sluggerotoole--2020-09-02--Can COVID 19 influence a quieter twelfth moving forward?

The sectarian summer returned this year like the bane of our society that is the annual reopening of old wounds .
Every summer Northern Ireland becomes a battlefield of sectarianism , discrimination and in some cases violence .
From parades to flags there are many of those from across the divide who use this time as an opportunity to maintain the “ us or them ” culture that has plagued our society for many decades .
However this year Covid 19 seemed to reduce the embarrassing scenes that engulfed us in the past prompting what could be quite influential moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been amongst us , which only adds fuel to the sectarian fire as it entices those who believe in the “ us or them culture ” into a rage of division .
However Covid 19 created an obstacle prompting the Orange Order to call for the twelfth to be celebrated at home .
However despite Covid 19 safety regulations this didn ’ t mean a thing to some who were more interesting in maintaining the sectarian divide than saving people ’ s lives .
Cue PSNI inaction regarding street parties and large gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking of Covid 19 regulations .
Personally I ’ ve had no problem with those who wish to parade to celebrate their culture however we need to understand moving forward that there are aspects of the parade season that does intimidate people .
Flags for example have the power to instil pride in the hearts of those who love their country and show the romantic side of nationalism and the love of one ’ s country .
However I believe that this only occurs with the flying of three flags , the tricolour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Union Jack for those who declare themselves as British and possibly a flag for those who see themselves as Northern Irish .
For me the buck stops there , In the past how can anyone find anything right about flying a Nazi flag or a confederate flag for example in Northern Ireland in recent years is beyond me .
Don ’ t get me wrong we love a good flag here in Northern Ireland but we need to draw a line under that in some shape or form moving forward .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s cross , Israel , Palestine etc it is enough to give someone a headache .
Bonfires were lit in parts of Northern Ireland on the Eleventh night this year although crowds have been smaller than previous years there was a reduced number of bonfires and crowds .
The fire and rescue service said it responded to 24 bonfire-related incidents which represented a fall of 29.5 % compared to 2019 .
If Covid 19 has taught us anything both Flags and Bonfires where significantly reduced this year prompting the question can we live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The bonfire issue is an interesting concept regarding culture however I heard once that bonfires actually do have a historical significance .
They say when William of Orange was heading to Ireland his loyal supporters or loyalists would light bonfires as beacons along the coast for his ships to land safely…..not sure if people know that one to be honest but it certainly represents an argument to have these bonfires albeit in a safe and secure manner .
It was a welcome relief when the Orange Order called on its members not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings and to enjoy the Twelfth at home .
Although the Orange Order does not organise marches it was a very welcome sight to see such an influential body within Loyalism show leadership and was willing to follow Government advice regarding Covid 19 and accept that changes this year must be made in order for pubic safety .
Again however the same can not be said for those who have placed offensive sectarian messages on top of bonfires .
How are we meant to move on as a society if the traditions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year and the failed parades commission are seemingly unable to make the tough decisions to work with the PSNI to penalise these people .
In recent years bonfires in East Belfast have reduced the locals to a state of despair as they have been forced to move out of their homes due to being in close proximity to the bonfire itself .
Every year there is an air of discontent from both sides of the divide in relation to this issue as no-one should be forced from their home at any time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year do we return to the usual “ traditions ” of previous years once Covid 19 has passed ?
Those from the Unionist /Loyalist community who partake in these traditions have over the years condemned such weak excuses as they see their bonfire as a means to celebrate the Twelfth which in turn they value as a key aspect of their culture .
Any criticism of this and they immediately go on the defensive without any compromise .
We must ask ourselves where do we draw the line ?
A quiet twelfth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to organise “ quieter ” less antagonising Twelfth celebrations that will hopefully continue for years to come .
The continued sectarianism however will it ever stop ?
Is it time for the Orange Order to show similar leadership from 2020 regarding Twelfth celebrations in years to come ?
Is there an air of real change and progress this year in regards to the Twelfth ?
or has Covid 19 postponed the annual traditions that are criticised every year and we will inevitably return to the “ norm ” next year ?
Perhaps leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 has passed and at the very least have a conversation regarding the lessons learned from 2020 .
“ Orange Order Parade ” by Shutterbug Fotos is licensed under CC BY-ND

The sectarian summer returned this year like the bane of our society that is the annual reopening of old wounds. Every summer Northern Ireland becomes a battlefield of sectarianism, discrimination and in some cases violence. From parades to flags there are many of those from across the divide who use this time as an opportunity to maintain the “us or them” culture that has plagued our society for many decades. However this year Covid 19 seemed to reduce the embarrassing scenes that engulfed us in the past prompting what could be quite influential moving forward.
The parade season should have been amongst us, which only adds fuel to the sectarian fire as it entices those who believe in the “us or them culture” into a rage of division. However Covid 19 created an obstacle prompting the Orange Order to call for the twelfth to be celebrated at home. However despite Covid 19 safety regulations this didn’t mean a thing to some who were more interesting in maintaining the sectarian divide than saving people’s lives. Cue PSNI inaction regarding street parties and large gatherings whereby no fines were issued regarding the breaking of Covid 19 regulations.
Personally I’ve had no problem with those who wish to parade to celebrate their culture however we need to understand moving forward that there are aspects of the parade season that does intimidate people. Flags for example have the power to instil pride in the hearts of those who love their country and show the romantic side of nationalism and the love of one’s country. However I believe that this only occurs with the flying of three flags, the tricolour for those who declare themselves as Irish, the Union Jack for those who declare themselves as British and possibly a flag for those who see themselves as Northern Irish. For me the buck stops there, In the past how can anyone find anything right about flying a Nazi flag or a confederate flag for example in Northern Ireland in recent years is beyond me. Don’t get me wrong we love a good flag here in Northern Ireland but we need to draw a line under that in some shape or form moving forward. Between Scottish flags, St George’s cross, Israel, Palestine etc it is enough to give someone a headache.
Bonfires were lit in parts of Northern Ireland on the Eleventh night this year although crowds have been smaller than previous years there was a reduced number of bonfires and crowds. The fire and rescue service said it responded to 24 bonfire-related incidents which represented a fall of 29.5% compared to 2019. If Covid 19 has taught us anything both Flags and Bonfires where significantly reduced this year prompting the question can we live with this reduction in future twelfth celebrations?
The bonfire issue is an interesting concept regarding culture however I heard once that bonfires actually do have a historical significance. They say when William of Orange was heading to Ireland his loyal supporters or loyalists would light bonfires as beacons along the coast for his ships to land safely…..not sure if people know that one to be honest but it certainly represents an argument to have these bonfires albeit in a safe and secure manner.
It was a welcome relief when the Orange Order called on its members not to attend bonfires and marches with large gatherings and to enjoy the Twelfth at home. Although the Orange Order does not organise marches it was a very welcome sight to see such an influential body within Loyalism show leadership and was willing to follow Government advice regarding Covid 19 and accept that changes this year must be made in order for pubic safety.
Again however the same cannot be said for those who have placed offensive sectarian messages on top of bonfires. How are we meant to move on as a society if the traditions of the past continue to haunt us every year and the failed parades commission are seemingly unable to make the tough decisions to work with the PSNI to penalise these people. In recent years bonfires in East Belfast have reduced the locals to a state of despair as they have been forced to move out of their homes due to being in close proximity to the bonfire itself. Every year there is an air of discontent from both sides of the divide in relation to this issue as no-one should be forced from their home at any time for any tradition. Although a quieter affair this year do we return to the usual “traditions” of previous years once Covid 19 has passed?
Those from the Unionist /Loyalist community who partake in these traditions have over the years condemned such weak excuses as they see their bonfire as a means to celebrate the Twelfth which in turn they value as a key aspect of their culture. Any criticism of this and they immediately go on the defensive without any compromise. We must ask ourselves where do we draw the line? A quiet twelfth in 2020 has given us the foresight to organise “quieter” less antagonising Twelfth celebrations that will hopefully continue for years to come. The continued sectarianism however will it ever stop? Is it time for the Orange Order to show similar leadership from 2020 regarding Twelfth celebrations in years to come?
Is there an air of real change and progress this year in regards to the Twelfth? or has Covid 19 postponed the annual traditions that are criticised every year and we will inevitably return to the “norm” next year? Perhaps leaders within Unionism should sit down once Covid 19 has passed and at the very least have a conversation regarding the lessons learned from 2020.
“Orange Order Parade” by Shutterbug Fotos is licensed under CC BY-ND


sluggerotoole--2020-09-03--Sunlight, Vitamin D, Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter…

