There has been some speculation that Boris Johnson will finally bring the Irish government to heel in Dublin. The trouble is that whatever the shortcomings of Leo Varadkar’s domestic handling of Brexit he is now locked in by the consensus around his own deal with May.
Furthermore, no one who is serious in Dublin politics believes much of anything he chances to say in his frenetic efforts to get to the top of the Conservative party. But that does not mean he is not perceived as a threat, as I noted on Sky News the other night:
He very much is, and the Irish economy remains (as it has been all along) a major hostage to the whole Brexit process. Despite the potential damage to that economy, Ireland’s written constitution (with its binding use of referendums) ties the arms of the executive.
Ireland (and the willing majority of its citizens) are committed to the EU and by extension, to the protection of the Single Market in the face of the potential of a future freebooting UK. Mrs May plugged the gap with something called theIrish Backstop.
If Mr Johnson wants to change that it, he can. But there is no way a new solution will be ready in time for the deadline (it’s doubtful given he’d only have two weeks in power by then that he’d have time to push through a tweaked version of Mrs May’s deal).
Then again there is also no way that Donald Trump ever intended building a wall. For Ireland, under the current terms, the backstop is all there is until and unless it is tweaked in a way that unlocks that still unlikely majority in the House of Commons.
If there’s fault on the Irish side, it was in donning the green jersey and encouraging the backstop to be objectified as a form of market annexation of Northern Ireland.
More fundamentally the bilateral decision to place the Irish border at the centre of Irish politics has done infinitely more damage to Irish politics north and south than any other single aspect of these negotiations.
Like Brexit itself, this was always certain to fail the exponentially high expectations that were set for it. A classic Johnson-eque lie that it is ever possible to have your cake and eat it.
Loyalist band member Chris Wilson is charged with destroying Sinn Fein election posters
17 July, 2019 17:00
A Kilkeel loyalist band member has been charged with stealing and destroying Sinn Féin council election posters.
Chris Wilson (22), of Ballymegeogh Road, is charged with theft, going equipped for theft and criminal damage on March 30.
The defendant appeared in Newry Magistrates Court today.
Wilson is alleged to have been found equipped with gloves and a ladder to scale poles in the area adorned with republican candidate posters for the local authority elections.
Details were not brought forward in open court, but it is understood that the Rising Sons of the Valley Flute Band drummer is accused of stealing and destroying posters promoting south Down Sinn Féin candidates for the recent Newry, Mourne and Down District Council elections.
District judge Eamonn King released Wilson on £250 bail with the conditions that he resides at an agreed address and presents himself at the door for PSNI checks during curfew hours of 11pm and 5.40am.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION:
Demand Senator Mike Lee Lift Hold
On 9/11 VCF Permanent Authorization Act
After finally getting The Never Forget The Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has placed a hold on the bill, preventing it from advancing to the floor of the Senate for a vote and further delaying the help that 9/11 responders need and deserve.
The U.S House passed the bill last week by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 402-12.
We need our members to call Senator Lee’s office and demand in a professional and respectful manner that Senator Lee lift his hold immediately on the 9/11 VCF Permanent Authorization Act.
Senator Lee’s Washington, DC, office: (202) 224-5444
Senator Lee’s Salt Lake City office: (801) 524-5933
The bill has support in the Senate on both sides of the aisle with 72 cosponsors.
Our brothers and sisters who responded on 9/11 need our help. Please stand together with them today.
Row after Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson refers to IRA terrorists as ‘soldiers in a war
July 17 2019
The DUP has hit out at comments made by Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson referring to IRA terrorists as “soldiers” in a “war”.
Ms Anderson, posting on Twitter in a conversation with former soldier and UUP MLA Doug Beattie, said they were both soldiers in a war that is “thankfully over”.
The convicted IRA bomber was defending former Sinn Fein councillor Patrice Hardy after she said on social media that she “couldn’t get her head round” the fact Irishman Eoin Morgan wanted to captain the English cricket team.
Morgan recently captained England to victory at the Cricket World Cup.
The tweet by Martina Anderson.
DUP MEP Diane Dodds called the comments “disgraceful” and an “affront” to innocent victims of terrorism and their familes. Sinn Fein has been approached for a response.
“Sinn Fein seek to commemorate and glorify on an almost daily basis while having the brass neck to barrack others in the name of equality and integrity,” Mrs Dodds said.
“The stark truth is that there was no war in Northern Ireland, only a brutal and ruthless terrorist campaign met by the courage and sacrifice of our security forces.
“While soldiers and police officers adhered to high standards of practice and professionalism, acting lawfully in a vast majority of cases, those like Martina Anderson brought only wanton destruction and indiscriminate murder and violence to innocent men, women and children across our Province. “
Ms Dodds said the party would always call out those seeking to “justify and glorify terror” and “revise history”.
“There will never be a comparison between the terrorist perpetrator and the innocent victims.,” the MEP added.
Starch your shirt and shine your shoes,
Today is the day when everything you stand for falls into place.
All the anger, hatred and venom you have masquerading itself as culture.
Attempt to trample on the indigenous as lambeg drums try to drown out your sectarian songs.
Orange sashes, stomping into areas to antagonize.
Flags of hate, a supposed union that is singing its swan song.
To pledge allegiance to a place where they mock you.
You truly are lost, geographically and politically.
The drinking from the night before is beginning to bite as you press on.
What a glorious night that was, it really exposed what you now walk for.
Effigies, flags and even children burned.
Not long to go now, you can cure your hangover soon but you cannot cure your hate.
You pass by the crowds that put down their cans of beer so they can applaud.
Some seem to be wobbling ever so slightly as the quickly retrieve their containers of aluminium refreshments as soon as you pass.
Almost there, just a few more unsteady steps.
For God and Ulster, for Queen and country?
No, it stands for hatred and bigotry, ignorance and intolerance, everything that should shame your very self.
You horrible hateful humans that are as unwanted in Ireland as you are in the place you pretend to claim loyalty to.
How very embarrassing that must feel.
Your pint arrives and you struggle to swallow it with shaky hand.
Enjoy, it no longer tastes of Irish tears.
We told you, again and again, we will never stop, never be beaten, never again will we let bigots dictate anything to us.
Get yourself another drink, you never know, it might soon be your last.
