Brown's Northern Ireland settlement is to be commended
David Blackburn 1:08pm
Gordon Brown has just told the House of Commons that he is offering Stormont a financial settlement to increase funds for policing and judicial administration in Northern Ireland. Crucially, future emergency security costs in future will be met by the Treasury, and elements of the complicated settlement will stand until at least 2014.
Northern Ireland has been badly hit by the recession. Power sharing became increasingly fraught as arguments escalated over budget allocations and the timing of judicial devolution. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that the recent escalation of violence might be related to rising unemployment and open political tension. Lasting peace and unified government have to be the constant aims in Northern Ireland, and this settlement will secure them by ensuring that Stormont can concentrate resources on tackling the recession and not become bogged down in the ever-contentious issue of policing and justice. This solution was probably self-evident; but nonetheless, it is a rare case of the well done Gordons.
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Paul B
October 21st, 2009 3:21pm Report this commentSo, the bullet and the ballot box. If you don`t get what you want you, then you riot and intimate that the AK47s and semtex are not far away, and hey presto!!!
England is suffering from the recession, but we have to get on with it.
strapworld
October 21st, 2009 3:59pm Report this commentI agree with PaulB. I believe the parties colluded and came up with their usual impasse, to put pressure on the weak man Brown.
This post is quite nonsensical. There should now be a whole United Kingdom debate and referendum on whether Northern Ireland,Wales,Scotland and England should be self governing, or not. All in or all out!!
I think I know which way the English will vote!
jordyhammonds
October 21st, 2009 5:43pm Report this commentListen to “THE OUTLAW GORDON BROWN” on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/thisisjohnnyblack#play/uploads/7/w66ywNA8Vpc
Bobby G
October 21st, 2009 11:35pm Report this commentNorthern Ireland deserves no special treatment in terms of devalution or in policing. The fact that SF and the wider Republican can bring to bare this pressure on Downing Street shows the urgent requirement for debate and change of policy that is needed. One party with its own political goals should not be allowed to threaten with its armed response in order to achieve its wishes. What must be realised is the Republican armed struggle was brought to its knees in NI by loyalist indiscriminate attacks on innocent catholics. It is clear that Downing Street still fears the 1000lb bomb in its own back garden. The threat of terrorism must be quashed once and for all, only then will the populus of NI come together properly
The Bellman
October 22nd, 2009 6:39am Report this commentParallels with the current impasse in Bosnia here: talk up the risk of 'conflict' in order to ease up the pressure for progress and get more cash thrown at you. Working better for Belfast than Banja Luka, but you can't blame them for trying.
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