Accept no substitutes! Apparently there is a new unionist group which calls itself 'These Islands'. Imitation is, of course, the sincerest form of flattery, but this new group has no connection with this website. If their intention is to explore potential new constitutional relationships between the nations of these islands, we wish them well. The … Continue reading It ain’t me, babe.
JK Rowling and women
#IStandWithJKR is #MeToo 2.0 Amy E. Sousa aka @KnownHeretic Jun 12 · 12 min read #IStandwithJKR is the new #MeToo. It is the continuation of women speaking up about our distinctly biological female experiences. Globally, some countries still experience norms of female infanticide, FGM, child marriages, forced pregnancy, period poverty, menstrual huts, surrogacy camps, being … Continue reading JK Rowling and women
The IEA’s Plan A+ for ‘free trade’ is the product of fanaticism
Sean Swan, September 2018 (yes, 2018) The hard Brexiteers’ desperate search for a Brexit policy was again on display in a Telegraph column (paywall) by Boris Johnson. He has found a new man and a new policy. Forget Chequers: there ‘is a far better solution’, he advised his readers, ‘a SuperCanada free trade deal broadly on … Continue reading The IEA’s Plan A+ for ‘free trade’ is the product of fanaticism
The Flaw in Parliament’s Act (or why Boris gets away with it)
It has been suggested that we will soon see many extraordinary things. Boris has been bound by Act of Parliament to seek an extension of Article 50, and if he fails to comply would be liable to court injunction forcing his compliance. Should he ignore the injunction – and he would apparently rather ‘be dead … Continue reading The Flaw in Parliament’s Act (or why Boris gets away with it)
Sinn Fein and the prospect of a hard Brexit: time to drop Abstentionism
The achievement of peace in Northern Ireland cannot be understood simply in terms of the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Peace was not an event: it was a process. That process was long and complex, but certain events were central to it. One such event was a speech given in November 1990 by … Continue reading Sinn Fein and the prospect of a hard Brexit: time to drop Abstentionism
Sinn Fein won’t drop its abstentionist policy over Brexit – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing
Polly Toynbee recently urged Sinn Fein to drop its abstentionist policy and attend Westminster in order to help defeat Brexit. She wrote of how ‘all red lines may be up for reconsideration – even one fixed since 1917, the question of Sinn Féin’s seats in parliament.’ Her reference was to Sinn Fein adopting a republican … Continue reading Sinn Fein won’t drop its abstentionist policy over Brexit – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing
Northern Ireland for English Cabinet Ministers and other beginners
Given the importance of the Irish border in the Brexit negotiations, the lack of knowledge about Northern Ireland displayed by senior English politicians is depressing. Perhaps the ultimate example of this was when Northern Ireland secretary, Karen Bradley, admitted that she: didn’t understand things like when elections are fought, for example, in Northern Ireland – … Continue reading Northern Ireland for English Cabinet Ministers and other beginners
Civil Rights: A Retrospective!
(The Irish Political Review is published by 'Athol Books', which is a survival of the B&ICO. The driving intellectual force behind both was/is Brendan Clifford) From: Irish Political Review: Editorials Date: November, 2018 By: Editorial Civil Rights: A Retrospective! The 50th anniversary of the start of the Northern 'Troubles' is upon us. Radio Ulster celebrated … Continue reading Civil Rights: A Retrospective!
Scotland and the Myth of the ‘Corbyn Bounce’
What explains the SNP’s performance in the 2017 general election? Although recent focus has been on the ‘Corbyn factor’ theory, Sean Swan writes that many factors were at play. Too much focus on Corbyn is not going to be productive for the SNP. The SNP, or at least sections of it, have been dissecting the … Continue reading Scotland and the Myth of the ‘Corbyn Bounce’
The Real SNP ‘Peak’ is yet to come – if…
The cleavages created by Labour’s 2017 electoral performance and by Brexit have made the political landscape more challenging for the SNP. But if the party are able to tack successfully into the new political winds, these challenges can be met, writes Sean Swan, making the forthcoming conference decisive for the party’s future. The SNP annual … Continue reading The Real SNP ‘Peak’ is yet to come – if…
These Islands 