The data is clear : people in ethnic groups living in the UK are more likely to die if they contract the SARS-Co-2 virus .
Public Health England – currently being scraped and scape-goated to protect the government in its handling of the pandemic – concluded ( Link 1 ) that BAME communities are more susceptible due to social deprivation .
This certainly fits the current political narrative well but may not explain that poor clinical outcomes could simply be down to a lack of sunlight and low vitamin D levels .
The PHE report “ Beyond The Data ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D but , as Lionel Shriver pointed out in the Spectator in June ( LINK 2 ) , this seems more an after-thought rather than heralded as a potential and important clinical cause .
Whether we have black skin or white skin , we too often forget , is only down to our genes and their ingenious ability to adapt us to the environments we choose to live in .
Early man emerging out of Africa around 56,000 years ago most likely had black skin .
As these small human groups moved further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fair-skinned .
The reason for this was Vitamin D , created in the skin through the action of sunlight and vital for good health and fertility .
At the latitude of the British Isles , darker skin meant less vitamin D and less vitamin D meant early death through myriad diseases and , in females , a greater risk of not being able to carry a child full term .
The role of Sunlight and its ability to improve health through production of Vitamin D , and other health vital chemicals for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is receiving renewed interest because of a possible link with poorer outcomes from Covid-19 infection .
Current research is suggesting that the health implication of low vitamin D levels has much wider health importance ( link 3 ) .
I have always stuck to government recommendations on vitamins and minerals and that is ; eating a healthy diet provides sufficient for maintenance of optimal health .
But it seems Vitamin D does not obey this rule .
Vitamins are essential in that they can not normally be manufactured in the body ; Vitamin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is key to maintaining a healthy level .
Our diets too will help .
Indeed , Inuit peoples living successfully in the Artic stay healthy with very little sunlight because their fish and seal-based diet is rich in vitamin D. Some years back a link between obesity and low levels of Vitamin D was clarified ; obesity causes lower levels of vitamin D ( rather than the other way around ) and scientists suggested that vitamin D , a fat soluble vitamin , may become ‘ trapped ’ inside fat tissue so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the blood ( LINK 4 ) .
As we know there is a direct correlation between obesity and Covid-19 deaths and people from Asian and Afro-Caribbean origin are more likely to have higher BMIs .
Vitamin D acts more like a steroid hormone than an enzyme catalyst which is the role of other vitamins and has a fundamental role in the regulation of numerous metabolic processes such as inflammatory response regulation .
Most Covid-19 deaths are due to an exaggerated inflammatory lung response .
Other diseases linked to low vitamin D levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diabetes all identified as risks with Covid-19 .
Living our lives in these cloudy northern latitudes ensures that , even with a balanced diet , we are unlikely to have sufficient vitamin D. Supplementation is important and is being more recognised by GPs and certainly is essential for ethnic minority groups especially those who have recently arrived from sunnier climes .
And this supplementation will need to be much as much as four times the current daily recommended 400 IU .
We seem to get much better benefit from sunlight produced Vitamin D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to production of other chemicals such as the muscle relaxant nitric oxide ; by the way how Viagra works .
We can not ignore the potential benefit of sunshine but for years government campaigns have informed us that there is no such thing as healthy tan .
There now , it seems , is justification to revisit this advice .
Yes , sun exposure is linked to carcinoma of the skin yet where the prevalence of skin carcinomas diagnosis is growing year on year there has not been a similar increased in deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as malignant melanoma .
Racism is obnoxious and Black Lives Matters protests have moved social equality a little closer and there remains some considerable way to go so that political narrative is important .
This narrative should , however , be honest .
As Lionel Shriver points out many Black doctors in the UK died of Covid-19 related symptoms and they were not from the lower socio-economic groups .
We need to properly appreciate the real causes and their relative importance ( Link 5 ) .
Social inequality is important but so too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when worked out , might be as important and more helpful in protecting Black lives .
Link 1 .
Beyond the Data .
Understanding the impact of Covid19 on BAME groups .
Public Health England Link 4 .
Vimaleswaran KS , Berry DJ , Lu C , et al .
Causal Relationship between Obesity and Vitamin D Status : Bi-Directional Mendelian Randomization Analysis of Multiple Cohorts .
PLoS One Medicine .
Published online February 5 2013 Photo by JillWellington is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

The data is clear: people in ethnic groups living in the UK are more likely to die if they contract the SARS-Co-2 virus. Public Health England – currently being scraped and scape-goated to protect the government in its handling of the pandemic – concluded (Link 1) that BAME communities are more susceptible due to social deprivation. This certainly fits the current political narrative well but may not explain that poor clinical outcomes could simply be down to a lack of sunlight and low vitamin D levels. The PHE report “Beyond The Data” does identify a possible role for vitamin D but, as Lionel Shriver pointed out in the Spectator in June (LINK 2), this seems more an after-thought rather than heralded as a potential and important clinical cause.
Whether we have black skin or white skin, we too often forget, is only down to our genes and their ingenious ability to adapt us to the environments we choose to live in. Early man emerging out of Africa around 56,000 years ago most likely had black skin. As these small human groups moved further north they became, through genetic selection, fair-skinned. The reason for this was Vitamin D, created in the skin through the action of sunlight and vital for good health and fertility. At the latitude of the British Isles, darker skin meant less vitamin D and less vitamin D meant early death through myriad diseases and, in females, a greater risk of not being able to carry a child full term.
The role of Sunlight and its ability to improve health through production of Vitamin D, and other health vital chemicals for example Nitric Oxide (NO), is receiving renewed interest because of a possible link with poorer outcomes from Covid-19 infection. Current research is suggesting that the health implication of low vitamin D levels has much wider health importance (link 3). I have always stuck to government recommendations on vitamins and minerals and that is; eating a healthy diet provides sufficient for maintenance of optimal health. But it seems Vitamin D does not obey this rule. Vitamins are essential in that they cannot normally be manufactured in the body; Vitamin D can and our exposure to sunlight is key to maintaining a healthy level. Our diets too will help. Indeed, Inuit peoples living successfully in the Artic stay healthy with very little sunlight because their fish and seal-based diet is rich in vitamin D.
Some years back a link between obesity and low levels of Vitamin D was clarified; obesity causes lower levels of vitamin D (rather than the other way around) and scientists suggested that vitamin D, a fat soluble vitamin, may become ‘trapped’ inside fat tissue so that less of it is available to circulate inside the blood (LINK 4). As we know there is a direct correlation between obesity and Covid-19 deaths and people from Asian and Afro-Caribbean origin are more likely to have higher BMIs.
Vitamin D acts more like a steroid hormone than an enzyme catalyst which is the role of other vitamins and has a fundamental role in the regulation of numerous metabolic processes such as inflammatory response regulation. Most Covid-19 deaths are due to an exaggerated inflammatory lung response. Other diseases linked to low vitamin D levels include; heart disease, cancers and diabetes all identified as risks with Covid-19.
Living our lives in these cloudy northern latitudes ensures that, even with a balanced diet, we are unlikely to have sufficient vitamin D. Supplementation is important and is being more recognised by GPs and certainly is essential for ethnic minority groups especially those who have recently arrived from sunnier climes. And this supplementation will need to be much as much as four times the current daily recommended 400 IU. We seem to get much better benefit from sunlight produced Vitamin D that supplementation and this may be due to production of other chemicals such as the muscle relaxant nitric oxide; by the way how Viagra works.
We cannot ignore the potential benefit of sunshine but for years government campaigns have informed us that there is no such thing as healthy tan. There now, it seems, is justification to revisit this advice. Yes, sun exposure is linked to carcinoma of the skin yet where the prevalence of skin carcinomas diagnosis is growing year on year there has not been a similar increased in deaths due to the more dangerous types such as malignant melanoma.
Racism is obnoxious and Black Lives Matters protests have moved social equality a little closer and there remains some considerable way to go so that political narrative is important. This narrative should, however, be honest. As Lionel Shriver points out many Black doctors in the UK died of Covid-19 related symptoms and they were not from the lower socio-economic groups. We need to properly appreciate the real causes and their relative importance (Link 5). Social inequality is important but so too it seems are genetic differences that, when worked out, might be as important and more helpful in protecting Black lives.
LINKS
Link 1. Beyond the Data. Understanding the impact of Covid19 on BAME groups. Public Health England
Link 2. Lionel Shriver, Spectator June 25th 2020 A minority opinion on Covid deaths.
Link 3. http://www.wphna.org/htdocs/2011_aug_wn3_vitaminD.htm
Link 4. Vimaleswaran KS, Berry DJ, Lu C, et al. Causal Relationship between Obesity and Vitamin D Status: Bi-Directional Mendelian Randomization Analysis of Multiple Cohorts. PLoS One Medicine. Published online February 5 2013
LINK 5. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(20)30268-0
Photo by JillWellington is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-09-03--The Reset: Profound change on the island is likely to be slow and multigenerational, but it has to s

