Jeff Peel's Diary

It was a particular pleasure to attend PZ Myer’s lecture on complexity at Queen’s University last night. 

The lecture focused on how complexity arises naturally (i.e. in nature) to produce apparently designed outcomes.  The apparent design, of course, is the reason why creationists and intelligent design advocates (such as the DUP’s very own Edwin Poots – living proof that Grammar Schools don’t always produce well educated people) argue that there must be a designer AKA, um, God. 

PZ used many examples of how nature does indeed produce – with designed-like qualities – complexity.

My preferred example was – bless ‘em – creatures with a penchant for eating nylon.  No I’m not talking about some fetishist here, I’m referring, of course, to the Flavobacterium Sp. K172 that chomps away merrily on the Nylon effluent produced by plastics manufacturers in Japan. 

Long and short, these bacteria evolved rapidly to attain this rather esoteric ability.  Moreover scientists have managed to replicate this particular process of natural selection in a test tube. 

Over on Wikipedia these celebrity bacteria have their very own page on the role they have played in debunking the creationist and intelligent design mumbo jumbo.

Yesterday I wrote to Tim Montgomerie of Conservative Home and asked him to allow me write an article arguing why the so-called partnership between the Conservative Party and the UUP was now completely discredited.  He declined my offer. 

Tim was always very keen to offer me space when I was Vice Chair of the Conservatives here – prior to my expulsion as an officer of the Party.  Moreover he is very happy to provide Owen Paterson virtually unlimited blog inches.  Just yesterday he covered the unfolding events here…and featured statements from Sir Reg and Owen. 

However, he refused me the opportunity to argue why the partnership is now throughly discredited – based on the disingenuous behaviour by the UUP leadership and the lack of discipline within the Party.  This lack of discipline allows the incumbent MP to distance herself from her own leadership and for 2 MLAs (Danny Kennedy and David McNarry) to publically back a union with the DUP - without any attempt by the leadership to distance itself from them (largely because they are part of that leadership). 

Tim’s decision to refuse me any opportunity to counteract the Paterson/Empey propaganda shows a clear lack of balance in Conservative Home editorial policy.  Tim must know that this deal is full of holes.  However his owner and paymaster, Lord Ashcroft, has been backing the UUP/Conservative deal with his personal wealth and bank-rolled Jim Nicholson’s election campaign.  Therefore criticism of the “partnership” is a little bit too close to Conservativehome. 

Come on Tim.  You know you want to.

I received the following report from James O’Fee this morning.  James writes his own blog. 

By James O’Fee

Addressing the Annual Dinner of the SDLP North Down Constituency Association on Friday evening as its guest speaker (a longstanding commitment), Lady Sylvia Hermon MP revealed that she will, if necessary, stand in this year’s General Election as an Independent in North Down.

Lady Sylvia repeated her appreciation of the warmth shown her by the North Down Constituency (which she has represented at Westminster since 2001), particularly on the occasion of her husband’s death when the house “looked like a florist’s”. [Recently Lady Sylvia has claimed that she would remain "loyal to her constituents", rather than to the Ulster Unionist Party for whom she won the seat and whose sole Westminster standard-bearer she has remained in this parliament.]

Lady Sylvia made no secret of her disillusion with the Ulster Unionist Party. She opened her remarks by telling the audience that it was a pleasure to see welcoming features, rather the grim faces and crossed arms she has encountered at recent Ulster Unionist meetings. Once again she poured scorn on its Leader, Sir Reg Empey. [Reportedly, in 2005 the UUs offered Sylvia, the Party's sole remaining MP, the Leadership after its electoral near wipe-out, though she declined on the understandable grounds of her husband's ill-health.] Of Sir Reg’s secret discussions in December with the DUP on Unionist unity, chaired by the Orange Order, Lady Sylvia opined that she didn’t know in which direction Sir Reg was now leading the UUP.

Lady Sylvia told us that she had only learnt of the UU demarche towards the Conservatives in an article in the DAILY TELEGRAPH of July 2008. She, the sole UU MP, had not been consulted. Of last Saturday’s Special Meeting of the UU Executive, Sylvia said that only one voice was raised in support of her stance in opposition to the UU/Conservative link.

Lady Sylvia expressed her general opinion of the Conservatives that they had done nothing for farmers (Lady Sylvia grew up on a small farm of 50 acres) or pensioners. Her husband, Sir Jack Hermon (then head of the RUC), had once flown from RAF Aldergrove to RAF Northolt, and then with a police escort to Chequers to meet Margaret Thatcher. Sir Jack’s message was that Mrs Thatcher’s policy towards the Republican hunger strikes was bringing Northern Ireland to the brink of disaster. Yet the Conservative Prime Minister’s first remark was to tell Sir Jack that a zip in his briefcase was broken.

David Cameron, like herself, was elected first in 2001. Yet the first time that Cameron had sought to speak to her was in November 2008, when the UU/Conservative pact was taking shape.

Lady Sylvia didn’t explicitly mention Thursday evening’s AGM of the North Down UU Constituency Association. The papers report she gained unanimous support – however, this was specifically for a motion “commending her work as an MP”. Nothing specifically relating to selection was discussed or decided. [i.e. on her reselection as a UU Parliamentary Candidate in North Down]

An experienced politician opinion was that such a vote was “the kiss of death”.

