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Election 07

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Child's Play for Sinn Fein

  • Mark Devenport
  • 28 Feb 07, 04:54 PM

Putting a power sharing government together might not be child's play, but that did not stop Sinn Fein picking Belfast's W5 activity centre for today's manifesto launch. The boardroom provides a magnificent view across the Lagan, but it's not the most spacious of venues, so us hacks were fairly well crammed in alongside the Sinn Fein candidates.

Gerry Adams, not for the first time, did not want to get too drawn in to the practicality of his party's coalition with Ian Paisley. He said he wasn't there to answer for the DUP but they should accept the outcome of the election they had demanded.

As already pointed out in this blog he wants a 拢10 billion peace dividend. Sinn Fein also want "tax varying powers". Does anyone think they intend to vary them in a downwards direction?

The Sinn Fein President acknowledged that some resented his policy switch on policing but argued that they were in the minority. He hoped most republicans would recognise how much they had in common with his party.

And then we all tripped, rather incongruously, down the musical stairs at W5 on our way to a photo shoot outside. After March 7th will we find ourselves following a yellow brick road?

A couple of print colleagues told me that Ian Paisley said earlier in the day in Bangor that March 26th was Peter Hain's dream, which had turned into a nightmare and which wasn't going to happen... It sounded pretty definitive until they ran through all the clarifications he added afterwards, which didn't rule out the deal provided he gets his delivery.

No voice on the Lords

  • Mark Devenport
  • 28 Feb 07, 03:46 PM

Sinn Fein might not care too much but the DUP is getting exercised about a double booking in its diary. The East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson has criticised the House of Commons authorities over its timetabling of a vote on the reform of the House of Lords. The vote is scheduled for the 7th of March. Mr Wilson says this will deny the Northern Ireland MPs the chance to take part in that vote. He says it has been the practice of the House of Commons not to take important business when there are local elections in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin has urged Mr Wilson to take the matter up with the business managers of the House of Commons

The Anti Manifesto

  • Mark Devenport
  • 28 Feb 07, 11:05 AM

Just back from the launch of what the UK Unionist leader Bob McCartney proudly called his "anti-manifesto". He says it would be absurd for him to outline a series of priorities for government when everyone knows he is not going to be in it. Instead his 3 page document denounces the D'Hondt system as an affront to democracy, describes Sinn Fein as not a fit partner for governnment and blames all four of the big parties for water charges and rates.

Mr McCartney is standing in 6 seats, with his colleagues standing in another 7. The logistical problems of standing for election in so many different places are not to be sniffed at - the UK Unionist leader said that yesterday he travelled from North Down to Enniskillen to Lisbellaw to Fivemiletown to Moygashel back to Donaghadee and Millisle before finishing the day's campaigning in Tobermore.

After the NIO declared that Mr McCartney could not hand any extra seats on to substitutes, he has vowed not to resign if he wins outside North Down. He believes he should get more than one vote if he wins more than one seat although he acknowledges that Peter Hain might impose standing orders which rule that out. If that happens he says the Secretary of State will be in court "quicker than Jack Robinson".

So in the event of the multliple candidate wining mutiple seats what would happen to those multiple salaries? Bob McCartney says this has been raised with him on the doorsteps. His answer - he will provide us in the media with a monthly tot of the charities to which he will give an amount equivalent to any extra salaries received. He hopes we will look forward to "Bob's monthly tot."

On the Privy

  • Mark Devenport
  • 27 Feb 07, 06:01 PM

Ian Paisley was as pleased as punch when he joined politicians like JIm Molyneaux on the Privy Council back in October 2005. Now there's another Privy Council member for him to chat to. Arise the Right Honourable David Hanson, Political Development Minister.

Davy Tweed rumours

  • Mark Devenport
  • 27 Feb 07, 05:04 PM

There are rumours that the Ballymena DUP councillor Davy Tweed is to quit the party. One of the Magnificent Ballymena Seven who announced they would not work for the DUP during this campaign, Tweed is well known both for his hardline views and his prowess as an Ireland rugby international. A few weeks ago he was photographed in the Ballymena Guardian alongside the UK Unionist leader Bob McCartney.

