A trip to Dublin the day before the State visit of Her Majesty The Queen takes some interesting turns around the city. Continue reading One Royalist, three Americans, as Dublin prepares to welcome Queen Elizabeth II
At the first sitting of this mandate of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Speaker Hay had his work cut out keeping Jim Allister MLA in check – here’s Wordle’s take on what the TUV leader said… Continue reading Day One of new Assembly – the clown has his first words…
Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, voters in Northern Ireland are required to show identification when in the polling station to get their ballot papers. Perhaps this should be brought in across the UK as a whole? Polls are open from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., ID that is valid includes: A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) A UK, Irish or EU passport An electoral identity card A Translink Senior SmartPass A Translink 60+ SmartPass A Translink War Disabled SmartPass A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass Elections tomorrow are for the Northern Ireland Assembly’s 108 members, all 26 district councils … Continue reading Northern Ireland voters MUST remember their ID to vote #yes2av on May 5th
Dan Snow explains the reasons why voting #yes2av on May 5th really is the best option available to us. It’s as simple as deciding on going to the pub or coffee or which pub to go to. Continue reading dishy historian explains why #yes2av is the simple solution to finding the candidate the majority is happy with
As you will see from here and other places online, the YES! campaign in Northern Ireland has been the length and breadth of the province – from Enniskillen, to Armagh, Belfast, Londonderry/Derry, Coleraine, Portrush as well as making the trip to Rathlin Island. Today the campaign is out and about in South Belfast connecting with local voters including Andrew Liggins who said he is voting YES! On May 5th Andrew’s MP, Alistair McDonnell who is a member of the SDLP will be voting YES as well. This will mean that in the next election he will need to get more … Continue reading South Belfast voters say YES! to Fairer Votes
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
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
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”
freedom, fairness and responsibility The three words that we are told by the Liberal Democrat Federal Party website sum up the Coalition Government’s Programme. However, I don’t see how it is promoting any of those when you consider what has just happened to the devolved countries’ finances. HM Treasury changed the rules Formerly, departments were allowed to carry over money from one year to another. In this way, Northern Ireland’s Department for Education had built up a reserve of £87m (2008 figures). Usually, making savings, is considered a good financial practice: building up reserves in case of need in the … Continue reading freedom, fairness, and responsibility: but not to NI!
Gyronny Herald 