by Caroline At the DUP manifesto launch the message was clear, vote for the DUP as the only way to prevent a Sinn Féin first minister and a border poll. Jim Allister has said he will not be ‘bridesmaid’ for Sinn Féin and that Direct Rule would be better in that circumstance. I’ve been hearing variations of this all my…
By Caroline “It was often a ‘dirty, stinking, little war’ in Northern Ireland” David Ervine quoted by Billy Hutchinson The hoax attack of the 25th of March has left many of us shaken. Our thoughts are with the van driver, the mourners at the disrupted funeral, those attending the Hume Foundation event and everyone who has been forced to revisit…
“I firmly believe women and girls must have access to safe, high-quality abortion care in Northern Ireland. It is unacceptable that access to basic abortion healthcare is not available as it is across the rest of the UK.” Brandon Lewis. We welcome the announcement (24.03.2022) that the Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis is preparing to work on further regulations to…
by Emma Shaw Since the passing of the Integrated Education Bill last week there has been an outpouring on social media platforms with varying opinions. The purpose of this short piece is to outline a few of the most prominent arguments that are circulating at the moment and share helpful information so that people can make their own informed decisions.…
A humanitarian emergency is occurring in Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion. Below is a list of practical ways to help the people of Ukraine and support anti-Putin resistance in Russia. Donate to Support Humanitarian Efforts Voices of Children are a non-profit based in Ukraine. They provide psychological and psychosocial support to children. It helps them overcome the…
“These people are not to be trusted, their interest does not lie in Northern Ireland, their interest is self-interest.” David Ervine The protocol (in its current form at least) is incompatible with the principles of loyalism. It is a threat to our material wellbeing and our equal citizenship. However, withdrawing the First Minister and damaging the devolved institutions will not…
The most widely accepted description of loyalism is Billy Mitchell’s The Principles of Loyalism. The Principles are material wellbeing, civil and religious freedom, equal citizenship within the United Kingdom and the use of armed resistance (you can find out more about loyalist feminism here).
The most widely accepted description of loyalism is Billy Mitchell’s The Principles of Loyalism. In this seminal document Mitchell traces the development of loyalism to the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant of 1912 and expands upon it to lay out the political philosophy of loyalism in the 20th century and updates it for the 21st century. The Principles are material…
Opinion Piece by Caroline Northern Ireland has a problem with racism. Between June 2018 and June 2019 1,095 racist incidents were recorded and racist incidents have now overtaken sectarian incidents. The problem is so bad Belfast has been described as the race hate capital of Europe. The majority of reported racist incidents have taken place in areas that are majority…
OpEd By Emma Shaw We have all heard the analogy it takes a village to raise a child. This is especially poignant for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The recent interim report from the Expert Panel on Educational Underachievement in Northern Ireland was released [in March 2021] and added nothing new to the long standing debate of how…