It's thought Councillor Tweed could be on the verge of an announcement either tonight or tomorrow.


Ouch 2

  • Mark Devenport
  • 27 Feb 07, 04:02 PM

The blog has already documented the danger that voter's dogs can pose to canvassers. But what about the risk candidates' posters can pose to voters?

My colleague Yvette Shapiro had a close shave whilst driving down the Lower Ormeau Road. She was just passing the SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell's surgery, when a gust of wind caught one of his posters and blew it across the road. Yvette swerved to avoid it but didn't hit anyone else. If there had been an accident she might have had to call on Dr McDonnell's professional services.

Yvette is not alone. The Talkback programme had a number of calls from motorists warning about the hazard posed by election posters swirling around the carriageway on the M2. Another caller said some posters were obscuring traffic lights in the city centre.

On the topic of posters, the SDLP's Strangford candidate Joe Boyle has complained vociferously about loyalists taking down or defacing his posters in Killyleagh, Comber and Newtownards. As PA's Dan McGinn has already pointed out, the Ulster Unionist Derek Hussey has (suitably ironically) offered to sign his posters for those who admire him so much that they have been taking them home. And at today's Alliance launch, Sean Neeson appeared genuinely amused about the graffiti artists in East Antrim who, on Ash Wednesday, added a cross to his forehead.

Living at the edge

  • Mark Devenport
  • 27 Feb 07, 03:18 PM

Not everyone can see the point of this election, but the management of the Edge Bar on the River Lagan would beg to differ. They have hosted a number of SDLP events, culminating in the party's manifesto launch yesterday. Then today it was the same bar, same collection of tired hacks, but a different bunch of politicians gathered together for the Alliance launch.

David Ford once again argued that only his party provides an alternative to "tribal" politics. Amongst the ideas in the manifesto are proposals for fewer MLAs, a local income tax to replace the rates, scrapping tuition fees, enabling the hot pursuit by the police of crime suspects across the border and making savings by closing segregated schools and other facilities.

On the margins I got a chat with the South Belfast candidate Anna Lo. Like most candidates, she reports a warm response on the doorsteps, although she says she has taken two racist abusive telephone calls at home. She is sending out a Cantonese election leaflet, but even though South Belfast is the most ethnically diverse of all the local constituencies it seems unlikely that the Chinese voters on the register would be that decisive in any vote. Anna Lo reckons there are 167 households which might translate into 300 plus votes.

Ms Lo was the first ethnic minority candidate to stand in a Northern Ireland election. But since her campaign was launched the Green party has added another in the shape of Stephanie Sim, who is from Singapore and is standing in Strangford. She has drafted her parents in for assistance, not least because she's just had a baby, seven week old Amhairghin.

The Green Party leader in Dublin, Trevor Sargent, was up here today in his bio fuelled bus. But I think the politician who is getting around the most must be the Conservative Neil Johnston, who is standing in Lagan Valley. After interviewing him at his own manifesto launch yesterday I spotted him at the Alliance's launch today, and he readily admitted to attending the DUP's manifesto event last week. It's not that Neil is keeping all his political options open, but that he wants to stay informed for his day job as a lobbyist.

STV for Schools

  • Mark Devenport
  • 27 Feb 07, 10:33 AM

Just off to Alliance's manifesto launch. Presuming that like the Tories yesterday they will have plenty of criticism of the designation system at Stormont. Also expecting more on saving costs by cutting segregation and abolishing tuition fees at university.

On the topic of education, I've just got an e-mail from the Untangled Web which has prepared a guide to teh Assembly elections targeted at 15 - 18 years olds. It's well worth a look on this link

On the topic of internet based resources, I must also say that Sammy Morse's constituency guides have been extremely impressive.

Croake Mark

  • Mark Devenport
  • 26 Feb 07, 12:55 PM

Just back from the SDLP manifesto launch where an extremely hoarse Mark Durkan was still suffering from a bit too much vocal exercise during the Ireland England rugby match on Saturday. He quipped before battling through his prepared speech that it was a case of Croak Mark following Croke Park.

