When inviting people to Belfast Liberal Drinks yesterday, I didn’t know what people’s reaction would be. Following correspondence from one member, I have learnt more about PLR than I ever knew before. To be honest, I had not really thought about how authors would be compensated for their books being borrowed from libraries.
With the news that HM Government in the United Kingdom is looking at slashing the Winter Fuel payments to those over 60 years of age, there has been quite a lot of comment on this proposal*.
Whilst reading Caron’s Musings having met her and her daughter Anna (who was signed up to the Liberal Democrats by me at the weekend), I remembered that Trevor Lunn MLA had done something about this inequality back in 2008. I know, I designed the logo that was used. Continue reading “winter fuel payment – not a solution, but a temporary fix”
For many politicians there are many policies to which they refer as “Wars on X”. In recent years, most notably we have the “War on Terror”, and the “War on Drugs”. When the former was used by President George W. Bush,
to denote a global military, political, legal and ideological struggle against organizations designated as terrorist and regimes that were accused of having a connection to them or providing them with support or were perceived, or presented as posing a threat to the US and its allies in general. It was typically used with a particular focus on militant Islamists and al-Qaeda” militant Islamists and al-Qaeda.
(from War on Terror (my emphases in bold)) Continue reading “time to call a halt on the war on drugs”
And so a new chapter has opened in the history of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Last night, Her Majesty The Queen invited The Right Honourable David Cameron MP, Leader of the Conservative Party to form a government following the resignation of The Right Honourable Gordon Brown MP as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury. At the time it was not know whether Mr Cameron would form a minority government or a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Of course, since then we have learnt that it is the first coalition government at Westminster for … Continue reading A strange new world: Tory/LibDem coalition takes office as HM Government in the United Kingdom
Following on from my post about the support of HM Government in the United Kingdom of the ban on the use of Irish in the courts of this land, I was in Kelly’s Cellars in Belfast and saw a sticker on the wall, but being me I didn’t quite like the design – so have made a new design…. Continue reading Aisghairigí an Péindlí Deireanach!
… in East Antrim Politics Can Get Better Isn’t about time we elected politicians who could move this place forward? I am told that the Alliance Party members living in the East Antrim parliamentary constituency have received a leaflet from a candidate who is seeking selection as the Alliance candidate for the next General Election. No stranger to new methods of working, Gerry Lynch is probably the first Alliance member to mail all the members of the Association. He has also set up a campaign website. Gerry Lynch promises to get the Assembly moving create a shared future argue Northern … Continue reading A new era for politics…
The Northern Ireland Assembly is not currently noted for its progress in moving forward. With fewer Assembly Acts being passed in our Assembly than the other devolved administrations in the United Kingdom, the public looks on at the seemingly endless deadlock in the house on the hill at Stormont.
However, among the 108 MLAs, Anna Manwah Lo MBE (盧曼華)is one who has made a significant difference to the Assembly since she was elected. Continue reading “Anna Lo MLA – Northern Ireland Woman of the Year”
It’s nearly July – so it’s time for lamp posts to turn into flagpoles You know you’re from Northern Ireland when you find yourself referring to lampposts as ‘flagpoles’. It’s nearly July so in many areas we have flags ‘decorating’ these flagpoles lampposts. It wouldn’t be so bad if the flags were at full mast on their flagpoles lampposts, but rarely are they at the top. Thus it often appears that we are in permanent mourning for someone. This afternoon as I drove from Parliament Buildings to the city centre I spotted some particular stupidities. Some well-meaning so-called Loyalists have … Continue reading Flags – some oddities, and some stupidities!
Education Crisis continues The apparent blackmailing of teachers in Northern Ireland’s primary schools is another shocking twist to the continuing debacle that has been caused by the lack of clarity from Sinn Féin Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane MLA. This has not been helped by the apparent incapability of the NI Executive to work together on any issue. Education committee hears of blackmail The news of the blackmail came today as the main teaching unions gave evidence to the Assembly’s Education Committee. Representatives of the NASUWT, UTU, ATL were at Stormont. They told of parents stating that unless pupils were ‘coached’ … Continue reading Grammar school tests making parents ‘blackmail’
Finance Minister absent from chamber once again Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister Nigel Dodds MP MLA is once again absent from the Assembly. The Budget (No. 2) Bill is being debated, but being steered through by Arlene Foster MLA, Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Investment. One wonders what Mr Dodds is up to? Is he shirking his duties? Or perhaps it is an indication of the impending DUP reshuffle. Is Arlene going to be the new Finance Minister? Continue reading Arlene for Finance Ministry?
Gyronny Herald 