Good Constituency Work or the Whiff of Sleaze?
Jim Allister called it a "bombshell". Ian Paisley Junior termed it a "damp squib". Certainly the letter, revealed under Freedom of Information, from David Hanson listing 6 North Antrim related issues raised by Ian Jr. on the day of St Andrews' Agreement has refocussed attention on the Giants' Causeway, Ballee and related matters.
Ian Junior is bullish, claiming he is just an assiduous constituency MLA. In a previous clip, repeated on last night's 91Èȱ¬ Newsline, he said he didn't mind using the "L" word (for lobbying) about the North West 200. But this morning the SDLP leader Mark Durkan used the "S" word (for sleaze), claiming the whiff of sleaze had been injected into the air and this is something both Ian Jr. and the DUP have to address.
With the junior minister enjoying the unswerving support of the most powerful politician in Northern Ireland, his father and First Minister, this may be just another storm in the media teacup. But the indications last night from some other DUP negotiators that they were unsighted on and angry about the North Antrim lobbying provoked an apology from Ian Jr. for any embarrassment which might have been caused.
It seems to me that the mood amongst Ian Jr.'s fellow DUP members will be crucial to how this pans out. Clearly other parties engaged in side deals, such as David Trimble seeking knighthoods for his supporters or Sinn Fein looking for concessions on On the Runs or the Irish language. At St Andrews, everyone was well aware that DUP negotiators were looking for concessions on academic selection and the rates. So is this more of the same or something different?
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PLANNING AN EXTENSION? – LOBBY YOUR LOCAL MLAs
Anyone now wanting to extend their domestic property need no longer go through the Planning Service. Just contact the local MLAs (all six) and they will raise the matter directly with the Prime Minister and the Northern Ireland Office. Surely everyone is entitled to equal treatment and necessarily receive a ‘statement of intent’. One may wish to drop a few Euros voluntarily into the poor box marked ‘every little helps’ as you exit the MLAs’ Advice Centres.
Your colleague Ms Purdy is now digging so deep she may soon require the services of a mechanical digger and she shouldn’t forget to wear her hard hat as good health and safety practice would advise.
What ever happened to our man ‘Trumpy’ – has he flitted back to Scotland?
Who is Jim Allister to even give an opinion on Politics? Why doesn’t he do what he did years ago and get on his bike and leave the politics stage once and for all. Jim my advice is leave it to people who are elected to speak for society. Go back and think of silly ideas to get your name in the press. Here is one for you. A fun run. You start off in New Zealand and we will see you in 10 years. Anyway back to Ian P Junior. For once I agree with him and support him. Let him have his deal with the white haired one (not Santa). Let him sort out local issues. Jim if there are computers in New Zealand listen to this. This is how to win votes. If someone sorted out local issues they will always get the communities support. I wish Politicians in South Down listened to that instead of flapping about. Again I say who has the best hospitals, schools, roads, shops? Who deals with anti social behaviour effectively? The ones who shout the loudest like Paisleys, Jeffrey and Peter Robinson. Not Margaret Ritchie, Not Catriona Ruane, Not Conor Murphy
This is good stuff. I'm enjoying it immensely.
Surely that's the way clear for First Minister Robinson now? Maybe he's the one giving Ms Purdy the juicy info!
Let's be clear what happened: this big tube took himself off to negotiations about the long-term future of his country and decided to tap the PM's shoulder about planning matters. I am utterly speechless.
P.S. Thanks for the "happy Christmas" Pandora. A bottle of claret every night of the holidays kind of dented my enthusiasm for returning the greeting, so happy Christmas 2008 and a prosperous 2009 to everybody before I forget!
Martin, I thought it was a tap on the shoulder and not shouting that brought results. I wonder if Blair will have much to say in his new book
Can you tell me exactly what is a concession about the Irish Language?
MARK RESPONDS: At St Andrews Sinn Fein secured a committment from the British government to introduce an Irish language act. I'm not sure if concession is the right word, but that is what I was referring to.
Good constituency work ?? Since when did any part of the North West 200 circuit fall within young Ian's constituency. Our Gregory must be spittin feathers at the missed opportunity.
Just shows how hard a worker and good a salesman our Ian Jnr is ....but then again he needs the free race day paddock passes for him and his da...!
@ Martin:
Three pretty poor examples of people getting things done:
Donaldson's a pompous eejit
Robinson's a thatcherite misogynist
and as for Paisley shouting the loudest, I'd describe him more as mumbling incoherently into his tie.
TRUMP TEED OFF!
Mark, I know you have been too busy up at Parliament Buildings reporting on the final draft Budget, so I have carried out my own research on the whereabouts of our man ‘Trumpy’.
Well, I can report - or rather relay - that your 91Èȱ¬ Scotland colleague, Colin Wright, travelled to New York for an exclusive interview. A bit slow off the mark, Mark, but console yourself in that you have the keys to the Tardis.
Mr Wright reports that Donald Trump called Alex Salmond ‘an amazing man’ and the Scottish government did a ‘great service’. So it would seem he will not be back in the Province unless the Assembly can come up with their own ‘amazing man’ – sadly no nominations come to mind.
@ Gavin:
Give me 3 examples of people who get things done. Whether Donaldson, Robinson, or Paisley is or is not what you allege who gets things done the most? Look at areas with strong SDLP, Sinn Fein or UUP support. What have they got? Nothing. Whether I like these politicians or not you have to admire them for getting the best for their community. Take South Down for example. With a strong SDLP and Sinn Fein support what have they got? Old hospitals, schools and roads. I rest my case.