Aside from the predictable assault on the DUP and Sinn Fein as "suspension parties", there were a few ideas which captured the imagination - doing away with A levels, teaching modern languages in primary schools, and redistributing criminal assets to victims. Probably the most interesting was the revenue regulator who would police and potentially cap the rates and charges imposed by a future Executive and Assembly. It seems attractive at a time when the voters are concerned about big bills, but I wonder how likely it is that, say, Peter Robinson as a future finance minister will give an unelected appointee the power to cap his revenue raising ability?

As an Englishman I am seriously considering proposing the appointment of a new independent rugby regulator who could step in and cap Six Nation scores when they get too embarrassing.

United Ireland by 2017

  • Mark Devenport
  • 25 Feb 07, 11:14 PM

Someone pointed out to me that, during his Inside Politics interview, Gerry Adams said Sinn Fein wanted a 拢10 billion peace dividend - 拢1 billion each year for the next decade. Given we are now in the year 2007, my keen eared listener enquired whether that means Sinn Fein has officially abandoned its belief in a United Ireland by the centenary of the Easter Rising in 2016? Or does the Sinn Fein President want to have his United Ireland cake whilst still chewing on his British Treasury slice?

A bread and butter election?

  • Mark Devenport
  • 25 Feb 07, 11:07 PM

Have just posted a column for our online site suggesting bread and butter issues are more relevant to this campaign than any I can recall. Go on to muse about the strain such a trend may put on the Stormont archtecture designed by the Good Friday Agreement. Will probably take a little while for it to go up on the main site, so if you want to peruse my ramblings right now click on the extended entry.

Continue reading "A bread and butter election?"

Ouch

  • Mark Devenport
  • 23 Feb 07, 06:25 PM

When the journalist Brian Rowan entered the fray in North Down he made it clear that he was tired of covering bloodshed. Unfortunately noone explained this to the dog who decided to sink its teeth into Brian's sister's hand today as she posted a leaflet through a Bangor voter's letter box. A quick visit to the GP's surgery and a tetanus jab followed. It's a risky business, this politics. I think I shall stick to journalism.

DUP "posturing"

  • Mark Devenport
  • 23 Feb 07, 06:03 PM

Gerry Adams must be sick of the sight of me. Nothing to do with a certain biography, but more to do with me first following him around various parts of Armagh and Down, then detaining him for 20 minutes to record Inside Politics. In the interview, on the airwaves tomorrow, the Sinn Fein President describes the DUP's talk of requiring delivery before they agree to devolution as "posturing". Questioned over DUP demands for a safety net, which could see republicans excluded from government if they break their committments, he says the Assembly rules cover this already. But in general terms he didn't seem keen to start the tug of war which is likely to follow the vote on March 7th. Instead his strategy is to appear above the fray and play up his policies on bread and butter issues.

Inside Politics is on Radio Ulster at 12.45pm, or you can catch it on the web after transmission via this link

/northernireland/radioulster/inside_politics/

If you can't stand the heat 2

  • Mark Devenport
  • 23 Feb 07, 05:39 PM

I took a bit of flak for admitting that I handed over an opportunity to door step David Cameron to Gareth Gordon in order to dress up as a commis-chef for a 成人快手 politics trail in the run up to our election coverage. Said trail is now on the airwaves. Is it another example of the 成人快手 dumbing down? Or a worthy attempt to make politics interesting to non-anoraks? I shall let you decide.

Dump the deadline

  • Mark Devenport
  • 22 Feb 07, 10:37 PM

_42602007_dargan.jpg

Belfast City Council has picked March 26th as their deadline for consultation on the new Giants Park, replete with ferris wheels and cable cars. Perhaps the process could be rolled together with the wider effort to restore devolution which is, of course, scheduled to culminate on the same day. The last minute push to negotiate a satisfactory peace dividend and further changes to the Stormont rules would be given added urgency if it took place not in Downing Street, Stormont, the White House or another plush Scottish hotel or English stately home. Instead why not convene the discussions in the middle of Dargan dump, the proposed site for Belfast's new visitor attraction. Half an hour there and the politicians will sign anything.

