Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness

William Murphy [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)] There was an unprecedented reaction when Julian Smith was replaced as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Brandon Lewis. On social media in particular, it seemed like the entire province was gnashing its teeth and rending its garments. But, what did the outgoing minister really achieve? He got the Assembly back up and running, partly because Sinn Fein and the DUP were desperate to avoid an election and partly thanks to some trickery during negotiations. During those talks, he comprehensively trashed the three-stranded approach, that prevents the Republic of Ireland government from interfering in Northern Ireland's affairs. There are already signs that the new power-sharing Executive is wobbling. The parties are unhappy with funding, as ever, and there's little reason to believe they're ready to take a fresh, responsible attitude to the public finances. So far, there have been plent...

Now that Northern Ireland's power-sharing institutions have been back at work for a couple of weeks, David from  The Dissenter and I met up to discuss how things have been going. So far, the new Assembly has been dominated by complaints about funding and the debacle over MOT tests, which are currently suspended due to equipment failure in the test centres. At the start of the last decade, we were in the midst of another crisis caused by crumbling water infrastructure. In the News Letter last week , I pointed out that nothing much had changed in the last ten years. By 2030 will Stormont have addressed the most pressing issues we face today? It's doubtful while the focus is always on attracting more money, rather than spending what we have wisely or effectively. There is little emphasis on genuine collaboration or a shared message from the new Executive. Instead, any difficult conversations about policy are immediately shut down. This is given visual expression by p...

William Murphy [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)] In the latest PoliticalOD podcast, we ask whether the New Decade, New Approach document really promises a new dawn at Stormont. A wave of optimism accompanied the deal - anything to get the institutions back together - but already, as I pointed out at CapX , the atmosphere is beginning to sour. An unseemly wrangle over money has broken out, as the parties struggle to explain how they'll pay for a wishlist of new commitments. As ever, their answer is that the Treasury should stump up the cash, but there is an atmosphere of wariness in London about funding Northern Ireland even more lavishly, thanks to the RHI inquiry's revelations. David and I examine more of the agreement's pitfalls. It was published in a way that flouted Strand 1 of the Belfast Agreement, it leaves key issues cloaked in ambiguity and it fails to address the structural frailties that cause Stormont to crash repeatedly. I wro...

The Dissenter and I discuss the origins of the health crisis, a prospective Stormont deal that will solve very little and the strategic challenges that face Boris on Brexit. You can listen at Podbean. Or at Spotify. ITunes. Pocketcasts. It would be very encouraging if you could rate and / or subscribe at your chosen service.

The Dissenter and I get together to discuss media coverage of Sinn Féin, the tendency to throw about pejoratives rather than deal with issues and the comparatively quiet election week. Find it at Podbean . Spotify. iTunes. Pockcasts.

In the latest PoliticalOD podcast, The Dissenter and I discuss the election and how the contest will pan out in Northern Ireland. The various anti-DUP pacts and the MPs standing down. Nationally, we ask whether we'll have a Tory government that rushes through the Withdrawal Agreement or a Labour administration that means more delay. Listen above, or: Download at Podbean . Listen on Spotify . Find us on iTunes . Find us on Pocketcasts.

  In the latest Political OD podcast (recorded 16/10/2019), David and I discuss the De Souza campaign's attack on British citizenship in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic's Father Ted economic model, which involves international companies' money resting in Dublin's account. For more on the issues covered, read The Dissenter's piece on the  Phantom Menace of the parasitic Irish economy . And here's my article covering  the De Souza case . Listen above, or: Download at Podbean. Listen on Spotify. Find us on iTunes. Find us on Pocketcasts. If you enjoy our chat, don't forget to subscribe wherever you choose to listen.