The Reset: Profound change on the island is likely to be slow and multigenerational, but it has to start now…

I ’ m grateful to Brian Feeney in the Irish News for drawing my attention to a bravura performance in the Feile by my old friend David McWilliams .
In my defence it happened on my birthday and so I was enjoying the fresh on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park .
So I missed it .
There ’ s some tough challenging lines in there for northern unionism ( and northern nationalism besides ) , some of which I agree with , some of which I don ’ t and some of which is largely a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well worth celebrating , as Feeney copies them out… In 1920 the north was twice as rich as the south .
Now the north is twice as poor .
Check it out .
McWilliams pours out the figures , the painful facts .
The southern economy is about €300 billion ; the north ’ s is about €50 billion .
The north paid for itself until the 1940s , then after the war industrialism and manufacturing slowly collapsed .
That success can also be seen in electrification , the modernisation of the roads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the development of a modern hospital system ( an ongoing process , so not something that should be read as some kind of permanently poor relation ) .
There ’ s also some very enabling images in there , not least McWilliams advice to stop thinking about these matters in terms of one just one lifetime , but in familial progressions of centuries rather than decades .
In terms of transformation these are more meaningful time frames .
It ’ s something that resonates strongly with me personally .
Both my parents came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ south Down and northern Donegal ) very different ( and much poorer ) places than the east Ulster seaside town ( Holywood ) in which I grew up .
My grandad was in the very first wave of free universal education in 1870s Donegal .
His father , my great grandad , was born in 1826 as near as I can figure and when the famine hit he was already a grown man .
I know little of these folks as people , but… The changes from that poor tenant farmer existence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ era out on the outer edge of Irish speaking Ulster to partition , to the postmodern , excessive wealth of early 21C Ireland is almost too vast to contemplate .
The future comes in ways that are profoundly hard to predict .
McWilliams lauds ( and Brian amplifies ) the story of the republic ’ s economic successes , which were in fact grounded in understanding the failures of isolationism ( a logical progression from Sinn Fein-ism ) in the 30s .
The road to unity , as McWilliams points out , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut .
In fact much of the last 100 years has been as much of a cul de sac as the Free State ’ s trade war with the old enemy had been for the south , the difference is that we in NI did not learn as quickly .
In a measured response to Feeney , Pete Shirlow notes that when you cherry pick financial details , you need to do so with some care… This goes directly to a point hammered ( albeit gently ) home by McWilliams in that Feile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is we should think very deeply about this [ unification issue ] .
Second thing is the conversation in Ireland amongst ‘ us ’ has to include unionist people , and it has to be much less aggressive .
And it has to be much more understanding They have to feel wanted .
You never fall in love with somebody who slags you off .
Think about it we need the people of the northeast of ireland to fall in love with [ the rest of ] ireland .
That ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a marriage .
It can ’ t be an arranged marriage .
It has to be a marriage of love , a marriage of affection , a marriage of understanding okay and that is why i talk about the long , long road .
I can give you all the figures you want .
These are the people that we have to talk to there ’ s no point talking to ourselves .
That conversation ’ s over and it ’ s really a conversation that ’ s easy .
As somebody who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what we need is we need to get to know each other .
We need to know them we need to listen to them .
This listening is more important now than it has ever been .
Technology has transformed the development and transmission of knowledge by ( artificially , you might say ) extending our social memories to a degree and on a scale we ’ ve simply never experienced before .
Little of my grandad ’ s intensely local culture survived the rollout of a national school system .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today since now we appreciate the affordances it gave to subsequent generations .
It wasn ’ t an act of liberation , but served as such for those who came after .
What choose to do now matters as much as what choose not to do .
Whatever the arguments over the current state of Northern Ireland , the kids facing mounting youth unemployment ( anything up to 35 % in the south ) need our help today , not some dreamy , far off tomorrow .

I’m grateful to Brian Feeney in the Irish News for drawing my attention to a bravura performance in the Feile by my old friend David McWilliams. In my defence it happened on my birthday and so I was enjoying the fresh air on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park.
So I missed it. There’s some tough challenging lines in there for northern unionism (and northern nationalism besides), some of which I agree with, some of which I don’t and some of which is largely a matter of factual record.
Those successes are well worth celebrating, as Feeney copies them out…
In 1920 the north was twice as rich as the south. Now the north is twice as poor. Check it out. McWilliams pours out the figures, the painful facts. The southern economy is about €300 billion; the north’s is about €50 billion. The north paid for itself until the 1940s, then after the war industrialism and manufacturing slowly collapsed.
That success can also be seen in electrification, the modernisation of the roads, the delivery of mains water, the development of a modern hospital system (an ongoing process, so not something that should be read as some kind of permanently poor relation).
There’s also some very enabling images in there, not least McWilliams advice to stop thinking about these matters in terms of one just one lifetime, but in familial progressions of centuries rather than decades. In terms of transformation these are more meaningful time frames.
It’s something that resonates strongly with me personally. Both my parents came from other parts of rural Ireland (south Down and northern Donegal) very different (and much poorer) places than the east Ulster seaside town (Holywood) in which I grew up.
My grandad was in the very first wave of free universal education in 1870s Donegal. His father, my great grandad, was born in 1826 as near as I can figure and when the famine hit he was already a grown man. I know little of these folks as people, but…
The changes from that poor tenant farmer existence in a long gone post-Napoleonic, pre Victorian era out on the outer edge of Irish speaking Ulster to partition, to the postmodern, excessive wealth of early 21C Ireland is almost too vast to contemplate.
The future comes in ways that are profoundly hard to predict. McWilliams lauds (and Brian amplifies) the story of the republic’s economic successes, which were in fact grounded in understanding the failures of isolationism (a logical progression from Sinn Fein-ism) in the 30s.
The road to unity, as McWilliams points out, is not going to be via a short cut. In fact much of the last 100 years has been as much of a cul de sac as the Free State’s trade war with the old enemy had been for the south, the difference is that we in NI did not learn as quickly.
In a measured response to Feeney, Pete Shirlow notes that when you cherry pick financial details, you need to do so with some care…
Both economies have structural weaknesses. They have abandoned the urban and rural poor. I know countless young professional people living in Dublin who earn staggering sums who cannot afford to buy a home or whose disposable incomes are limited. Their equivalent in Belfast are on the property ladder, are not delaying having children and have cash in their pockets. Furthermore, fair employment rightly aided the creation of a burgeoning Catholic middle class, especially though public sector employment.
This goes directly to a point hammered (albeit gently) home by McWilliams in that Feile dialogue with Martina Devlin..
My own sense is we should think very deeply about this [unification issue]. Second thing is the conversation in Ireland amongst ‘us’ has to include unionist people, and it has to be much less aggressive. And it has to be much more understanding They have to feel wanted. You never fall in love with somebody who slags you off. Think about it we need the people of the northeast of ireland to fall in love with [the rest of] ireland. That’s the key. You can’t coerce a marriage. It can’t be an arranged marriage. It has to be a marriage of love, a marriage of affection, a marriage of understanding okay and that is why i talk about the long, long road. I can give you all the figures you want. These are the people that we have to talk to there’s no point talking to ourselves. That conversation’s over and it’s really a conversation that’s easy. As somebody who’s married into the other tribe, what we need is we need to get to know each other. We need to know them we need to listen to them.
This listening is more important now than it has ever been. Technology has transformed the development and transmission of knowledge by (artificially, you might say) extending our social memories to a degree and on a scale we’ve simply never experienced before.
Little of my grandad’s intensely local culture survived the rollout of a national school system. It’s rarely a cause for anguish today since now we appreciate the affordances it gave to subsequent generations. It wasn’t an act of liberation, but served as such for those who came after.
What choose to do now matters as much as what choose not to do. Whatever the arguments over the current state of Northern Ireland, the kids facing mounting youth unemployment (anything up to 35% in the south) need our help today, not some dreamy, far off tomorrow.
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-04--#TheReset – Belfast City Centre’s loss is the rest of Northern Ireland’s gain…

