Archive for the ‘Alban Maguinness’ Category

Devolution of justice: part 2010

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Keeping with the theme of the Devolution of Justice, it’s appropiate at this stage to highlight the internal scrambling of SF on the issue. Where to start……

In the Assembly, SF is content to attack the SDLP to attempt to cover their many contradictions and weaknesses; claiming that we are attempting to serve our own interests in the issue of the allocation of the ministry.

You couldn’t make it up. SF; the party responsible for effectively collapsing the government for five months because they didn’t get their own way accuse the SDLP of being self serving!

We have made our position very clear. The method that the DUP conned SF into adopting for the allocation of the post is a major digression from the Good Friday Agreement. An agreement supported by the majority of the Irish people in a referendum. The SDLP is right and proper to oppose that method. Power Sharing and proportionality are fundamental pillars of the GFA and SF is blindly assisting the DUP in picking apart the agreement.

Alban Maginness said it well when he said ‘If we depart from d’Hondt, we effectively undermine and weaken partnership in this institution…It is also the fairest way to bring about proper representation and a level of input from every significant political opinion. If we abandon that, we abandon fairness…The SDLP is committed to d’Hondt and would like, in the first instance, d’Hondt to be completely rerun. If that is required, let us do that. If that cannot be achieved, let us top up d’Hondt ‘

It couldn’t be made any clearer that it’s not about the SDLP, but about the hard fought protections under the GFA that SF are giving away.

So John O’Dowd then outlined that SF are not selling out power sharing and that an SDLP member could apply for the post. But they needed a CV. And they needed to take that CV to Peter Robinson.

Wait. What? What did John O’Dowd say? Did he just say that in order for a nationalist to become Justice Minister; they have to prepare a CV, take their CV to Peter Robinson, a Unionist, and await an answer?

That’s outlined in the GFA where exactly?  What do you think his answer would be? 

SF are in a spin (pun) over this. They held their special Ard Fheis in 2007 and passed a motion to sign up to policing with the provision that Justice would be devolved by May 2008. It’s now the end of 2009. We’ll soon be in 2010.

It seems their “chief negotiator” is doing well then (on this, and everything/anything else).

Posted in Alban Maguinness, Assembly, DUP, Justice, Policing, SDLP, Sinn Fein | No Comments »

What Climate crisis?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

 

As Chair of SDLP Youth (SDLPY) I was part of an SDLP delegation that met with Irish Environment Minister, John Gormley TD to discuss North South arrangements, Climate Change and the SDLPY campaign “The Countdown is on” regarding international climate talks in Copenhagen.

When it comes to the North South bodies, it remains the fact that the DUP are blocking Climate Change being discussed at these meetings. So on the most important issue facing a generation, the DUP are blocking discussion and action.

They really are out of touch.

There is no denying that it still remains encoded in the DUP’s DNA the need to exclude and squeeze nationalists and Catholics, you can see that in how they behave in government, central and local, particularly over how they continually put down pre conditions on policing and justice negotiations.

These pre conditions are usually attacking what the SDLP fought for in the Good Friday Agreement; such as the Parades Commission, Equality Commission, Bill of Rights or North South Arrangements.

Sinn Fein are slow to the game but my party’s been saying that for a long time.

But this is the environment we are talking about, what rational reason can there be for excluding discussion and action on the most crucial issue facing us?

We pushed the Minister to get tough on the DUP on this and get this on the agenda. Time will tell if that will be the case.

SDLP Delegation met irish Environment Minister

SDLP Delegation meet Irish Environment Minister

Posted in Alban Maguinness, DUP, Environment, Matthew McDermott, SDLP, SDLP Youth, Youth | No Comments »

Post Election Summary….

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Sorry I haven’t been blogging much of late, but it has been a busy few weeks with the election and what not. It’s only fitting then that I provide a post election summary…

There have been many predictions about what these results mean for parties, some accurate and some not so accurate. In any case I will add mine into that mix.

This election was not a good election. Not for my party, not for SF, not for UCUNF and especially not the DUP. It was just a bad election for NI in general and right across the European Union. Turn out was low, very low.

SF stagnated, albeit with more first preferences than the other parties. But they stagnated. They would have gained no more Assembly seats had this been an Assembly election. People in the North and South know what they offer. There’s no doubt that they found it hard to get their vote out.

In the South, they took a nosedive. Lost their European seat and had a poor performance in the locals. If they can’t gain when the government is getting a kicking, when can they? So it’s probably safe to say that unless something drastic changes for SF in the South, they’re in trouble.

The DUP are also in trouble. Rumour has it that there will soon be a few high profile defections to the TUV and a few back to the UUP, now UCUNF. Only time will tell. The DUP are looking over their shoulder at the TUV so politics in the North is going to be even more difficult to move on. Some are already saying that it could collapse. I wouldn’t think so, but things like the devolution of justice will now be virtually impossible for SF to deliver. As will the Irish Language Act etc etc so more eye wiping to follow, which is just bad news foe NI.

