The Green Ribbon

Britain and Ireland survey

Another study launched this week was a survey carried out conjunction with the Britain and Ireland: Lives Entwined book and series of events being organised by the British Council.

Among the results was this interesting titbit:

Respondents were asked to imagine a situation where an international sports
competition was taking place where Ireland had no team in the tournament,
and were asked to consider which of a list of countries they would be most
and least likely to support.

Conflict and Consensus

Conflict and Consensus, a new study by the Economic and Social Research Institute, has some interesting findings on public attitudes in Ireland, north and south of the border.

From the press release:

Religion is still a source of deep division in identity and constitutional prefer-ences on the island of Ireland. But it is also a source of cultural similarity. Catholics and Protestants in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are closer to each other in their thinking on many issues than either is to any other population in Europe, including that of Britain.

Best in all-Ireland call

George Best has called for an all-Ireland soccer team.

"I've always thought that at any given time both the Republic and Northern Ireland have had some great world-class players.

"I just believe in trying something. If it doesn't work, at least you've tried. I still hope that in my lifetime it happens.

"Why not have a go at it? See what it's like."

Hat-tip to Gareth at the CEP blog for the spot.

Cock-a-doodle-dandy

Sean O'Casey's 1940s satire of capitalism and religion, Cock-A-Doodle-Dandy, is playing at the Baron's Court Theatre in London until 17 April.

Will Tories adopt England first strategy?

Politicalbetting.com has a story today suggesting that winning a majority of English seats may be a more realistic target for the Tories than an overall Commons majority.

Would Howard’s party have anything to lose now playing the English card? Issues like the higher than average per capita public spending in Scotland and why MPs from Scotland are allowed to vote on England-only matters but not the other way round might resonate well.

A few months before the 2001 election I sat next to one of Hague’s top aides, now a leading Tory front-bencher, at a dinner and he told me that they were considering this strategy then. Could this be a possibility now?

Under British Aegis?

The British Government has again denied any involvement in the Aegis Defence Services security contract in Iraq, in a parliamentary reply to Brent East MP Sarah Teather:

Aegis Defence Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information his Department has (a) supplied to and (b) received from the United States Administration regarding that government's award of the Iraq Reconstruction Security Support Services contract to Aegis Defence Services; [220988]

(2) what discussions there have been between the British and American governments regarding the award of the US Administration's Iraq Reconstruction Security Support Services' contract to Aegis Defence Services. [220989]

Dermot Ahern on Irish unity

Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern made his own contribution the debate on Irish unity with a speech to the SDLP this week:

For Fianna Fáil, the democratic political goal of a united Ireland is at the heart of our republican perspective. Our project did not end in 1923.

Our project held, and still holds that unity by armed force would - at best - transfer Nationalist isolation and alienation onto unionists. At worst it would threaten the lives of tens of thousands of fellow Irish men and women.

We believe Connolly was right when he said that “Ireland without her people means nothing to me”.

On that basis, in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement we have secured the template for Unity.

Walls of Silence?

I've just received this story in my inbox from the Black Information Link and was immediately struck by the apparent parallels with the Robert McCartney case

Wall of silence? The cops are the bricks

Community leaders in Birmingham have hit out at police claims of a “wall of silence” over the New Year shootings of teenagers Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare.

Durkan launches SDLP blueprint for a united Ireland

SDLP leader Mark Durkan has launched his party's blueprint for a United Ireland

Inquiries Bill delayed?

The BBC's Mark Devenport has a good summary of the latest developments in the Pat Finucane case, and its possible effects on the future of public inquiries in Britain, in this article from Sunday.

He suggests that the Inquiries Bill currently going through Parliament may be delayed until after the election. That would be welcome since it is a diabolical piece of legislation, but it may give the Government an opportunity to delay the Finucane Inquiry yet again.