As the English & Welsh Criminal Records Bureau procedures are being revised, so Northern Ireland catches up – let’s hope they can get them to being along the same lines. Continue reading NI plays catch up criminal records review
Back in 1844 those who founded the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers would probably be surprised at how wide their ideas have spread. Within ten years of the opening of that first Co-operative shop which sold a very meagre selection of butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and a few candles and later tea and tobacco there were nearly a thousand co-operatives operating in the Britain. The Rochdale Pioneers produced the Rochdale Principles which the Co-operative Society continues to uphold. As a resident of Oxford for a number of years, I know the number of bicycles left abandoned in and around the … Continue reading Join the Revolution and make your area better
Positive results from the clinic on how Andrew has helped change how I am coping with living with HIV. Continue reading a mark of 8% is good news, and next to zero is even better…
Questionable parking from a police constable in Belfast – blocking entrance to a church car park with fewer than ten minutes to go before the Sunday morning service was due. Surely there are more places to park? Continue reading PSNI block entrance to All Souls’ Church: to go to Starbucks!
Following sectarian incidents at the Northern Ireland v Scotland match in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin recently, the Irish FA has said that
Information has now come to light which has provided the name of one of those involved. The Association will now seek to confirm the identity of this individual. If their identity is confirmed, the Irish FA will place a life time ban on this person from receiving tickets to all Northern Ireland home and away games.
I reiterate my hope that they will do this for any homophobic chanting at football matches under its control.
Today is 19 February 2011 and is the second international day opposing homophobia in football. Continue reading “will the Irish FA play teams in Homophobia v Football?”
Today in LGBT History Month, we have another good news story resulting from the Liberal Democrats forming the coalition government with the Tories in Westminster. Liberal Democrat Minister for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone MP has launched consultation on reforming the marriage and civil partnership laws in the United Kingdom sorry England & Wales in line with the Liberal Democrats Equal Marriage Policy voted on at Party Conference in September. Unfortunately, this will not be done across the UK as a whole which will mean that whilst Lynne is Minister for Equalities she will be putting out consultation on something that will … Continue reading Reforming the marriage law – why not on a UK basis? – Scotland and NI lag behind
Having waited over three months since the last communication from Roads Service concerning the signage in Botanic Avenue, I have written back to Mr Conall McKee seeking clarification of where they have got in their review process. It seems incredible that nothing appears to have been done. I will continue to press Roads Service on this issue. crossposted from Michael Carchrie Campbell Continue reading Botanic signage – further update
For many gay men in the United Kingdom, there was light at the end of a tunnel in the Government’s Protection of Freedoms Bill.
The Rt Hon David Cameron, wrote in an exclusive for Pink News:
We will change the law so that any past convictions for consensual homosexual sexual activities, which have since become lawful, will be treated as spent, and will not be disclosed on a criminal record check when applying for a job. This is a question of justice – and it’s right that we should change the law and wipe the slate clean.
Unfortunately, it seems that once again HMG is being economical with the truth. Continue reading “did Sir Humphrey give the advice on Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill?”
Updated on 13 March 2011 – thanks to Conor Prendergast
Last night, whilst most of Northern Ireland’s political bloggers were finding out about the stars of the Slugger Awards in the Cathedral Quarter of the city, some 50 or 60 people were observing UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects), aliens, planets, and stars in the Queen’s Quarter.
There was, however, some connexion between what was happening in Hill Street and in Elmwood Avenue. Three of the four of us that had been involved with the Hammering Out of the Slugger Awards were actually in one location and not the other. Guess which three and in which location we were to be found. Continue reading “UFOs observed in Queen’s Quarter”
In a recent case before Mr Justice Mostyn the Court of Protection held in The Law Courts in Newcastle, a disabled man, aged 41 years (hereinafter referred to as ‘Alan’ in line with the judgment) has been barred from having sex with another man until he has a better grasp of the health implications of his act.
According to Pink News,
In the meantime, he will be closely supervised by the local council to ensure his sexual activity is restricted to masturbation in his bedroom or bathroom – and nothing more.
I have some questions about this. Continue reading “no sex other than masturbation allowed – how do you check?”
Gyronny Herald 