The SDLP vote did hold and we gained a little extra. We would have gained an additional two seats had this been an assembly election.  while this is OK, it’s not great, nothing to be happy about and certainly nothing to boast about. Although, Alban did run a very energetic, positive, strong campaign and should be commended. 

We do need to do better though. We need to offer the 58% of the electorate that chose to stay at home that we have something to offer them. So while SF are defined and will find it hard to shift any more ground without losing support, we have an opportunity to redefine ourselves and relate to those that feel no affiliation.

There is a new breed of politics in the SDLP, something that SF has failed to do. There is no desire for sectarian politics and only the desire to move NI forward. The SDLP will continue to redefine itself and purpose, will continue to make room and offer those 58% of the people who have no voice with a voice. We have that opportunity, others don’t.

Posted in Alban Maguinness, DUP, Europe, SDLP, Sinn Fein, TUV, UCUNF | 3 Comments »

So I was out canvassing and…..

Monday, May 18th, 2009

…..I knocked on a door and this nice (but noticeably odd) little man answered. I said the ‘I’m calling on behalf of Alban Maginness and the SDLP regarding….’ introduction, but I was stopped in my tracks. ‘No thanks’, he said, ‘I’m a communist, I always vote SF’. Confused and curious I said, ‘OK, well you do realise that there is a bit of a contradiction in….’ Stopped again.

‘I said I’m a communist and I vote for SF, your not a communist, your a right winger, so I would never vote for you’

I proceeded with a few simple questions.

‘How do you reconcile that, you do realise that the SDLP voted against the Programme for Government mainly because it is right wing? 

You also realise that SF wrote the ring wing programme and stick by it to this day, even in the current economic climate? 

Tell me how does a communist SF supporter view the current privatisation in education, on Sinn Fein’s watch?’

I could see his mind trying to process what I was saying and then thought I was about to get an answer.

His response. He tried to kick me. The nice but noticeably odd little man tried to kick me. And then shouted me off his front door. Nice.

Posted in Alban Maguinness, Constituents, Europe, Matthew McDermott, SDLP, Sinn Fein, West Belfast | No Comments »

SDLP Bloggers Breakfast (well 10am)

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

Alban Maginness - the SDLP’s European candidate has invited me, and every other blogger who can get along, to a ‘bloggers breakfast’ in Dukes Hotel, Belfast. The purpose: to see for the first time the SDLP European PEB – which has been launched on youtube before being aired tonight.  

SDLP 2009 PEB

The room was full, there was a great atmosphere, considering this was, I believe, the first event of it’s kind in the north.

As a blogger beside me said ‘ This is a bit of a coup for the SDLP.’ I think that statement maybe summed up both the nature and substance of the event (although there was a slight technical issue with the sound for a second or two!!).

I’m sure others will give their thoughts on the event on sites such slugger, and their own personal blogs, later, and the reporting of the event should make for interesting reading.  

Alban’s blog also went live today. And his website has been up for a few weeks.

The message is simple: You haven’t had a pro European voice in Europe for too long now, We can win: and When We Win, You Win.

Posted in Alban Maguinness, Bloggers, Europe, Matthew McDermott, SDLP | 1 Comment »

Miscarrages of Justice – SDLP Newry Event

Monday, April 20th, 2009

As regular readers of no gloss just matt will be aware, SDLP in West Belfast held a Miscarriages of Justice event at the SDLP Annual Conference. The event was very successful and very well attended.

The atmosphere of the event, due to the speakers very moving contributions, was poignant, and the SDLP agreed to follow this up with another similar event for those who where not able to attend the one in Armagh.

SDLP Newry have now arranged an event to be held this Wednesday in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry at 7.30pm. Everyone is invited.

 

Speakers include, no gloss just matt contributor Gerry Conlon of the Gilford Four, Breege Quinn, who’s son Paul Quinn was murdered with no one brought to justice, Raymond McCord, who’s son Raymond McCord Jnr was murdered and Anne Morgan, who’s brother, Seamus Ruddy is one of the disappeared.

The event will be chaired by the SDLP’s Alban Maguinness MLA, the party’s European Candidate and Justice Spokesperson.

If you couldn’t get to the event in Armagh in January, or if you are interested in the (lack of) Justice processes in NI relating the troubles/paramilitaries, or if you want to hear moving personal testimonies from tireless campaigners for justice, I would highly recommend that you try and attend.

Posted in Alban Maguinness, Gerry Conlon, Justice, Newry, Oversight, Paramilitaries, Peace, Policing, SDLP, Troubles, West Belfast | 1 Comment »