Par for the course

  • Mark Devenport
  • 22 Feb 07, 10:22 PM

After Ian Paisley on Pancake Tuesday, I spent Thursday with Gerry Adams. He's obviously very tight for time as he treated to me to possibly the shortest walkabout I have ever covered. In Armagh, it was more of a street corner about than a real walk about. The name of the game is to stop in as many places as possible for the shortest time possible, ensuring that in each place there's a candidate on hand and a local newspaper photographer to immortalise the leader in the target seat.

An Armagh GAA player got hauled into one photo opportunity - no surprise there. But in Gilford I was a little more puzzled to find local republicans strongly promoting the game of golf. It's nothing to do with their attachment to the agreement hatched in St Andrews, the home of golf.

Instead they are backing developers who want to convert the shell of the old local mill into a hotel. That's got planning permission, but the project is tied to developing adjacent land as a golf course in order to attract people to stay there. And that idea is apparently stuck in a planning bunker.

Bunkers and republicans. Now why does that ring a bell?

Baby boom

  • Mark Devenport
  • 22 Feb 07, 11:33 AM

Babies normally play a vital role in election campaigns as they are the only people who don't object to being hugged by politicians. Politics producer Robin Sheeran is just away to an event organised by the early years group NIPPA, which promises to have 18 babies on hand - presumably one for every constituency. Our lobby groups are doing their best to make their presence felt during this campaign. Gareth Gordon is intending to go to a manufacturers' group debate today. The RSPB are launching an environmental manifesto later this week and the integrated education council, NICIE, has a debate planned for next week.

Another interest group keen to get its message across is the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, which tells me it has set up a special election website

I see the site has recent comments from Michael Wardlow of NICIE and the PUP leader Dawn Purvis. Incidentally I've just seen a video of the PUP election broadcast which is due on terrestrial TV tomorrow. What do you do when your main vote winner has just tragically passed away? The PUP broadcast is interesting because it features David Ervine as an inspiration for Dawn Purvis's political journey. Best line "it takes a David not a Goliath party...."

I'm off in search of Gerry Adams all day today, which means the ever industrious Mr Gordon gets my favourite slot chatting over Ian Knox's cartoons on Hearts and Minds. He gets all the best gigs.

Delivery, delivery, delivery

  • Mark Devenport
  • 21 Feb 07, 02:40 PM

Nigel Dodds summed it up - the word "delivery" features strongly in the DUP manifesto. They gathered at the Innovation Centre at the Belfast Science Park this morning for the event. Ian Paisley deflected all questions about whether March 26th is attainable by telling us to go and ask Sinn Fein. Would he serve as a Deputy First Minister to Martin McGuinness is Sinn Fein were the biggest party? No, he replied, the only deputy's badge he wanted was one with a star so he could lock the Mid Ulster MP up in the county gaol. Talk of ultimatums from Peter Hain prompted guffaws.

So we are still in a state of ambiguity. But there was enough talk about the balance of power on a future executive and the DUP not being to blame for any delay that the drift of policy seems clear enough. Certainly the government appears happy with the DUP manifesto - from their point of view what is not there is as significant as what is. In contrast to the 2005 manifesto, power sharing with Sinn Fein is not ruled out of the question. So government sources aren't talking any longer about pulling the plug - this election is going ahead.

Incidentally some people may doubt that Ian Paisley still has any fire in his belly, but I can confirm that it is full of copious quantities of porridge. At a breakfast briefing some days ago, he confided to me his preference for porridge over an Ulster Fry. In recent days, quite unprompted, I have often heard him extolling the virtues of porridge to all and sundry. Whatever else might be said about the DUP leader, he is definitely getting his oats.

Flare in the Square

  • Mark Devenport
  • 20 Feb 07, 05:07 PM

Have just got back from a day on the campaign trail with Ian Paisley. We've had the fuss on the bus and the brawl in the hall. So today was the day for the flare in the Lisburn Square (I confess I owe that to a colleague in the Belfast Telegraph whose cheque is in the post)

The Big Man was getting a uniformly positive reception from the shoppers in Lisburn when he turned a corner and ran into his current bete noire, Bob McCartney. Denied a head to head debate the UK Unionist leader pursued the DUP leader with cries of "where's the never, never, never" and "never, never, never, yes, yes ,yes". Like a liner which cannot alter its course, the Doc kept moving, refusing to take Mr McCartney under his notice. However his colleagues, who included Peter Robinson and Jeffrey Donaldson, variously taunted the UK Unionist as "a motormouth", "a maverick" and "a vote splitter".

