I don't really have an allegiance as such. There are good and bad in every party. I'm pretty open minded. I guess that maybe makes me pretty central.
The problem I feel is, down south there are no centre alternatives.
I've always found ROI politics fascinating, in that it eschews the left-right pattern of almost every other democracy. I always perceived FG as infitessimally more economically right that FF, but as FG always govern in coalition with Labour this distinction is almost meaningless. Even the names are more impenetrable than those of most European democacies. I'd always seen FF as the centre party, if such a thing exists, but perhaps this is not so?
I'd say F.F are slightly right of F.G, not by much though.
FF are in the ALDE whereas FG is EPP. Surely that tells us what we need to know?
For anyone who doesn't know what they stand for, ALDE = Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe & EPP = European People's Party.
I don't really have an allegiance as such. There are good and bad in every party. I'm pretty open minded. I guess that maybe makes me pretty central.
The problem I feel is, down south there are no centre alternatives.
I've always found ROI politics fascinating, in that it eschews the left-right pattern of almost every other democracy. I always perceived FG as infitessimally more economically right that FF, but as FG always govern in coalition with Labour this distinction is almost meaningless. Even the names are more impenetrable than those of most European democacies. I'd always seen FF as the centre party, if such a thing exists, but perhaps this is not so?
I'd say F.F are slightly right of F.G, not by much though.
FF are in the ALDE whereas FG is EPP. Surely that tells us what we need to know?
For anyone who doesn't know what they stand for, ALDE = Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe & EPP = European People's Party.
Isn't there a rule which says there can't be two parties from one country in any Group?
So, the consensus among those with their heads screwed on seems to be that "Boris" is sacking competent people who have minds of their own. This does not augur well for quality of government. Can't say I'm surprised, tbh.
Ah the reason Julian Smith was fired, Boris Johnson doesn’t do detail.
The Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith was fired this morning, becoming the first casualty of Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle.
He had been considered safe after securing a power-sharing deal at Stormont. However, Mr Johnson was said to have felt “blindsided” by the deal, which includes an investigation into alleged crimes by British soldiers in the Troubles. “There is concern about the way he’s been operating,” a senior government source said.
The Times understands that the cabinet was fully briefed on the deal before it was agreed, including on aspects concerning historic investigations.
This, from the Guardian liveblog earlier today: One staffer at the Northern Ireland Office in Belfast said colleagues had been crossing fingers - literally - for Smith to be kept on as secretary of state, saying he was the most engaged, competent boss they had had in a long time, I’m told....
A cabinet which toes the line seems to be the aim; independence, let alone dissent, will not be tolerated. Ever so slightly Trumpian.
If the investigations into British soldiers is part of the deal to reopen Stormont then surely the government wont stop the investigations now, in which case why change the Northern Ireland secretary?
Ans I thought Mercer had secured some sort of victory these sorts of investigations won't happen.
To recast the Arabic proverb regarding the English: It's better to be Johnson's enemy than his friend because he buys his enemies and sells his friends.
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Ans I thought Mercer had secured some sort of victory these sorts of investigations won't happen.