I have not been in the City Centre since February and to be honest , I have no desire to rush back anytime soon .
Even before the pandemic , it was not a great experience – noisy , dirty , lots of traffic , a harsh natureless environment , a notable increase in beggars and addicts .
It is a pity because having a wander around the city centre was an activity that many of us grew up on .
But lately , it has lost its attraction .
Of course , Covid-19 has made the situation a hundred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce has estimated only 5 % of workers are back at work in the City Centre .
Diane Dodds has appealed to the Civil Service to return to their offices to save the economy , to which the general response of the workers seems to be , “ no thanks , we are ok at home.
” Never mind getting Covid , staff are in no rush to get back to sitting in 2-3 hour commutes just to stop Gregg ’ s and Costa Coffee going to the wall .
So the poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ghost town these days .
Where are all the people ?
Well , they have not disappeared into the ether , they are all busy filling the cafes and shops of the rest of Northern Ireland .
People working from home in Bangor , Magherafelt , Omagh , Rostrevor etc .
have found that with all the time and money they have saved not commuting they can go out to their local cafes and shops .
They can take wee breaks to stroll through their lovely local parks and amenities .
Let me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance .
You live in Rostrevor .
You do a few hour ’ s work in the morning from home .
It is a nice day so for lunch , you take a walk in Kilbroney Park where you meet a friend for lunch in Synge & Byrne cafe .
You have a nice lunch and a chat all while enjoying the spectacular view .
The photo that accompanies this post is a photo I took of the actual view from the cafe .
Could there be a more lovely way to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a perfect day .
For decades the rest of Northern Ireland has looked enviously as Belfast seemed to get all the investment and attention .
Now Covid is acting like a Marxist Santa redistributing wealth to all the boys and girls of Northern Ireland .
Many people think once this is all over , things will go back to the way they were before .
But they will not .
Once people have tasted freedom , it will be hard getting them back into captivity .
Who in their right mind would look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go and sit all day in a noisy , cramped open-plan office ?
Instead , you will have hybrid work .
People will work from home a few days a week and come into the office for meetings and catchups .
The civil servants will discover they can work just as well if not better from their homes or regional offices .
Practically every town in Northern Ireland has a benefits office or other similar government building .
These offices could be easily modified to support hot desking by local workers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ working will become an important job benefit for prospective employees .
Those employers who do not offer flexibility will lose out .
Furthermore , employers are discovering that productivity can increase when people work from home .
There are fewer distractions so you get more done .
Combine this with cost savings on rent , and management will soon decide that flexible working is a real money saver .
Some companies might decide to go completely virtual and use the money they save on rent to pay for regular meetups .
Once a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the morning to discuss projects before treating everyone to a free lunch where they can catch up with their colleagues .
The definition of madness is spending hours commuting to an office to phone and email people who have also spent hours commuting to their offices .
If your work involves staring at a screen all day you can quite easily stare at it in the comfort of your own house .
“ Free the people !
” should be the new cross-community rallying cry .
Free the people to walk their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enjoy high-speed broadband anywhere in Northern Ireland .
Free the people to eat in their local cafes and shop in their local shops .
Free the people to walk in their local parks , forests and beaches .
Free the people to work how they want to .
Free the people to spend quality time with their friends and families .
We can never go back to the old ways again , and nor should we want to .
This post is part of our # TheReset series in association with Ulster @

I have not been in the City Centre since February and to be honest, I have no desire to rush back anytime soon. Even before the pandemic, it was not a great experience – noisy, dirty, lots of traffic, a harsh natureless environment, a notable increase in beggars and addicts. It is a pity because having a wander around the city centre was an activity that many of us grew up on. But lately, it has lost its attraction.
Of course, Covid-19 has made the situation a hundred times worse. The Belfast Chamber of Commerce has estimated only 5% of workers are back at work in the City Centre. Diane Dodds has appealed to the Civil Service to return to their offices to save the economy, to which the general response of the workers seems to be, “no thanks, we are ok at home.” Never mind getting Covid, staff are in no rush to get back to sitting in 2-3 hour commutes just to stop Gregg’s and Costa Coffee going to the wall.
So the poor old city centre is a bit of ghost town these days. Where are all the people? Well, they have not disappeared into the ether, they are all busy filling the cafes and shops of the rest of Northern Ireland.
People working from home in Bangor, Magherafelt, Omagh, Rostrevor etc. have found that with all the time and money they have saved not commuting they can go out to their local cafes and shops. They can take wee breaks to stroll through their lovely local parks and amenities.
Let me give you a vision of perfect work-life balance. You live in Rostrevor. You do a few hour’s work in the morning from home. It is a nice day so for lunch, you take a walk in Kilbroney Park where you meet a friend for lunch in Synge & Byrne cafe. You have a nice lunch and a chat all while enjoying the spectacular view. The photo that accompanies this post is a photo I took of the actual view from the cafe. Could there be a more lovely way to live? It is Lou Reed levels of a perfect day.
For decades the rest of Northern Ireland has looked enviously as Belfast seemed to get all the investment and attention. Now Covid is acting like a Marxist Santa redistributing wealth to all the boys and girls of Northern Ireland.
Many people think once this is all over, things will go back to the way they were before. But they will not. Once people have tasted freedom, it will be hard getting them back into captivity. Who in their right mind would look forward to sitting in traffic for hours to go and sit all day in a noisy, cramped open-plan office?
Instead, you will have hybrid work. People will work from home a few days a week and come into the office for meetings and catchups. The civil servants will discover they can work just as well if not better from their homes or regional offices. Practically every town in Northern Ireland has a benefits office or other similar government building. These offices could be easily modified to support hot desking by local workers.
There is a skills shortage. Flexible working will become an important job benefit for prospective employees. Those employers who do not offer flexibility will lose out. Furthermore, employers are discovering that productivity can increase when people work from home. There are fewer distractions so you get more done. Combine this with cost savings on rent, and management will soon decide that flexible working is a real money saver. Some companies might decide to go completely virtual and use the money they save on rent to pay for regular meetups. Once a week you could hire a co-working space for the morning to discuss projects before treating everyone to a free lunch where they can catch up with their colleagues.
The definition of madness is spending hours commuting to an office to phone and email people who have also spent hours commuting to their offices. If your work involves staring at a screen all day you can quite easily stare at it in the comfort of your own house.
“Free the people!” should be the new cross-community rallying cry. Free the people to walk their kids to school. Free the people to enjoy high-speed broadband anywhere in Northern Ireland. Free the people to eat in their local cafes and shop in their local shops. Free the people to walk in their local parks, forests and beaches. Free the people to work how they want to. Free the people to spend quality time with their friends and families.
We can never go back to the old ways again, and nor should we want to.
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
This post is part of our #TheReset series in association with Ulster Bank
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] or [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-04--If we are serious about better economic outcomes, Ministers and political parties have to take on th

If we are serious about better economic outcomes, Ministers and political parties have to take on the NIMBYs…