Sounds bad, but it was pretty brief, and rather less physical than either the brawl in the hall or the fuss at the bus. For the video watch 成人快手 Newsline 6.30 tonight.

The DUP leader wandered on through the Lisburn market square, before heading to Galgorm Manor Hotel where he was shown how to flip pancakes. A politician not previously used to policy flip flops, maybe he's getting in some practice ahead of March 26th.

Don't forget

  • Mark Devenport
  • 20 Feb 07, 10:02 AM

A quick reminder that the 成人快手 NI Election Webcast is on at 1500 today, with Jim Fitzpatrick in the hot seat. 成人快手 NI Online has already had dozens of e-mail questions for the politicians on everything from water charges to power sharing, corporal punishment to the future of the Maze.

Out Of Office Message

  • Mark Devenport
  • 20 Feb 07, 09:54 AM

I am out of the office for much of today dogging the heels of Ian Paisley. As I trail the DUP leader, though, it won't stop Hearts and MInds getting on the phone looking for "colour" from the campaign for our weekly cartoon slot, illustrated by Ian Knox. We have the Greens televangelists and prisoners demanding the vote, but there must be lots of anecdotes out there from those knocking on doors and those refusing to answer them. Do you want your quirky story immortalised by Mr Knox? All ideas gratefully received, although they will have to be submitted to the Independent Monitoring Commission for verification.

If you can't stand the heat

  • Mark Devenport
  • 19 Feb 07, 04:28 PM

Dozens of business people were at the Europa Hotel today to question the parties on their attitude to corporation tax, road pricing and the problems facing small shopkeepers. David Cameron was at a GP's surgery in Bangor. Not getting first aid, but fending off questions about what the government should do if there's no deal by March 26th. He refused to pile the pressure on the DUP insisting the onus remained on Sinn Fein to back up its words on policing with action on the ground.

Where was I? Putting the tough questions to the potential future Prime Minister? Analysing the politicians' ability to deliver a peace dividend?

No. I was dressing up as a commis-chef for a new 成人快手 Politics trail on the theme of us lovingly preparing our dishes for a couple of voters who have never tried eating out in an electoral restaurant before.

Embarrassing photo will be attached as soon as it becomes available. In my defence I was not alone. Jim Fitzpatrick, Martina Purdy and a whole rake of presenters were also guilty parties...

You Tube

  • Mark Devenport
  • 19 Feb 07, 03:45 PM

I see over on Slugger O'Toole that the UK Unionist Bob McCartney has now taken to You Tube


This is fast becoming the You Tube election. But is it only in Northern Ireland and Scotland where "you tube!" is a term of abuse?

This is not a party election broadcast....

  • Mark Devenport
  • 19 Feb 07, 10:39 AM

The Greens have told the broadcasters they are pulling their election broadcast featuring a spoof American televangelist. The broadcast hasn't yet been shown on terrestrial TV, but is already on Youtube on this link

Its style is in strong contrast to the video already posted on Youtube by one of the Greens' leading candidates, Brian Wilson. I don't know Brian's view on the Reverend Billy, but it seems some Green candidates must have taken cold feet at the thought of a New York based broadcast which might deter local evangelicals giving them a transfer vote.

The Greens aren't the only ones using the net in this election. The parties obviously have their own central websites, and some individual candidates like the UUP's Peter Munce have tried the webcam route to their potential voters' hearts.

On the topic of party election broadcasts, my colleagues at the 成人快手 have been beavering away trying to find slots for all the parties who are standing in more than three constituencies. It's no easy task, especially when you can meet the threshold by running the same candidate in mutliple seats. But does anyone out there really think voters in Northern Ireland make their minds up about how to fill in their ballot papers on the basis of the election broadcasts?

For an UPDATE read the extended entry

Continue reading "This is not a party election broadcast...."

Running Mates?

  • Mark Devenport
  • 16 Feb 07, 05:34 PM

No, not Garbhan Downey's new book about a fictional Irish Presidential Election, although I am enjoying it at the moment.

