I attended an interesting debate in Queen's Students' Union last night which pitched political representatives against each other under the chairmanship of Jim Fitzpatrick. The event was part of the union's 'Political Activism Week.'South Belfast DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt was booked as one of the speakers, but we were informed upon arrival that he had pulled out as MEP Jim Allister had been added to the bill. Spratt was replaced by his unsuccessful fellow Stormont candidate Christopher Stalford. Making up the rest of the line-up was John Barry from the Greens, Carmel Hanna from the SDLP, Basil McCrea from the UUP, David Ford from Alliance, and Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey (who arrived 25 minutes late- no jokes please about Sinn Féin always being behind everyone else).Issues discussed included the...
In
Belfast,
DUP,
SDLP,
UUP,
Sinn Féin,
Green Party,
Alliance Party,
Reg Empey,
Jeffrey Donaldson,
Arlene Foster,
David McNarry,
Jim Fitzpatrick,
Basil McCrea,
Jim Allister,
Queen's University
Jim Fitzpatrick has an amusing article which highlights how Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness have more in common than a shared inane propensity to giggle like schoolgirls when they come within a mile of a TV camera- it seems they may both have a rather embarrassing time as they lord it up in first class on their trip to America.The visa waiver form, which visitors from the UK and Ireland complete to avoid having to apply for a visa, has a number of questions about the applicant's past that most of us could answer 'No' to. That's not the case with the Chuckle Brothers though.One of the questions asks: "Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities?" Given Martin McGuinness' involvement in the IRA, his conviction in 1973 after being caught...
In
Ian Paisley,
Martin McGuinness,
Continuity IRA,
Stormont,
USA,
First Minister,
Óglaigh na hÉireann,
Deputy First Minister,
Special Criminal Court,
Chuckle Brothers,
DUP,
Sinn Féin,
Jim Fitzpatrick