McBride dropped and Labour recover

Previously on this blog I covered the view among some journalists and Labour insiders that Gordon Browns PR man Damian McBride was partly to blame for Labours poor poll performance. It would be difficult not to have noticed that over recent months the Labour party have experienced a phoenix-esque recovery, particularly in the opinion polls (now just 4% off the Tory's). Interestingly enough the first green shoots of this recovery seem to have been spotted in the days and weeks following McBride's rather bizarre removal.

Perhaps this Labour recovery was caused by substance and good performance at Westminster but probably not, in my opinion there have been more gaffes in the recent period of Browns premiership than previously. In terms of policy although they have tried to re-package some of the old and tired ideas from the Blair era they have had little success.

Danny Alexander may have been incorrect then when he said the "resurrection" of Mandelson would not breath life into Browns "zombie" government but this is probably not the case as the British public do not seem to share much love for that particular arch-Blairite. I suppose it could have been Gordon's world saving economic actions.

None of those potential explanations seem plausible, the truth of the matter seems to be that spin is so integral to the New Labour project that they can not afford to get it minutely wrong. Labour are no longer a party of substance but a party of spin.

UK to suffer most among G7 countries in global economic recession

Yesterday I came across the most recent National Institute Economic Review report on the UK's economy. It makes pretty gloomy reading and rubbishes Gordon Brown's claim that the UK is well placed to deal with the global economic crisis. Unfortunately it seems the UK's economic downturn has experienced an unexpected quickening with the economy shrinking by as much as one percent in the months of September, October and November off this year. The report states that we shall suffer the "worst setback among the G7 country's" and that "the UK is especially vulnerable to the credit crisis"

The report concludes-
"The outlook for the public finances is poor. Public sector net borrowing will rise to 4.5 per cent of GDP in 2008–9, and then climb further to 5.3 per cent next year and 6.1 per cent in 2010–11. Public sector net debt will rise to 50.5 per cent of GDP in 2008–9. The deterioration in public sector net borrowing reflects the impact of the recession, together with weaker receipts from the financial and property sectors."

Add to this that on Tuesday the global bank predicted global trade would shrink for the first time since 1982, what cheerless times we live in.

DUP attacks continue on UUP-Tory deal

Recent days have seen the stepping up of DUP attacks on the Ulster Unionist - Conservative link and we have now reached the stage where anyone supportive of the deal must be thinking they really have the DUP running scared.

The DUP tell us that the people of Ulster will have no truck with Cameron and his party, there can be only one answer to that - the DUP stands to gain in such a scenario, so why criticise it so often and hysterically in your press releases, letters, articles and blogs.

The DUP tell us the people of Northern Ireland shall suffer due to this deal as our Westminster MP's should be making as many friends from all major party's as possible. Interesting theory but surely having a sometime Government that is no longer an impartial mediator but rather a unionist with a "selfish and strategic interest" in Northern Ireland would be beneficial as opposed to being bit-part players and often outsiders in the government of our own country. The DUP have responded to this by saying politics is cyclical and a deal with Tory's will elicit Labour animosity, well let's be honest no unionist is on the best terms with that party anyway. I would be extremely surprised if our nine DUP MP's had many friends within the Labour party especially given how poorly many of them do that particular job (as highlighted by O'Neill).

The DUP have had much advice for the Ulster Unionists on this topic over recent months, well here is some for them - their major criticism has been concern that N.I. shall be alienated from a Labour government well I would appeal to the DUP to do a deal with them, its the perfect resolution to Northern Irelands democratic deficit. When the DUP was founded we were told they would be "left on social issues and right on constitutional", well it would seem then we have found a perfect marriage of convenience. Apologies just read that most recent DUP attack on the UUP-Tory deal apparently the DUP of today are a centre of right political force, guess that was just another principle dropped in the headlong dash for office and its benefits.

We have been told that the Tory's will gladly cast the Ulster Unionists aside and shall not value their opinion. Persuading from inside a government can only be an improvement on shouting about something from the outside as the DUP do. The Ulster Unionists are doing what they can to ensure NI's voice is heard, a concept wholly lost on the DUP who are content to make loud noises about anything that will secure votes but are reluctant to use government to ensure a fair deal for the people of NI. Briefly looking at the DUP website quickly shows their real strategy when dealing with the PM and his government. Two of today's top five articles involve shouting at the PM over something in the hope that they can win electoral support from it, I mean how much can "save the world" Gordon really value the DUP opinion on Libyan terrorism / the UK's small businesses, probably a great deal less than MP's that take his party's whip.