Newton Emerson has a nice piece in the Irish Times in which he demonstrates the tight hold NIMBY lobbies have on either side of the border , even on parties who ’ s main policy plank are in favour as something as seemingly important as the all island electricity market… He starts with the question : The answer , he says , is that… Arguments for and against the new line are well rehearsed .
They reached their legal conclusion in the Republic in February 2019 , when the Supreme Court upheld planning approval for the southern section .
Campaigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2016 , first by judicial review then by appealing when that was rejected .
The hold-up north of the Border remains , with a quirkier Stormont flavour .
Officials approved the northern section in 2018 during the collapse of devolution .
Campaigners took this to court on the grounds the decision should not have been taken in the absence of a minister .
They won , the bureaucracy was paralysed until Stormont was restored and the decision was dropped into the in-tray of new SDLP infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon .
The political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the last 100 years , but in one respect they share a problem routed in the localism generated by the STV PR system .
Councillors on the ground are a law unto themselves : In the Republic , Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael supported the interconnector in the Dáil while objecting to it in councils and backing local campaigns against it .
Exactly the same has happened in Northern Ireland .
Special mention must go the UUP for grandstanding for the project in Stormont while its councillors opposed it and to Sinn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electricity market ” in elections while opposing its vital physical kit .
As Richard Ramsey has argued in the first of our TheReset series of podcasts , if ever there was a time for some clear tough messaging it is now… .
Since a deal was excluded from the restart agreement , the burden of delivering a beneficial long term project ( which potentially severe short term downsides ) falls on to the back one politician only , the SDLPs Nicola Mallon… …the nature of the decision facing Mallon still leaves her unusually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties , perhaps including parts of her own , will fail to support her .
The 2018 court challenge was mounted by 6,000 land-owners and residents in Co Armagh and Co Tyrone – too big a voter bloc to ignore .
It would help if more than just Newton recognised the scale of the political challenge here .
Generally , in the past , politicians who have taken risks to improve outcomes have either been ignored or leapt upon from a great height when it does go wrong .
The result is our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one gets punished for delivering subs standard product .
With youth unemployment thought to be at about 25 % in NI and even higher in the south , the fight back for better outcomes has to start now .
As our old friend The Dissenter says wryly at the end of a brilliant post on the realities of infrastructure mess… Instead of laughing at Boris ’ s bridge , or indulging the idea as having great merit , perhaps step one is banking the idea that infrastructure is essential and can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformative , we need to get address fundamentals .
If there is to be investment in infrastructure , in Northern Ireland it needs to start with the basics .
If you would like to get involved in # TheReset , either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October .
Photo by ColiN00B is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Newton Emerson has a nice piece in the Irish Times in which he demonstrates the tight hold NIMBY lobbies have on either side of the border, even on parties who’s main policy plank are in favour as something as seemingly important as the all island electricity market…
He starts with the question:
Would Electric Ireland be putting prices in the Republic up by 3.4 per cent if the new cross-Border interconnector was in place?
The answer, he says, is that…
Projections show the line would cut the total bill to homes and businesses, north and south, by 1 per cent immediately, with more savings in subsequent years. We should be in those years now, as the interconnector was meant to be operating by 2017.
So what’s the problem?
Arguments for and against the new line are well rehearsed. They reached their legal conclusion in the Republic in February 2019, when the Supreme Court upheld planning approval for the southern section. Campaigners had been trying to reverse the approval since 2016, first by judicial review then by appealing when that was rejected. The hold-up north of the Border remains, with a quirkier Stormont flavour. Officials approved the northern section in 2018 during the collapse of devolution. Campaigners took this to court on the grounds the decision should not have been taken in the absence of a minister. They won, the bureaucracy was paralysed until Stormont was restored and the decision was dropped into the in-tray of new SDLP infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon.
The political culture north and south has diversified massively over the last 100 years, but in one respect they share a problem routed in the localism generated by the STV PR system. Councillors on the ground are a law unto themselves:
In the Republic, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael supported the interconnector in the Dáil while objecting to it in councils and backing local campaigns against it. Exactly the same has happened in Northern Ireland. Special mention must go the UUP for grandstanding for the project in Stormont while its councillors opposed it and to Sinn Féin for boasting about the “all-Ireland electricity market” in elections while opposing its vital physical kit.
As Richard Ramsey has argued in the first of our TheReset series of podcasts, if ever there was a time for some clear tough messaging it is now….
Powered by RedCircle
Since a deal was excluded from the restart agreement, the burden of delivering a beneficial long term project (which potentially severe short term downsides) falls on to the back one politician only, the SDLPs Nicola Mallon…
…the nature of the decision facing Mallon still leaves her unusually exposed. It is inevitable that other parties, perhaps including parts of her own, will fail to support her. The 2018 court challenge was mounted by 6,000 land-owners and residents in Co Armagh and Co Tyrone – too big a voter bloc to ignore.
It would help if more than just Newton recognised the scale of the political challenge here. Generally, in the past, politicians who have taken risks to improve outcomes have either been ignored or leapt upon from a great height when it does go wrong.
The result is our market for lemons political arena in which no one gets punished for delivering subs standard product. With youth unemployment thought to be at about 25% in NI and even higher in the south, the fight back for better outcomes has to start now.
As our old friend The Dissenter says wryly at the end of a brilliant post on the realities of infrastructure mess…
Instead of laughing at Boris’s bridge, or indulging the idea as having great merit, perhaps step one is banking the idea that infrastructure is essential and can be transformative. However, to imagine something transformative, we need to get address fundamentals. If there is to be investment in infrastructure, in Northern Ireland it needs to start with the basics.
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.
Photo by ColiN00B is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-09-06--Bees, Breath and Back To School…

Bees, Breath and Back To School…

The day is dull , it can ’ t decide whether to rain , or not .
The air is autumn cool , the blooms of summer have faded , there ’ s a ‘ last orders ’ feeling before winter .
I ’ m hunkered down , underneath the big fir tree on the edge of our wet lawn half a metre from my first hive entrance .
I ’ ve just left my youngest off at school for the first time in five months .
He turned nine in July and takes his extra year into the bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teenager is still asleep upstairs , his turn will come tomorrow .
My head feels dizzy with relief , I ’ m two gins in , but all that ’ s passed my lips this morning is coffee and water .
I inhale deeply .
For the next three hours I have responsibility only for myself .
I don ’ t have to feel guilty that he ’ s still lying in his PJ ’ s watching youtube at eleven o ’ clock , I don ’ t have to magic up excursions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cajole and most importantly I don ’ t have to try and teach him !
I breathe in the freedom of it and I exhale the last five months of pandemic parenting .
Last week I began the process of wintering my bees .
I ’ ve narrowed the hive entrance , all that ’ s left is a thin dark slice , an arrowslit for them to defend themselves more easily against wasp invaders .
I ’ ve conscientiously worked my way through a list of jobs to ready my bees for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I do now will predict the health of my bees next spring .
I ’ ve consolidated them into a single brood box and taken off empty supers .
Despite the impressive size of my colony there is not enough honey for me to take the excess this year .
Beekeepers across the country have disappointing honey crops .
Spring was too dry , stopping the flowers from producing nectar and the summer months too wet for forage flying .
The last few weeks of weather have been so bad that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost them up before winter .
My tall hives are now small and squat .
They ’ ve lost the majestic height they had in summer when I had to pile on extra brood boxes and supers to house my large colony of bees .
The same colony that on a hot sticky day in June swarmed to a branch of the fir tree above me .
September cold partnered with the wind and rain means my bees are dying .
There is no more food for them to forage .
Only the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over winter .
I ’ ve discovered a dead drone zone just outside my hive entrance .
The male drone bees are not welcome in the hive during autumn and winter .
There are no virgin queens flying now , their reproductive services are no longer required , they ’ ll only eat up valuable food supplies .
Last week I watched in fascinated admiration as my worker bees literally kicked-out drones .
At first I thought my bees were sick , as several of them tumbled down the landing board onto the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more closely I saw they were drone bees being denied access to the hive .
I saw one worker bee hitch herself onto a drone and carry him off by his wings !
Back in March when the world was thrown into lockdown and the sun shone relentlessly I had ample opportunity to observe my bees .
During the last tumultuous five months they have soothed me from the inside out .
I ’ ve learnt my bees provide a stage from the four states of attention ( Kaplan & Kaplan 1989 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows the individual to be gently distracted in a low-stimulation activity , which reduces the internal noise and provides a quiet internal space to relax.
” I ’ m curious about the effect my bees have on my mental state .
A flying bee is a sight to behold ; their dense jellybean bodies , with dangling loose legs like liquorice laces held aloft by the shimmer of wings that beat hundreds of times a second .
When I spot one with hind legs packed with pollen crumbs it ’ s extra special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising brood inside the hive , from a beekeeper ’ s point of view it means the hive is healthy .
The sight of bulging bee legs with pollen also indicates the bees are doing their job of pollination and in a wider context that means nature is hearty and normal .
What a comfort to know that Mother Nature has maintained her order , even if the human race has not .
Last week they were bringing in lots of pollen , bolstering themselves and their stores for winter .
The stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the better chances it has of survival .
We could learn a lot from bees .
My hive is quiet this morning , a sign that the bees know rain is on the way .
But I watch anyway .
My black Irish honey bees are hardier than most , they are bred to put up with our inclement weather .
A few bees come and go , perhaps a dozen or so .
Such a change to the busyness of the summer months .
I watch .
I breathe .
I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my eyes relax , my brain softens like a dog rolling over to be petted .
I stay hunkered down and watch until the rain comes , as the bees knew it would .
In my retreat from the wet I pass the honeysuckle that I planted in May .
I look up in wonder at how tall it has grown .
My husband said it would never take in the rough , dry , waste ground that I dug out one hot lockdown evening , my new plant knee height beside me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out high over the brick in a welcome viney hug .
It will be a delicious nectar treat for my bees in the years to come .
I adjust a tendril or two , tucking them gently behind the garden wire I attached to the wall to give it purchase .
I breathe in the balance felt by planting for my pollinators .
I ’ ll miss my bees this winter but observing their preparations is reassuring .
Autumn has a quiet certainty that helps us all prepare for the winter ahead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt in our seasonal cycles , the rhythm of Mother Nature ’ s heartbeat .
The leaves on the Virginia creeper are transforming into deep , berry reds , the front of the house pulses and glows with it .
Soon , I ’ ll plant my spring bulbs and tuck my bees up for winter .
I ’ ll breathe in the waxy , honey smell of their hive one last time and wish them luck for the winter .
I ’ ll secure the hives against winter winds , tying them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll hang up my lilac bee suit , my red-stained propolis gloves and store away my smoker .
I ’ ll sit by warm fires and read books about bees and flower forage , ready to begin again next year , reassured that whatever is happening in the world , bulbs will bloom and bees will emerge and life will keep on keeping on .
Photo by Myriams-Fotos is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

