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).

Gregory Campbell has said that it will be a number of years yet before we successfully devolve justice powers to Northern Ireland.

Martin McGuinness has said that there will be severe political consequences if there isn’t a date for devolution before Christmas (which is funny, considering earlier this month they voted down an SDLP motion calling for just that – but we’ll park that).

I suppose this is the definition of a stalemate really. Just like everything else in the DUP/SF dominated Executive at the minute.

It’s quite obvious that Peter Robinson is having internal difficulties with his own party, the Dodds and Campbells and the like. While he needed, and was quite content I should add, to use them to get what he wanted (the top job), he is now faced with an internal power struggle against those very people he needed to oust Paisley. Hence Campbell putting down a maker.

Add that to the fact that Robinson knows that the best method of challenging the TUV is to go to the electorate with a record of delivery, delivery that is noticeable and that makes a difference to the general public. Something he is failing to do.

So he has turned to blaming the institutions for those failures. He claims that they are not designed to deliver fast or work properly. What he fails to mention though is that the ‘mutual veto’ (the mechanism holding everything up) is the mechanism that he negotiated at St. Andrew’s and that his party and Sinn Fein were happy with. Attacking the institutions is so transparent and pretty weak from the leader of the largest party.

On the one hand, the TUV are breathing down his neck and on the other SF are holding up progress (equal to the DUP, on different issues). To blame the system and not address the issues in his own party he will soon find to be a flawed strategy.

People are beyond the point of accepting the argument that “it’s the system, not us” and just want value for money and delivery from their government. The fact is, this is the system these parties wanted and they are both culpable for the failure to deliver. The institutions work, it’s the dominant parties running them that don’t.

We all know that. Change of tactic for Mr Robinson I would presume.

On Wednesday 9 September the SDLP launched proposals for a radical overhaul of how our youth justice system should work here in the north.

The conference was addressed by a diverse section of people; some within the youth justice system and others outside, including those who felt failed by aspects of the wider justice system.

The PSNI, Youth Justice Agency, Include Youth, Children’s Law Centre, NIACRO and Sarah Holland all took part and gave invaluable contributions and testimonies and for that I thank them.

We all know that there are some serious issues surrounding the whole process of the devolution of justice, including the unnecessary and damaging delay. The SDLP has been consistent in highlighting those issues and challenging those most responsible for delivery. The conference heard in the strongest terms condemnation of those responsible, namely Sinn Fein and the DUP. While they may think it’s fine to play politics and position themselves using this issue, the SDLP believes these issues are much too important to play politics with.

When you hear the failures of the system from the Holland family and how they where let down, and realise that the only plausible way for reform is devolution, it’s time the two parties, if they really are serious about community safety, get their acts together.

Another message really needs to sink in to these parties – while devolution of justice is important, what is equally important is having the right policies in place to reform the system when we do get those powers. Because as it stands the system is simply not delivering to its full potential. The SDLP has outlined our youth justice policy, and we will be rolling out a program of work around it, as well as other key aspects of the justice system over the coming months; we suggest other parties listen up and follow suit. 

A journalist very recently labeled the SDLP the “Social Democratic and Lock ‘Em Up Party” when it comes to tackling justice and crime; claiming we have no consistant policies when it comes to justice. That journalist was invited on Wednesday, but unfortunately was unable to attend. I’d be happy to sit down with him anytime to go over my Party’s consistant positions on criminal justice, and let him have the opportunity to acknowledge his mistake.

Back in Febuary of this year I blogged about the SDLP proposals which are here.

West Belfast SDLP held the second of a series of public meetings around major community issues, following the highly successful conference on terror threats and national security. The second meeting was on academic selection and the transfer mess that parents, teachers and children are currently faced with.

We will be holding other events around this issue, it was clear from the mood in the room on Tuesday night (30 June 2009) that parents, teachers and most worryingly, children are in deep stress and concerned about this situation.

It is important that this issue does not to go off the political radar, particularly over the summer months. In fact, while this issue represents a crushing failure in our politics and our system, if politicians take the summer recess off from the Assembly – that would clearly represent a slap in the face to all those parents.

The SDLP has already called for the Assembly to be reconvened over the summer, to tackle this issue and many more.  

We want to provide a platform for parents and teachers to air their views and ideas around finding a solution to the current untenable situation.  Many concerns as well as ideas where expressed on Tuesday, and we will be submitting these to the Minister, the Assembly Education Committee and all party leaders in a report drawn up from the meeting.

It is quite clear that Sinn Fein and the DUP have to shoulder a massive burden of blame for this mess. But both the State and those Catholic grammar schools that by their stubbornness have contributed to this situation must also equally shoulder a share of the responsibility. 

School children deserve better than this, better than the unregulated, unfair and unstable system. The SDLP will be keeping pressure on all the parties involved in this mess.

Sinn Fein failed to turn up which was noticed by those in attendance.