The truth of the matter is most DUP members would have loved their own party to create such a link and their vitriolic attacks show just how much they wanted it. Unfortunately for them their bizarre infusion of Ulster-nationalist politics, intolerance and hatred makes them un-palatable to the Conservative Party and a party far removed from the realities of modern day Britain.

Recent Cessation of Blogging

There has been a cessation of blogging on this site for almost two months, that will soon end. There shall be some interesting new bloggers soon, so keep reading.

CDU/CSU mooted by Austian far-right

The recent death of far-right populist leader Jorg Haider may result in the reunification of Austria's far-right, perhaps under the CDU/CSU model. Haider who faced many accusations of anti-semitism, xenophobia and having Nazi sympathies, has left his newly formed Alliance for the Future of Austria in an interesting position.

After an incredibly successful election in which they took 522,933 votes and 10.70% of the national vote, they now find themselves without their charismatic leader and with little support outside of the province which he governed (Carinthia). If they continue on their own, they may find themselves with little to differentiate themselves from the larger FPO (other than a slightly less establishment platform) and without Haider their only major figure they may struggle to survive.

With Haider gone the main dividing factor between the FPO and the Alliance for the Future of Austria has been removed. Resultantly many are talking about a potential merger that would create Austria's second biggest party, just two seats short of being the largest in the national council. Interestingly they are considering adopting the CDU / CSU model used in Germany, that has been touted by some as the path which the UUP and Tory's should go down. If the unification does go ahead Austrian politics will find itself in a new and unwelcome position, where the far right will most likely at some point re-enter government.

Stunning failure of judgement

I find it difficult to disagree with William Hague today as he lambasted the Prime Ministers ' stunning error of judgement' in appointing Mandelson back to the cabinet. Brown has faced condemnation both from within his party and outside I particularly liked the quote from Nick Clegg's chief of staff Danny Alexander - "Resurrecting ex-ministers from the political graveyard is not going to breathe new life into Gordon Brown's zombie government."

Scandal prone Mandelson must be leaving Labour spin doctors shaking as they wonder what will force him to resign this time, will it be financial, immigration related or something similar to the 2004 scandal. Mandelson appears to have been appointed as a ploy to unite Blairites behind Brown, siphoning off governmental posts to placate your rivals is not a good way to run a country. It is high time that Labour stopped the quarreling within their party between the Blairites, Brownites and left so that the government may focus on the nations not inconsiderable problems.

Biden - Palin debate

Despite quite low expectations Sarah Palin appears to have done well in tonight's Vice Presidential debate (which I just watched). Among other issues the candidates clashed on the Iraq War and the economy, with Palin in my opinion coming out top on the war and Biden on the economy, on the issue of climate change which many believed was a problem for Palin she did well. Palin seemed to play towards independents who are generally not keen on her for instance she firmly stated that both human activities and climatic cycles had an input into climate change. With the Palin bounce seeming to have faded we will soon know whether her performance tonight has been enough for the McCain campaign to regain the momentum. Biden gave an assured performance and showed his experience, he seemed to be quite successful in linking the McCain campaign and the Bush administration.

Osama and I

Recently I have come across a number of people drawing parallels between the character Emmanuel Goldstein in Orwells 1984 and Osama bin Laden. In Orwells book the citizens of Oceania were united by their common enemy and through 'hate' sessions screened every day they were reminded why and how much they detested this person, in 2008 citizens of the free world are close to united in there dislike of Osama and are reminded why most days via the media.


In 1984 the Party used Goldstein as a propaganda tool, it would not be difficult to argue that Osama is/was used in much the same way. Goldstein appears to have been close to no threat to Oceania in 1984, whereas Bin Laden is certainly the financer and commander of Al Qaeda, but is he now the threat he once was?


Is Osama Bin Laden still the threat to global security we believe or is he a conveniant Goldstein-esque propoganda tool to be rolled out by the governments of the world to ensure they have the full support of their people when taking action on terrorism / the axis of evil?

And the results are in

Which politician was most important in creating today's peaceful society-

1: David Trimble - 24 votes

2:Tony Blair - 8 votes

3:Ian Paisley - 6 votes

4:John Hume - 4 Votes



For the first time in a while David Trimble appears to have won a vote. The readership of this blog appears to view his contribution to the peace process as very positive, which is odd as much of the unionist public seem to see Trimble as a lundy, sell out and now denounce him for the GFA. Perhaps W.E. Gladstone's quote 'No man ever became great or good except through many and great mistakes', best sums up how Trimble could be viewed or perhaps you only realise what you have once you lose it.