The day is dull, it can’t decide whether to rain, or not. The air is autumn cool, the blooms of summer have faded, there’s a ‘last orders’ feeling before winter. I’m hunkered down, underneath the big fir tree on the edge of our wet lawn half a metre from my first hive entrance. I’ve just left my youngest off at school for the first time in five months. He turned nine in July and takes his extra year into the bigger world of the P5 classroom. The teenager is still asleep upstairs, his turn will come tomorrow. My head feels dizzy with relief, I’m two gins in, but all that’s passed my lips this morning is coffee and water. I inhale deeply. For the next three hours I have responsibility only for myself. I don’t have to feel guilty that he’s still lying in his PJ’s watching youtube at eleven o’clock, I don’t have to magic up excursions, I don’t have to cajole and most importantly I don’t have to try and teach him! I breathe in the freedom of it and I exhale the last five months of pandemic parenting.
Last week I began the process of wintering my bees. I’ve narrowed the hive entrance, all that’s left is a thin dark slice, an arrowslit for them to defend themselves more easily against wasp invaders. I’ve conscientiously worked my way through a list of jobs to ready my bees for winter. I’ve been told what I do now will predict the health of my bees next spring. I’ve consolidated them into a single brood box and taken off empty supers. Despite the impressive size of my colony there is not enough honey for me to take the excess this year. Beekeepers across the country have disappointing honey crops. Spring was too dry, stopping the flowers from producing nectar and the summer months too wet for forage flying. The last few weeks of weather have been so bad that I’ve started feeding sugar syrup to boost them up before winter. My tall hives are now small and squat. They’ve lost the majestic height they had in summer when I had to pile on extra brood boxes and supers to house my large colony of bees. The same colony that on a hot sticky day in June swarmed to a branch of the fir tree above me. September cold partnered with the wind and rain means my bees are dying. There is no more food for them to forage. Only the strongest will be left in the hive over winter. I’ve discovered a dead drone zone just outside my hive entrance. The male drone bees are not welcome in the hive during autumn and winter. There are no virgin queens flying now, their reproductive services are no longer required, they’ll only eat up valuable food supplies. Last week I watched in fascinated admiration as my worker bees literally kicked-out drones. At first I thought my bees were sick, as several of them tumbled down the landing board onto the grass below, but when I looked more closely I saw they were drone bees being denied access to the hive. I saw one worker bee hitch herself onto a drone and carry him off by his wings!
Back in March when the world was thrown into lockdown and the sun shone relentlessly I had ample opportunity to observe my bees. During the last tumultuous five months they have soothed me from the inside out. I’ve learnt my bees provide a stage from the four states of attention (Kaplan & Kaplan 1989) called ‘soft fascination.’ It “allows the individual to be gently distracted in a low-stimulation activity, which reduces the internal noise and provides a quiet internal space to relax.” I’m curious about the effect my bees have on my mental state. A flying bee is a sight to behold; their dense jellybean bodies, with dangling loose legs like liquorice laces held aloft by the shimmer of wings that beat hundreds of times a second. When I spot one with hind legs packed with pollen crumbs it’s extra special. Pollen is the protein needed for raising brood inside the hive, from a beekeeper’s point of view it means the hive is healthy. The sight of bulging bee legs with pollen also indicates the bees are doing their job of pollination and in a wider context that means nature is hearty and normal. What a comfort to know that Mother Nature has maintained her order, even if the human race has not. Last week they were bringing in lots of pollen, bolstering themselves and their stores for winter. The stronger the colony is going into winter, the better chances it has of survival. We could learn a lot from bees.
My hive is quiet this morning, a sign that the bees know rain is on the way. But I watch anyway. My black Irish honey bees are hardier than most, they are bred to put up with our inclement weather. A few bees come and go, perhaps a dozen or so. Such a change to the busyness of the summer months. I watch. I breathe. I can feel the muscles at the back of my eyes relax, my brain softens like a dog rolling over to be petted. I stay hunkered down and watch until the rain comes, as the bees knew it would. In my retreat from the wet I pass the honeysuckle that I planted in May. I look up in wonder at how tall it has grown. My husband said it would never take in the rough, dry, waste ground that I dug out one hot lockdown evening, my new plant knee height beside me. Now, its green arms splay out high over the brick in a welcome viney hug. It will be a delicious nectar treat for my bees in the years to come. I adjust a tendril or two, tucking them gently behind the garden wire I attached to the wall to give it purchase. I breathe in the balance felt by planting for my pollinators.
I’ll miss my bees this winter but observing their preparations is reassuring. Autumn has a quiet certainty that helps us all prepare for the winter ahead. The turn of the earth can be felt in our seasonal cycles, the rhythm of Mother Nature’s heartbeat. The leaves on the Virginia creeper are transforming into deep, berry reds, the front of the house pulses and glows with it. Soon, I’ll plant my spring bulbs and tuck my bees up for winter. I’ll breathe in the waxy, honey smell of their hive one last time and wish them luck for the winter. I’ll secure the hives against winter winds, tying them up like birthday gifts. I’ll hang up my lilac bee suit, my red-stained propolis gloves and store away my smoker. I’ll sit by warm fires and read books about bees and flower forage, ready to begin again next year, reassured that whatever is happening in the world, bulbs will bloom and bees will emerge and life will keep on keeping on.
Photo by Myriams-Fotos is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-09-07--From Boris Johnson, the honeyed words of a blackmailer or a genuine cry for help?

The alarm has been raised .
And while it would be a great mistake to declare it false , it has been followed by calls for calm .
The Withdrawal agreement is not about to be torn up and the GFA ( according to some interpretations ) with it .
Rather it ’ s all about creating smooth passage across the Irish Sea .
We ’ re back at the centre of attention .
Really ?
Surely by signing into national and international law the Withdrawal Agreement with its Ireland/NI Protocol the UK ( or rather GB ) had already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent state ?
” Why revisit leaving NI in the EU for trading in goods and creating the front stop of “ the border of the Irish Sea ” ?
This from the Financial Times ’ explainer .
The protocol created the special arrangement for Northern Ireland as a means of solving the riddle of how to prevent a hard economic border on the island of Ireland , but in recent months the extent of the obligations it contained have become increasingly stark .
As Lord Frost pushed for an increasingly basic free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain ’ s future trading relations with the EU and those of Northern Ireland became wider and wider , with state aid and export summary declarations the two starkest examples .
Negotiators on both sides believed that these differences could be resolved by negotiation , but the chances of a deal receded this summer , and they appear to have lost the argument in Whitehall .
How is the government planning to circumvent the protocol ?
People familiar with the plans say that the UK ’ s internal market bill will contradict both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On state aid , the bill is expected to include clauses that very narrowly define the obligation to notify Brussels of subsidy decisions , with the business secretary alone given the powers to decide whether or not to notify the bloc .
Similarly , clauses are expected to say that “ notwithstanding ” the obligations in the withdrawal agreement , Northern Ireland businesses will not be required to file export summary declarations when sending goods into Great Britain .
Clauses in the autumn finance bill , used to write the chancellor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much the same effect on the potential obligation to collect tariffs on goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain , according to two people familiar with the plans .
The calming down exercise has already begun .
From the Guardian .
George Eustice , the environment minister , claimed that the UK was not ignoring the agreement and that the new law would just tidy up “ loose ends ” where the agreement was ambiguous .
When it was put to him the e government was abandoning a treaty it signed in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not saying that at all .
We have a withdrawal agreement , and that includes Northern Ireland protocol .
And we are committed to implementing that .
And there is negotiations ongoing through something called the joint committee process … a separate process to the main negotiation on a future trade agreement .
But , it has always been recognised that that joint committee process was needed to iron out a few remaining technical details as to how the Northern Ireland protocol would work .
And it may well be the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has concluded there remain one , or two , loose ends where there is a requirement for legal certainty .
And where the government may need to legislate to provide that legal clarity and certainty .
Eustice added to Times Radio : … although there would be no customs checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland , there may be some administrative processes for goods transiting through .
Despite the UK ministers bland assurances , the pressures on Dublin are severe , over the balance of east- west @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through GB to the continent .
So far Dublin ’ s response has been ultra cautious , just nine words from Foreign minister Coveney ..
This would be a very unwise way to proceed .
Looked at one way , it amounts to blackmail .
But Tony Connelly ’ s sources are putting a brave face on it , calling it the UK ’ s request for help .
His report is worth quoting extensively .
RTÉ News has learned that Britain has been asking Ireland to intercede with the European Commission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Northern Ireland Protocol , despite reports that the UK is intending to override key aspects of the protocol .
In return for help , the UK has offered to help Ireland with the issue of the UK land bridge .
The offer has been made via official contacts in recent months .
However , Irish sources say they have treated the offer with caution .
The Northern Ireland Protocol is part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and means that Northern Ireland will operate under the EU ’ s customs and single market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be subject to a range of checks and controls and customs formalities as those goods will effectively be entering the EU single market from a third country .
According to a number of senior sources on both sides , London has asked Dublin to urge the European Commission to permit a range of flexibilities on how the checks and controls might be applied .
In return , London has said it would be willing to make it easier for Irish truck drivers to move goods across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year .
Some 80 % of Irish exports to the EU rely on the UK land route to European ports via Dover and other exit points .
However , once the Brexit transition period ends in January , Irish hauliers run the risk of being entangled in long queues at British ports , as UK drivers will for the first time have to undergo checks and controls , including customs formalities , when crossing to the EU .
The EU has recognised Ireland ’ s difficulty in using the land bridge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barnier , the EU ’ s chief negotiator , to take account of Ireland ’ s unique geographical position when negotiating a future trading relationship with the UK .
However , the issue has not yet been to the forefront of the EU-UK negotiations .
It is understood that Britain has sought Dublin ’ s help on aspects of the protocol that are the most sensitive to unionists .
In particular , officials have asked the Irish Government to persuade the European Commission that checks and controls on consignments of food destined for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out at depots within Great Britain , rather than at Northern ports .
They have also asked Dublin to push for checks on live animals to happen at abattoirs , rather than at the Port of Larne .
Under the protocol , so-called Sanitary and Phytosanitary ( SPS ) checks and controls on food and agri-food products coming in from Great Britain will require the building of Border Control Posts ( BCPs ) , which in turn must be authorised by the European Commission .
This puts a huge onus on Dublin on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt partly the intention , to put pressure on the EU at its most vulnerable point .

