It’s approximately 10 years since I returned to Northern Ireland – after more than a decade away.
I’m not sure much has changed in the last 10 years. Technology has improved, I suppose. Ten years ago we were only seeing the earliest stirrings of what we now refer to as social media. Blogging was largely unknown. But neither social media nor blogging have resulted in massive social change (Twitter was supposed to install democracy in Iran. It didn’t).
Before social media we had the telephone. Now it’s a technology that is largely ignored – except as a carrier for data. Where telephone lines used to carry voice, now they, largely, carry data. But the data is of the same old ilk. Now it’s possible to watch West Belfast joy-riders on YouTube. The media have changed but the same old things are being said and done.
On the positive side, Northern Ireland is a much less violent place. Rhetoric has replaced retribution. However often the rhetoric sounds all too similar to how it has always sounded. Because still we have our stunted political system that thrives and reflects our society’s underlying puny-mindedness.
However, at least we can be thankful for something as we are about to start this new decade. Iris Robinson is leaving public life. Perhaps this is the Christmas sign we have been looking for as we take our faltering steps towards the teenies.
My hopes for the future? Well next year we’ll have a general election. My hope is that we will see – for the first time in Northern Ireland’s history – an impressive line-up of Conservative candidates fighting a general election with the full support of the Conservative Party leadership. I look forward to a Conservative, and not a UUP, candidate being chosen for South Belfast. This will be a media spotlight constituency. It’s important that the Conservative Party resolves to win it off the SDLP – not because the incumbent MP is a Catholic, but because of this.
Here are the key numbers about Alasdair McDonnell, MP for South Belfast (from TheyWorkForYou.com):
He has spoken in 12 debates in the last year — below average amongst MPs.
He has received answers to 9 written questions in the last year — below average amongst MPs.
He replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a very low number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2008, according to constituents.
He has voted in 22% of votes in parliament with this affiliation — well below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)
People have made 5 annotations on this MP’s speeches — below average amongst MPs.
Therefore I hope Alastair McDonnell will be replaced by Peter McCann as MP for South Belfast. That would be a great start to the new decade.
Recent Comments