Moving on to second place, Tony Blair, he took a lot of credit for 'bringing peace to NI', it appears some of this blogs readership believe he was due this. Irish politics proved the graveyard of many a 19th century British government but eight people seem to believe Blair fared well in Ulster.

Six deranged individuals believe Paisley was the peacemaker. I can only guess that they feel he was instrumental in bringing orthodox Unionism in from the cold, but if you look at it from that perspective could McGuinness and Adams not be included as they brought militant Republicans were they are now. Frankly I believe he had a negative impact, feel free to challenge me on that.

John Hume managed to get four votes, again I am not sure about that.

More attacks on the Fountain Estate

Firstly I would like to apologise for the cessation of blogging on this site.

Recently the Fountain Estate has become the target of yet more attacks, giving apparent proof to those who claim Republicans in the city are not prepared to tolerate their few remaining Protestant neighbours. With the Cityside having seen 97% (12,000 to 15,000) of Protestants flee in the last forty years it appears the remaining 250- 500 people in the Fountain Estate will continue to be targeted.

Recent weeks have seen a number of attacks and allegations of the City Centre becoming a 'no go' zone for Protestants. The Londonderry Sentinel published a story on Wednesday in which young people claim they are no longer able 'to go the short distance from the estate to the town, without continual verbal and physical harassment'. Other incidents covered in the article were an attack on the estate by one hundred nationalist youths and the targeting of a taxi driver from the Waterside (perhaps that area shall soon be attacked in the same manner as the Fountain).

Prior to this there was a spate of petrol bombings (both thrown in too and thrown from the estate). Sinn Fein blamed the hostilities on the residents of the Fountain Estate and have alleged that people from that area altered the H - Block memorial, which many Fountain Residents see as offensive. This was strenuously denied by the people of the Fountain but they became the scapegoats none the less.

With hostilities apparently continuing lets hope history's worrying trend of the national and international media remaining hushed about the fate of Protestants in the Cityside does not persist.

Damian McPoisen

Recently I read that some Blairites are of the opinion that Browns spin doctor Damian McBride 'lacks street smarts' is 'losing friends left, right and centre in the media' and does not 'understand the media'. Looking at the papers today it would seem they were not far from the truth, Brown is continually portrated as a dour, tax hiking Scotsman, one year after taking the nations helm he has become something of a liability for the Labour party (despite few if any major disasters). Gordon can surely not be happy with his media image , this begs the question whether or not he is happy with his PR guru and if not whether that person will remain in his job. Could a change in this department be all the Brown premiership needs to launch it's comeback?

If so one has to wonder what is more important in todays politics - policies, ideology and competence or how the media portrays you. If a new PR guru for Brown did herald a recovery in the opinion polls it would seem the media is the major component of contemporary political success.

Introducing Alfred Scorpio

Hey there everyone! my name is Alfred Scorpio and I shall be the motoring blogger aswell as commenting on current affairs. For my first post i would like to express my dislike for the formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. I feel that he is a very inexperienced driver who lets be honest gets it wrong as often as he gets it right. Lewis has been simply lucky that he has had the backing of such a strong team from the beginning of his career. Some reporters have commented on his drving style as flamboyant, but it seems to me he is just inexperienced and dangerous with his cornering and overtaking maneuvers. The british press have done their usual overstating and proclaimed him as the best british driver since Damon Hill when the fact of the matter is Lewis is half the driver Damon was. All this has done is enlarge Lewis' already arrogent persona and allows him to think of himself as the most famous racing driver today. I personally feel drivers should be recognised for their driving, not how many ads you are in during the commercial breaks of the race coverage!
Now i appreciate not all of you reading this will share my interest in F1, but do post any car related questions and i will answer them for you.
Over and Out!!
Alfred Scorpio

Hello Everyone

Having spent considerable time in the past few months commenting on the blogs of others, I have decided to write my own. Currently I'm looking for a number of co-bloggers if anyones interested, by the way contrary to popular belief I am not Jonathan Crawford. Hopefully this blog will consist of my own (and others) musings on politics, culture, life and current affairs in a Global, European, British, and Northern Irish context. There will be some posts up soon. ENJOY!!!!