Instead this is a reference to South Antrim where my colleague Gareth Gordon has been getting a sense of what's happening on the street. It will be a close race, especially for the last seat. But the tensions he discovered between the parties was nothing compared to the tensions between the two SDLP candidates, Thomas Burns and Noreen McClelland. One of the notable aspects of multi-member constituency elections is that they can lead to battles between candidates on the same slate. South Antrim isn't the only seat marked by a frisson between supposed running mates. Theoretically each party should smoothly manage its votes across a constituency, but sometimes in this dog eat dog world, picking the lamppost where you want to put your poster up can be enough to raise a few snarls...

Advisors in talks

  • Mark Devenport
  • 16 Feb 07, 05:07 PM

Is the government really still guessing about whether the DUP will or won't share power? I've just penned an article for the 成人快手 NI election website pointing out that, despite the campaign, key advisors are still talking to senior civil servants about a peace dividend and the local parties' priorities for government. An insider says the "baton change" is already underway. Common sense, so the parties don't take power stone cold, or something the voters should be told? The full article should be posted later this evening...

Sir Reg sets out his stall

  • Mark Devenport
  • 16 Feb 07, 01:36 PM

The Ulster Unionists have had some fraught times at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, what with "jumping first" over power sharing and all those heated UUP executive meetings. But this morning's manifesto launch was a rather more relaxed affair.

I found myself sitting next to a number of toddlers, who I suspect were one of the UUP candidates' grandchildren. I never did find out for sure, because despite sustained and persistent questioning the little boy sitting on his mother's lap in the next seat never did confirm his name. Either he's shy, been well drilled not to talk to strangers or is a born politician, used to not answering questions...

Anyway Sir Reg Empey said it was right to have the children there as it's half term and the UUP manifesto is called "for all of us". It is packed full of "bread and butter" policies on everything from free prescriptions to 20 mph speed limits around schools to saving the Irish hare. But if the UUP is so concerned about "bread and butter" politics then why didn't it take portfolios like health and education last time? That's a question I put to Sir Reg for the Inside Politics programme going out tomorrow, and he admits that if they had to do it again they would do it differently.

In his interview Sir Reg criticises the DUP over its ambiguous approach to power sharing - he says it's fundamentally dishonest. And he disagrees with Peter Robinson's idea that keeping the government guessing gives local politicians more leverage over Gordon Brown when it comes to negotiating a peace dividend. He says that the Chancellor is never going to extend tax concessions to NI in the run up to the Scottish elections.

For more you can tune in to the programme at 12.45pm tomorrow or look the Inside Politics page up on the web after its transmission...

By the way there's a change of plan with the 成人快手 NI Webcast. I've got myself double booked and so my colleague Jim Fitzpatrick is going to step into the hot seat on Tuesday....don't worry you'll still get your questions asked and, after all, he's easier on the eye than me

Welcome to the blog

  • Mark Devenport
  • 16 Feb 07, 11:57 AM

Hello everyone. The Secretary of State Peter Hain has apologised for Belfast's contribution to the slave trade. But he forgot to say sorry for the late appearance of this blog, so I better start off by doing just that.

markcartoon.jpgThe election campaign is up and running, and we've already had controversy about Bob McCartney standing in six seats, the authorities deciding that Republican Sinn Fein isn't a party and DUP candidates having to give their leader a pre-signed letter of resignation.

In the weeks to come, with the help of my colleagues Martina Purdy and Gareth Gordon I shall be doing my best to contribute whatever I can in terms of news, analysis and plain old gossip. And of course your comments will be gratefully appreciated.

And on 20 February, 成人快手 Northern Ireland is hosting an election webcast at 1500 GMT, when yours truly will be joined by representatives of the five largest parties. Feel free to post a question for me to put to the politicians then .

About me

  • Mark Devenport
  • 16 Feb 07, 11:52 AM

I've been a 成人快手 Northern Ireland reporter since the mid 1980s, and have covered all the twists and turns of the peace process. In 1999 I moved to New York where I was United Nations Correspondent, before returning to Northern Ireland to take over as political editor.

I've written two books - Man of War, Man of Peace, a biography of Gerry Adams, and Flash Frames, a collection of anecdotes about reporting in Belfast.

The 成人快手 is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

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