The alarm has been raised. And while it would be a great mistake to declare it false, it has been followed by calls for calm. The Withdrawal agreement is not about to be torn up and the GFA (according to some interpretations) with it. Rather it’s all about creating smooth passage across the Irish Sea. We’re back at the centre of attention. Really? Surely by signing into national and international law the Withdrawal Agreement with its Ireland/NI Protocol the UK ( or rather GB) had already achieved the goal of becoming “an independent state?” Why revisit leaving NI in the EU for trading in goods and creating the front stop of “the border of the Irish Sea”?
This from the Financial Times’ explainer.
The protocol created the special arrangement for Northern Ireland as a means of solving the riddle of how to prevent a hard economic border on the island of Ireland, but in recent months the extent of the obligations it contained have become increasingly stark. As Lord Frost pushed for an increasingly basic free trade agreement, the gap between Great Britain’s future trading relations with the EU and those of Northern Ireland became wider and wider, with state aid and export summary declarations the two starkest examples.
Negotiators on both sides believed that these differences could be resolved by negotiation, but the chances of a deal receded this summer, and they appear to have lost the argument in Whitehall.
How is the government planning to circumvent the protocol? People familiar with the plans say that the UK’s internal market bill will contradict both treaty obligations arising from the withdrawal agreement. On state aid, the bill is expected to include clauses that very narrowly define the obligation to notify Brussels of subsidy decisions, with the business secretary alone given the powers to decide whether or not to notify the bloc.
Similarly, clauses are expected to say that “notwithstanding” the obligations in the withdrawal agreement, Northern Ireland businesses will not be required to file export summary declarations when sending goods into Great Britain. Clauses in the autumn finance bill, used to write the chancellor’s Budget into law, will have much the same effect on the potential obligation to collect tariffs on goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, according to two people familiar with the plans.
The calming down exercise has already begun. From the Guardian.
George Eustice, the environment minister, claimed that the UK was not ignoring the agreement and that the new law would just tidy up “loose ends” where the agreement was ambiguous. When it was put to him the e government was abandoning a treaty it signed in January, he replied:
No. We are not saying that at all. We have a withdrawal agreement, and that includes Northern Ireland protocol. And we are committed to implementing that.
And there is negotiations ongoing through something called the joint committee process … a separate process to the main negotiation on a future trade agreement.
But, it has always been recognised that that joint committee process was needed to iron out a few remaining technical details as to how the Northern Ireland protocol would work.
And it may well be the case that once that joint committee process itself has concluded there remain one, or two, loose ends where there is a requirement for legal certainty. And where the government may need to legislate to provide that legal clarity and certainty.
Eustice added to Times Radio: … although there would be no customs checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, there may be some administrative processes for goods transiting through.
Despite the UK ministers bland assurances, the pressures on Dublin are severe, over the balance of east- west trade and the all important land bridge through GB to the continent. So far Dublin’s response has been ultra cautious, just nine words from Foreign minister Coveney ..
This would be a very unwise way to proceed.
Looked at one way, it amounts to blackmail. But Tony Connelly’s sources are putting a brave face on it, calling it the UK’s request for help. His report is worth quoting extensively.
RTÉ News has learned that Britain has been asking Ireland to intercede with the European Commission to be more flexible on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, despite reports that the UK is intending to override key aspects of the protocol.
In return for help, the UK has offered to help Ireland with the issue of the UK land bridge.
The offer has been made via official contacts in recent months. However, Irish sources say they have treated the offer with caution.
The Northern Ireland Protocol is part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and means that Northern Ireland will operate under the EU’s customs and single market rules.
As such, goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be subject to a range of checks and controls and customs formalities as those goods will effectively be entering the EU single market from a third country.
According to a number of senior sources on both sides, London has asked Dublin to urge the European Commission to permit a range of flexibilities on how the checks and controls might be applied.
In return, London has said it would be willing to make it easier for Irish truck drivers to move goods across the UK land bridge from 1 January next year.
Some 80% of Irish exports to the EU rely on the UK land route to European ports via Dover and other exit points.
However, once the Brexit transition period ends in January, Irish hauliers run the risk of being entangled in long queues at British ports, as UK drivers will for the first time have to undergo checks and controls, including customs formalities, when crossing to the EU.
The EU has recognised Ireland’s difficulty in using the land bridge, and member states have formally asked Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, to take account of Ireland’s unique geographical position when negotiating a future trading relationship with the UK.
However, the issue has not yet been to the forefront of the EU-UK negotiations.
It is understood that Britain has sought Dublin’s help on aspects of the protocol that are the most sensitive to unionists.
In particular, officials have asked the Irish Government to persuade the European Commission that checks and controls on consignments of food destined for Northern Irish supermarket chains should be carried out at depots within Great Britain, rather than at Northern ports.
They have also asked Dublin to push for checks on live animals to happen at abattoirs, rather than at the Port of Larne.
Under the protocol, so-called Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks and controls on food and agri-food products coming in from Great Britain will require the building of Border Control Posts (BCPs), which in turn must be authorised by the European Commission.
This puts a huge onus on Dublin on how to respond. Which was no doubt partly the intention, to put pressure on the EU at its most vulnerable point.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-07--Nichola Mallon: Tough infrastructure decisions in the short term, will need a strong long term visio

Nichola Mallon: Tough infrastructure decisions in the short term, will need a strong long term vision

Our Reset project continues in parallel with normal politics .
To track real politics you need to be across the detail that ’ s frustratingly hard to get to hand .
Today , Tom Kelly has spotted a worrying detail and a sign that the ruling duopoly haven ’ t learned from past mistakes… Last week Nichola Mallon , Minister for Infrastructure , vented some of her frustrations by tweeting live to Good Morning Ulster “ Very frustrating to once again learn of the Executive ’ s Agenda via GMU !
” This was quickly followed by a tweet from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stating “ Indeed .
I was not only informed of the agenda but also told what the Executive would decide by a lobbyist !
” Minister Long followed up by stating it was only an hour before the executive meeting and she was still without papers .
Quite simply this is no way to run an administration and it does nothing to re-gain public confidence in political authority .
What can , he argues , is delivery .
Northern Ireland ’ s infrastructure deficit , has had a welcome high profile appearance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not least because the disturbing news from NI Water that it can not fund further significant expansion of its system ) .
In late August , Mallon set up an advisory panel in order to develop “ a series of holistic recommendations ” around the water , drainage and inland waterways , public transport , roads and cycling infrastructure that falls within her remit .
She has also asked them to consider the possibility of setting up an “ infrastructure commission ” that would take a strategic view of wider issues which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I admire the ambition , so long as , in Kelly ’ s words , it actually leads to delivery .
We have seen in the past Ministerial promises of action which never materialised .
Michelle O ’ Neill ’ s promise to implement Bengoa was rather unsubtly dashed on the rocks by her own party ’ s internal leadership when they crashed Stormont a matter of weeks later .
There is very little that any of the smaller parties can do about the abject dysfunctionality of the two larger parties and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what should be collective cabinet business through their wholly-owned Executive Office .
What they can do is make the public an offer that they would rather not refuse and then let the two larger parties explain why they can not happen ?
If that means embracing tougher decisions in the short term , it needs to come with a stronger long term vision .
The presence ( and the quality ) of such a vision will be the difference between success and failure in the medium to long term… “ Your a life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under CC BY