While claims where made (after the event) that this debate was an exercise in trying to make SF look bad on this issue, this couldn’t have been further from the truth. But in anycase, their failure to turn up clearly highlights a nervousness in SF around this issue, argubly demonstrated by their own exercise in distorting the Departmental consultation around the Ministers guidelines as well.

TRANSFER TEST: A WAY OUT

OF THE MESS?

You are invited to a public meeting to discuss the current chaos in our. education system

Balmoral Hotel, Dunmurry

Tuesday 30 June

630pm

Panellists:

Alex Attwood SDLP

Paul Butler SF

Olwin Frost Principal Oakwood IPS

Sinead Beare Principal Christ The Redeemer PS

Tony Gallagher QUB

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.

‘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.

My blog has now adopted another function…. to report weekly on the Andersonstown News and it’s coverage. Why?

Over a year ago I decided to refuse an award from Belfast Media Group in protest of the Squinter/Adams stuff and ever since then the paper has censored me from their pages. Literally, cut me out of press releases and cut me out of photos when they printed them (but then published the full photo on their website)

If I’m being honest the paper, as a NEWSpaper just doesn’t measure up. They need exposed for what they are: unprofessional, poor, partisan, stalinist, spineless with amateur editing. The paper is a farce if ever there was one.

Take today for example, 14th May. I am taking part in the Lisburn Half marathon, along with Alex Attwood in aid of Tiny Life.

Now that’s a nice story isn’t it?  The paper has the head line, ‘SDLP members going on the run’ (fair enough) but it’s print only mentions Alex, why does it say ‘members’ and then only mention one?

Well that’s because it’s been censoring me for over a year for having the ’cheek,’ as one person put it, to criticise the paper over it’s handling of the Squinter/Adams farce.

The SDLP has been recording every instance of censorship  that the paper shamelessly and regularly indulges in, including altered photographs. The report will soon be launched.

The paper should be exposed. Anyone who has been censored by the paper, who dislikes it’s partisan view of the world, who believes it’s a waste of tress should comment. 

P.s. did they run the story about SF claiming excessive expenses from your pockets… what do you think?

I attended the rally today at City Hall in support of workers who are suddenly finding themselves out of work.

There was a small turn out - when you compare the rally here to the rallies across Ireland and Britain, coupled with the fact that we here in NI are going to be hit worse than England, Wales or Scotland in terms of job loses - the turn out was disappointing. It is all of our responsibilities to ensure that workers have their rights protected. Anyone could be next.

It’s in our nature here, until it affects us we generally don’t pay attention. We vote for the same politicians who consistently fail to help us, and we will again when the EU election comes along.

Our political leaders, the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s response to the economic crisis: attack the Belfast Telegraph for raising the issue. Are they for real? Notably the National Union of Journalists attended the rally – no doubt to sent that same message to our so-called leaders.

While the speakers where very good, they consistently failed to call up those that have the biggest responsibilty here to deal with job losses.

Sinn Fein and the DUP!

They didn’t name Robinson or Maguinness – SF representatives told us on easter that they have co ownership of the institutions, well they must accept then, along with that comes co-responsibility and co-failure to act. As well as co-blame for the executive turning a blind eye to what is happening.

It’s time to get real, people are losing their jobs, homes are being repossessed, people are being taken to court, employers are walking all over them.

Time to turn up the pressure. Time to put Mr Adams and his co-ownership rhetoric to the test.

Time for a new budget and programme for government.

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Time for help for our workers.

Time to help the economy. 

Time for movement.

Time for action.

As I mentioned in a previous post, all over the world governments are reprioritising their budgets and spending priorities. Not here, oh no, that would be just too normal. We only need to look at the Environment Minister and we soon realise how serious some parties are at actually governing the north. Or indeed our Education Minister for that matter.

But now significant pressure is being brought to bear on DUP/SF and I think it’s only a matter of time before they have to acknowledge the reality. Well you would think wouldn’t you? Every day they delay the inevitable is a day that we all have to suffer.

I was at a debate recently and a DUP politician told the audience that I had to defend the SDLP’s policy on fixing the economy. Yes, you read that right. He failed to acknowledge that his party holds the finance ministry, the enterprise and trade ministry and the post of First Minister, he failed to acknowledge that they are the majority party in government and the assembly, that there is going to be a £1 billion black hole in the budget, that people are losing their jobs, that businesses are going under, that we are in a bad financial state at all. But I had to defend my party’s position!

Bear in mind, this was before we launched our economic discussion document this week (available below). This was simply when we where calling for a reprioritising of our spending in these worsening financial times. So apparently we needed to defend the fact that we are facing up to what everyone is facing up to-we are in a crisis, time for solutions, time for some action.

The DUP Finance Minister’s stance on the economic situation is very much like the DUP Environment Minister’s stance on our contribution to global warming. They deny it is happening. This is what we are up against (with not a word from SF). But, let the debate at least start, and lets get on with it.

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