School-boyish, career mini-politician.
But now he’s First Minister. He is our most public representative. He visits the White House and stuff and we’re all slightly embarrassed by it all when we remember he is what he is, and when we can be bothered to remember.
Peter is always indignant. He never seems happy. He is the opposite of cool. He is never relaxed. He is sure about God and Jesus and homosexuals. He doesn’t question received ‘wisdom’ that much.
Now his attention is turned away from ‘Republicans” and “Sinn Fein IRA” (because he’s in government with them) – and his wrath is directed at others. The Conservative Party. David Cameron. The TUV.
Everywhere he looks people don’t appreciate his certainty, his authority, his new found importance.
Peter wants to be liked, I suspect. No, he wants to be respected. He weathered the storm and climbed his greasy pole. Now that he’s at the top of it he looks down at his people and is strangely disappointed. His minions look dull from a distance. His acolytes appear a tad grey and insipid – even when ranting. He wants his empire to be better than this. He wants to be a real politician looking down on brighter, happier people but all he sees are adoring dullards.
Because Peter has become Chief Dullard. In Peter’s world the songs are sung not by gorgeous young Generation Xers but by the Rev William McCrea. Peter taps his foot to a dull and clanging rhythm that, strangely, disappoints him.
True, he knew that the pole was greasy and it would be tricky to climb. But, deep down, he is disappointed. And he’s not sure why.
LOL…see this?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7986060.stm
If you think he’s bad! I had a peek at Nigel Dodds speech and it came back to those old chestnuts:The Anglo Irish Agreement of 1985 and 1973′s Sunningdale Agreement. it just proves that Northern Ireland needs Thatcherism not Sectarianism!
“little county-council sized regions”? Only if you compare to counties in England. Local government units in most countries tend to be smaller. There are a dozen US states with a lower population than NI.
Your point being Andrew?
Ah, no real point. I’m just tired of people saying – or implying – that NI is “too small”.
It’s tiny Andrew – and there’s a great big world out there.
True, but the great big world is made up of many small places…
What is your problem with Christian politicians?
Since when has size determined a region’s importance or impact on the world?
The biggest political entities in this world have had very little impact relative to their size.
Furthermore, if a region’s impact and importance can be measured by the number of people, both inside and outside its borders, who deemed to value it as even greater than their own lives, then I’d say it has already proven its importance to the world.
As a Southerner, it also happens to count amongst its population the bravest and most dignified group of people I have ever learned of, namely the Catholic generations of 1910-1970. If only we had that mix of raw integrity and silent heroism in our midst in the South. What we wouldn’t achieve together!!!
Greetings to our esteemed Northern heroes.
Please remove my comment about Thatcherism as I no longer support the Tories and have also repudiated Thatcherism!