Archive for February, 2010

Next Entries »

Martin Salter, The Telegraph and The Pope

Published February 5, 2010 News , Opinion 17 Comments

There are a few comments elsewhere on this blog about Martin Salter’s comments about the Pope, his dress and his hypocrisy.  Just in case you missed it, here’s a link to the post and a little taster of what Martin wrote.  Well said Martin – although I’m not sure we’d agree about much else. 

I’ve never been entirely comfortable with the relationship between organised religion and politics. You only have to look across the water at Northern Ireland to understand the minefield that this lethal cocktail can create.

However, yesterday’s comments by the Pope on Britain’s lawmaking could possibly be the first time that a bloke in a dress has complained about equality legislation. According to His Holiness, Harriet Harman’s Equality Bill on how it’s not okay to discriminate against gay people (or old people, or black or disabled people for that matter) “violates natural law”, which is code for saying “we want all the benefits of living in a society where religious freedoms are protected, just as long as we don’t have to afford those protections to others.”

Yes but…

Published February 3, 2010 Opinion 13 Comments

The UUP’s latest cunning plan to do the deal with the Tories after all - after bizarre talks with the DUP about “Unionist Unity” – raises lots of yes…buts.

For example, Michael McGimpsey (pictured) on Spotlight last night, awkwardly positioned behind a strange Dr Who inspired podium device, implied that the electoral arrangements between the two parties applied only to Westminster elections i.e. did not extend to Assembly elections.  I think the Conservatives have a different view. 

He also implied that the arrangement could be suspended if he and the rest of the UUP leadership got the impression that the Conservatives were going a bit cold on the Union. 

For example if David Cameron were to wake up a few days after becoming Prime Minister and mutter to Samantha, “Hey Sam, I dunno why, but this morning I’m not that hot on the Union,” McGimpsey would be lobbying old Reg to pull out of the arrangements and return the UUP to regional irrelevance.

Also, how is the Westminster candidate carve-up supposed to work?  My expectation, when I was on the joint committee, was that there would be a 50/50 split between UUP nominees and Conservative.  But I’m sure the UUP will have a different view. 

And how will the joint committee ensure that the candidate list reflects all of our community and not just a part of it?  Oh and how will the joint committee make a bold statement that this new brand is intent on establishing non-sectarian politics here?

This pact is, as I’m bored typing, chock full of difficulties.  The next two weeks are going to be interesting.  I look forward to seeing the candidate line-up.

Hatfield House: Details Emerge

Published February 2, 2010 Opinion 5 Comments
Tags: , ,

Both The Guardian and The Times are running stories this morning about Owen Paterson’s tri-partite talks held in Hatfield House earlier in the month. 

Both stories suggest that the discussions focused on the creation of a united Unionist party in Northern Ireland politics.  In effect Paterson’s ambition was for the UUP and DUP to be absorbed into the Conservative Party.  This foolish initiative back-fired badly when the DUP promptly spilled the beans to the media.  A couple of the UUP’s more moronic MLAs played neatly into the DUP’s plans and argued the merits of Unionist unity as well.

This ill-conceived plan illustrates the extent of Paterson’s political naivity.  He may have learned his lessons from the experience but the learning comes too late.  In my view David Cameron needs to act swiftly to restore faith in his Northern Ireland project.  He could start by replacing Paterson.

However, the UUP ‘relationship’ is all but dead now.  Many UUP supporters of the link with the Conservative Party can show their support by joining the Conservative Party.  The Party should put up 18 candidates here at the general election – drawn entirely from its own membership. 

And I’m pretty sure that the three excellent candidates who withdrew from the candidate race would throw their hats back in.

Creationism Buster Comes to Belfast

Published February 1, 2010 News 14 Comments
Tags: , ,

PZ Myers

I’m especially delighted that PZ Myers, Professor of Biology at the University of Minnesota, and the American Humanist Association’s Humanist of the Year last year, will be giving a public lecture in Queen’s University on Friday evening.  His topic will be Complexity and Creationism – Promoting Evolutionary Biology to Non-Specialists. 

 PZ’s science blog Pharyngula featured the fringe meeting I organised at the Conservative Party conference in 2008 – he was amazed that Conservatives in the UK were sufficiently secular and open minded to allow Professor Richard Dawkins to address a fringe conference.

UUP Appoints Orangeman as Communications Head

Published February 1, 2010 Opinion 33 Comments
Tags: ,

Following the resignation of Alex Kane as Communications Director of the UUP one would have imagined that Sir Reg would have wanted to replace Alex with a public advocate of the partnership with the Conservatives. 

Instead Alex has been replaced by an Orangeman and apparent advocate for UUP-DUP “unionist unity” – Danny Kennedy.  Moreover, if Kennedy took a psychometric test I don’t think it’d reveal communications skills as a key attribute. 

After the leaked Hatfield House talks hit the headlines locally it was Danny who was trotted-out by the UUP at Stormont to argue why these talks were a good thing.  “The pro-Union people will welcome these talks,” he said.  By “pro-Union people” read “Protestant.”

He also appeared on the BBC’s Hearts and Minds Programme last week to defend the UUP’s decision to have secret talks with the DUP before Christmas – organised by the Orange Order.  He and Sammy Wilson of the DUP were practically at one on the programme  - agreeing enthusiastically with each other.  According to Kennedy, “It’s perfectly natural for those with a pro-Union disposition to have conversations with each other…perfectly natural to look at might happen in the future…”

Last week Owen Paterson and Sir Reg Empey issued statements indicating that the partnership between both parties was solid.  However, let’s look at where this relationship is.  There has been continued delay and vacillation on the part of the UUP committee to work with the Conservatives to select candidates – resulting in two cancelled trips by David Cameron to Northern Ireland to announce them.  The UUP’s one MP has announced she will be running as an independent rather than running as a Conservative and Unionist.  The UUP has had secret talks with the DUP about “Unionist unity”.  3 excellent Conservative candidates have withdrawn because of moves towards UUP/DUP unity.  And now the UUP has elevated an Orangeman and “Unionist unity” advocate to the role of Head of Communications.

One really has to ask what more the UUP has to do before Owen Paterson withdraws from this absurd partnership.  Surely this must be the final straw. 

Sir Reg Empey, if he is serious about a partnership with the Conservatives, should be removing the Party whip from Danny Kennedy and David McNarry.  However, now one of them is the Party’s official spokesman.

Alex Kane Resigns as Communications Director UUP

Published February 1, 2010 News 1 Comment

I gather that Alex Kane, Communications Director of the UUP, and News Letter hack, has resigned his UUP role.

Alex and I have had our run-ins in the past and have had one or two public spats.  It’ll be interesting to hear his reasons for resigning.

« Previous Page

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 29 other followers

Subscribe in a reader

Musings on things political and secular…

This is my site where I share my world views for anyone who might be remotely interested. Visit only if you think the content is interesting. Oh and comment is free. So go right ahead and agree or disagree. But, please, be kind and polite (especially to me).
Add to Technorati Favorites
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 29 other followers