On “Unionist unity” Lady Sylvia told us that she would never stand as a “Unionist Unity” candidate. The DUP MPs at Westminster had never so much as shared a cup of tea with her. The DUP had sent no representive to Cardinal Cathal Daly’s funeral in Armagh (at which Lady Sylvia herself represented the UUP). Sir Jack had been a great admirer of Cardinal Daly (who served as Roman Catholic Primate 1990-96, see Cathal Daly 1917-2009, Thursday, January 7. 2010). What is more, the DUP failed to send a representive to the funeral of PSNI Constable Carroll, murdered by dissident Republicans last year. By way of contrast, Lady Sylvia spoke of the kindness of her Catholic neighbours in Tyrone towards her father, a widower with four young daughters. Lady Sylvia raised loud applause when she declared that we were all born the same and we all die the same.

I’m writing from memory. Apologies if I have some details wrong. More later. Of course I’ve been convinced for 18 months or so that Sylvia would defend her Westminster seat as an Independent, seeking to follow in North Down the steps of such “mavericks” as Sir Jim Kilfedder and Bob McCartney QC.

James O’Fee

John Strafford

John Strafford, a long-time friend of the Conservatives in Northern Ireland, has called for an end to the electoral pact between the Conservatives and UUP following the now-infamous talks at Hatfield House just over a week ago. 

Nick Robinson is also now running with the Hatfield story. 

I’ve just talked with John on the phone.  He is still very annoyed at how this debacle has unfolded and is perplexed by Owen Paterson’s decision to hold the talks in the first place.  Like me, he thinks this entire sorry episode reeks – and has set us back 20 years in terms of Party organisation here. 

Read the full story…

Shaun Woodward used to be a Conservative MP but now he’s a millionaire Labour MP married to the daughter of a former Conservative MP.  He’s the mouth-piece wheeled out to tut-tut over failed insurrections within Labour ranks.  He has been Northern Ireland’s largely invisible Secretary of State since 2005.  He’s visible only when he is required to try to ‘fix’ some impasse or hiatus in the “peace process”.

Married to Camilla Sainsbury, of Sainsbury supermarket fame, Shaun has a rather comfortable living.  It has been said he is the only Labour MP with a butler.  I’m not so sure.  It has also been suggested that he and his wife have a fortune of around £15m. 

What Mr Woodward does not have, however, are any discernable political principles.  His intervention in the Robinson affair shows very clearly that his political focus is always on process and never on principle, emotional response or ideology.  He also appears to assume, given his bizarre outburst today, that the political status quo is more important than any requirement for high standards in public office. 

Mr Woodward seems to have missed that the peace process is no longer a process and is now complete.  We’re now in the realm of real politics and real people – warts and all.  We can dispense with the process and just focus on the peace – and the politics. 

Politics can continue merrily with or without the involvement of a discredited First Minister.  Peace will be broken only when those who choose to disrupt the rule of law choose to do so.  The only people who can resolve “dissident” IRA violence are members of the PSNI - and people within the Republican movement who know who the terrorists are.  The peace process has nothing to do with politicians who claim to accept the rule of law and the requirement for peace. 

Shaun Woodward wants the “process” to continue and he appears to want Peter Robinson’s involvement.  Once again Mr Woodward shows just how little he knows about real politics and the very real and palpable need for ethics and standards in public service.  He is a politician that knows nothing of political principle and everything about political process. 

Thankfully, however, he will be largely ignored – and soon will be replaced.

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.

It’s rare that my day-job intersects with my quasi-political ‘life’.  However, last week I ran a conference in London focused on so-called Government 2.0 – and one of the sessions, chaired by Iain Dale - featured a really valuable and infectious contribution from Mick Fealty of Slugger O’Toole. 

Mick’s piece – he can barely get the words out fast enough – is just past my introduction about 3 minutes into the piece. 

Other panelists include Craig Elder of the Conservative Party and Stephen Tall of LibDem Voice.

It is an utter mystery to me why it is that we have to put up with BBC NI crazy programming schedules. Moreover why does BBC NI inflict so much local programming on us when there is often no need and no demand?

Tonight my kids were denied the opportunity to see “Life” because the schedulers insisted that an esoteric and confused piece by William Crawley on ‘faith’ had to come before the 10pm news slot – thereby pushing Life to 22.35.

Had Crawley provided us with an incisive exposition of how faith has poisoned Northern Ireland’s civic society it might have been worth the wait. Instead Crawley’s self-obsessed witterings sat, as usual, on the fence. He interviewed a Muslim here, a humanist there – but took no real position and reached no particular conclusion. It was usual Crawley circumlocutory piffle.

Life, on the other hand, was wonderful. My kids missed it because they were in bed. It should have been screened at 9.00pm – as it was in the rest of the UK.

BBC NI’s output is often pointless and nearly always gets in the way of the best of national content. If it insists on producing local programming it needs to pay due regard to what we really want to watch. I’m pretty sure it’s not William versus Life and David Attenborough.