Category: Northern Ireland life

Belfast, Blogging, Health, HIV, news, Northern Ireland life, politics, SDLP, Volunteering3 Comments

ending the stigma: guts needed to tackle it head on

Michael McFarland Campbell

cross-posted from positive hivblogger World AIDS Day 2010 It’s World AIDS Day 2010 today, another year has gone past, those of us living with HIV are still here – and still the stigma is being broken by some of us that are courageous enough to tell our friends, our family, and other people that we are here, living with HIV. “Coming Out” That’s right – telling others. So, today, I’m ‘coming out’ publicly on this blog as to I am. Complete with photo. Unsurprisingly given my job and other interests, I was at a political conference a few weeks ago. … Continue reading ending the stigma: guts needed to tackle it head on

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APNI, Conservatives, DUP, Fairer Votes, Labour, Lib Dems, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, politics, SDLP, Sinn Féin, TUV, UUPLeave a comment

It’s a small change – but it will make a big difference

Michael McFarland Campbell

The most ambitious voter contact programme in British political history will be getting off the ground this weekend. The first wave of a total of 50 phonebanks will be open in cities across the United Kingdom. The cause
? The campaign for Yes to Fairer Votes for the Referendum on May 5th on the voting system used for Westminster elections. 140,000 already signed up Saturday 4th December will go down in history as the day it started. Already 140,000 people have signed up to help the campaign. I am proud to be one of them. This campaign truly is one from … Continue reading It’s a small change – but it will make a big difference

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APNI, Belfast, DUP, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life1 Comment

Minister misleads the House: ministers must wise up

Michael McFarland Campbell

A sorry scene in a legislature Yesterday, we witnessed a sorry scene. A government minister getting up, answering questions, but answering them in a way so as to mislead the House. The government minister in question did so during First Minister’s Questions when answering a question from Dr Stephen Farry of the Alliance Party on the Cohesion, sharing and integration programme consultation, Democrati Unionist Junior Minister Robin Newton MBE MLA stated that: The consultation attracted 290 written responses Hansard, 29 Nov. 2010 and then just minutes later we heard the following exchange: Danny Kinahan: I thank the junior Minister for … Continue reading Minister misleads the House: ministers must wise up

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Belfast, Enniskillen, Law, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Police, PSNI, Regional DevelopmentLeave a comment

blue, yellow, and red: but not parking in Bucharest

Michael McFarland Campbell

Badge Holders * may usually park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours except where there is a ban on loading or unloading and at a few locations where local schemes apply. A guide for Blue Badge holders published by Roads Service, 2003 Blue Badges: Park where you like It seems that there are some rules which are unenforceable in those parts of Northern Ireland that are not in the Greater Belfast area. Those of us who are lucky enough to be deemed not to need a blue badge may not know all the rules for … Continue reading blue, yellow, and red: but not parking in Bucharest

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Law, London, Metropolitan Police, news, Northern Ireland life, PoliceLeave a comment

a worrying sign of things to come…

Michael McFarland Campbell

I was not at the protests in London this week, but having just watched a video on Oxford Spring I am very glad that I was not. It appears that the Mounted Section of the Metropolitan Police charged into the crowd. As Oxford Spring puts it: There is no excuse for this mounted police charge into the crowd. No, it is not on the scale of the Miner’s Strikes or the Peterloo Massacre but it is still grossly disproportionate to what the police officers faced. The Met’s police chief yesterday stated clearly that there was no cavalry charge. If he … Continue reading a worrying sign of things to come…

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Enniskillen, Fairer Votes, news, Northern Ireland life, politics, Sinn FéinLeave a comment

Court may not have ordered a re-run…

Michael McFarland Campbell

…but local campaigners are doing just that this Saturday The result in the General Election in Fermanagh & South Tyrone (FST) could hardly have been closer. Both Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin) and Rodney Connor (Independent) got 45.5% of the vote back in May. With 4 votes between them the result was taken to a costly electoral court. Would a vote using the Alternative Vote (AV) have made the result any clearer? Would it have made a difference? Stephen Glenn, Northern Ireland Organiser, and the Yes to  Fairer Votes team will be running a re-run* of the FST parliamentary election by … Continue reading Court may not have ordered a re-run…

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NIRailways, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Regional Development, Translink, TransportLeave a comment

everywhere else is getting investment in rail

Michael McFarland Campbell

British Railways

So the British railways* are to get investment of £8bn by the Coalition Government. Will there be further investment in the railway in Northern Ireland? Probably not.

Hopefully, the Northern Ireland block grant will get some money given to it using the Barnett formula, but I suppose it will be up to us to lobby Conor Murphy MP MLA, of Sinn Féin, the Minister for Regional Development Continue reading “everywhere else is getting investment in rail”

Belfast, Blogging, Justice, Law, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Police, PSNILeave a comment

blogged elsewhere: another attack – when will the scum stop?

Michael McFarland Campbell

Another attack in north Belfast The news that another man has been attacked in the Brompton Park area of the city is news that we should not be reading about. Not because it should go unreported, but because it ought not to be happening… read rest of story at Michael Campbell. Continue reading blogged elsewhere: another attack – when will the scum stop?

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Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Uncategorized2 Comments

Student Broad Left tries to interfere and gets it so wrong

Michael McFarland Campbell

After seeing and sharing a post about the NUS President closing registrations for a Black students’ event in London, I looked further at what Student Broad Left are about. I found the following sentence. Justice for Ireland: for equality, civil rights and a just peace. For the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Support for Irish self-determination and to bring an end to Britain’s role in that country. I don’t know which Good Friday Agreement they were reading – but it does not call for an end to Britain’s role in Ireland. It agrees that both HM Government in … Continue reading Student Broad Left tries to interfere and gets it so wrong

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Belfast, news, Northern Ireland life1 Comment

homophobia: still found in government

Michael McFarland Campbell

A friend has recently had cause to apply for Housing Benefit in Northern Ireland. This is not something that he or anyone should worry about. Just for clarification, this is not to Belfast City Council in whose area he lives as in Northern Ireland the housing function is carried out by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. What is the Northern Ireland Housing Executive? The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is a non-departmental public body, originally established by the Housing Executive Act (NI) 1971 (since superseded by the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981). Under the terms of the Act, the Housing Executive … Continue reading homophobia: still found in government

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