Our Reset project continues in parallel with normal politics. To track real politics you need to be across the detail that’s frustratingly hard to get to hand. Today, Tom Kelly has spotted a worrying detail and a sign that the ruling duopoly haven’t learned from past mistakes…
Last week Nichola Mallon, Minister for Infrastructure, vented some of her frustrations by tweeting live to Good Morning Ulster “Very frustrating to once again learn of the Executive’s Agenda via GMU!” This was quickly followed by a tweet from the Justice Minister, Naomi Long, stating “Indeed. I was not only informed of the agenda but also told what the Executive would decide by a lobbyist!” Minister Long followed up by stating it was only an hour before the executive meeting and she was still without papers. Quite simply this is no way to run an administration and it does nothing to re-gain public confidence in political authority.
What can, he argues, is delivery. Northern Ireland’s infrastructure deficit, has had a welcome high profile appearance on the media stage in recent weeks (not least because the disturbing news from NI Water that it cannot fund further significant expansion of its system).
In late August, Mallon set up an advisory panel in order to develop “a series of holistic recommendations” around the water, drainage and inland waterways, public transport, roads and cycling infrastructure that falls within her remit.
She has also asked them to consider the possibility of setting up an “infrastructure commission” that would take a strategic view of wider issues which are not currently directly within her remit. I admire the ambition, so long as, in Kelly’s words, it actually leads to delivery.
We have seen in the past Ministerial promises of action which never materialised. Michelle O’Neill’s promise to implement Bengoa was rather unsubtly dashed on the rocks by her own party’s internal leadership when they crashed Stormont a matter of weeks later.
There is very little that any of the smaller parties can do about the abject dysfunctionality of the two larger parties and their controlling impulses in the way they conduct what should be collective cabinet business through their wholly-owned Executive Office.
What they can do is make the public an offer that they would rather not refuse and then let the two larger parties explain why they cannot happen? If that means embracing tougher decisions in the short term, it needs to come with a stronger long term vision.
The presence (and the quality) of such a vision will be the difference between success and failure in the medium to long term…
“Your a life saver” by Ryan McD is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-09-07--#TheReset-A safe, secure, and affordable place to call home can never be overstated, not least durin

#TheReset-A safe, secure, and affordable place to call home can never be overstated, not least during a public health crisis

Heather Wilson is the Policy and Engagement Manager for Chartered Institute of Housing in Northern Ireland .
Today she writes about the future of housing .
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown brought about challenges never before faced by the housing sector in Northern Ireland .
The almost instantaneous inter-agency cooperation that emerged during the early days of lockdown to make Northern Ireland the first and only jurisdiction across these islands to place all rough sleepers into accommodation sent a strong signal of intent of the direction of housing providers here .
Welding together the ambitions of a sector with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic has set a bar that can be attained should the Department for Communities ( DfC ) , alongside housing providers , introduce reforms that can ensure we have the best housing provision possible for tenants as we move towards the ‘ new normal ’ .
The Chartered Institute of Housing ( CIH ) in Northern Ireland supports several reforms that are documented in our Rethinking Social Housing report and subsequent areas of research that will improve housing provision in a post coronavirus context .
Below is a snapshot of three areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritised moving forward : In 2017 , DfC commissioned a fundamental review into the allocation of social housing in Northern Ireland , and ever since the debate around the need for reform has been well rehearsed .
It is the view of CIH that these reforms , including bringing an end to intimidation points , a recognition of length of time spent on the waiting list , and better use of transfers and exchanges would all go a long way to ensuring that social housing is allocated equitably and continues to be responsive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the future .
As the pandemic ensued in early April , the Department brought forward legislation to extend the notice to quit period from four to twelve weeks for tenants living within the Private Rented Sector ( PRS ) .
The move was welcomed and more so now that the legislation , which was initially to run to the end of September 2020 has been extended to 31 March 2021 .
CIH recommend that the lengthening of the notice to quit period , similar to that in Scotland , should continue long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , with the exception of ASB and severe rent arrears cases .
Also thought should be given to not just a delay to eviction , but a stay on eviction where certain conditions are met .
It is well accepted across that sector that such a change will provide additional security of tenure for tenants in the PRS , as well as strengthening homeless prevention .
3 ) Mixed communities and the removal of stigma around social housing A safe , secure , and affordable place to call home can never be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health crisis .
The prolonged period spent indoors in a bid to tackle the virus reminded us of the importance of having a space to call our own , whether we are homeowners , privately renting , or a social housing tenant .
The type of tenure we hold should not and does not matter .
CIH wants to see an end to the stigmatisation and subsequent residualisation of social housing ; to achieve this it is important we move away from the building of single-tenure social housing estates .
Instead , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainable communities , facilitating a mix of people from different community and income backgrounds .
The move by local governments to incorporate a minimum threshold for social housing in all new developments as part of their local development plan will go some way to tackling this , and it is important as we begin to see planning applications flow back into the system in the coming months that local councils hold fast to delivering on this commitment .
N.B .
CIH would like to take this opportunity to commend our members across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services to tenants throughout the pandemic .
If you would like to get involved in # TheReset , either as an individual or as part of an organisation , please do get in touch by emailing us at [ email protected ] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October .

Heather Wilson is the Policy and Engagement Manager for Chartered Institute of Housing in Northern Ireland. Today she writes about the future of housing.
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown brought about challenges never before faced by the housing sector in Northern Ireland. The almost instantaneous inter-agency cooperation that emerged during the early days of lockdown to make Northern Ireland the first and only jurisdiction across these islands to place all rough sleepers into accommodation sent a strong signal of intent of the direction of housing providers here.
Welding together the ambitions of a sector with client experiences on the ground during the coronavirus pandemic has set a bar that can be attained should the Department for Communities (DfC), alongside housing providers, introduce reforms that can ensure we have the best housing provision possible for tenants as we move towards the ‘new normal’.
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) in Northern Ireland supports several reforms that are documented in our Rethinking Social Housing report and subsequent areas of research that will improve housing provision in a post coronavirus context. Below is a snapshot of three areas of reform that CIH believe should be prioritised moving forward:
1) Review of social housing allocations
In 2017, DfC commissioned a fundamental review into the allocation of social housing in Northern Ireland, and ever since the debate around the need for reform has been well rehearsed. It is the view of CIH that these reforms, including bringing an end to intimidation points, a recognition of length of time spent on the waiting list, and better use of transfers and exchanges would all go a long way to ensuring that social housing is allocated equitably and continues to be responsive to people’s housing requirements well into the future.
2) Reform of the Private Rented Sector
As the pandemic ensued in early April, the Department brought forward legislation to extend the notice to quit period from four to twelve weeks for tenants living within the Private Rented Sector (PRS). The move was welcomed and more so now that the legislation, which was initially to run to the end of September 2020 has been extended to 31 March 2021. CIH recommend that the lengthening of the notice to quit period, similar to that in Scotland, should continue long past the current context we find ourselves in, with the exception of ASB and severe rent arrears cases. Also thought should be given to not just a delay to eviction, but a stay on eviction where certain conditions are met. It is well accepted across that sector that such a change will provide additional security of tenure for tenants in the PRS, as well as strengthening homeless prevention.
3) Mixed communities and the removal of stigma around social housing
A safe, secure, and affordable place to call home can never be overstated, not least during a public health crisis. The prolonged period spent indoors in a bid to tackle the virus reminded us of the importance of having a space to call our own, whether we are homeowners, privately renting, or a social housing tenant. The type of tenure we hold should not and does not matter.
CIH wants to see an end to the stigmatisation and subsequent residualisation of social housing; to achieve this it is important we move away from the building of single-tenure social housing estates. Instead, a move towards mixed-tenure developments will better support sustainable communities, facilitating a mix of people from different community and income backgrounds. The move by local governments to incorporate a minimum threshold for social housing in all new developments as part of their local development plan will go some way to tackling this, and it is important as we begin to see planning applications flow back into the system in the coming months that local councils hold fast to delivering on this commitment.
N.B. CIH would like to take this opportunity to commend our members across the sector who worked tirelessly to provide ongoing services to tenants throughout the pandemic.
If you would like to get involved in #TheReset, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, please do get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] with an idea for inclusion in a range of articles or events over September and October.


sluggerotoole--2020-09-07--Pause a moment. Could Johnson just pull it off?

The Protocol is a pawn on a bigger game ; to remove any trace of involvement by the European Court of Justice in ruling on applications for state aid for ailing or new industries .
While that would remain the rule for Northern Ireland firms , it leeches into GB firms who invest or have branches in the North .
And that breaches a cardinal Leave principle , of no involvement by the Court in GB affairs .
There is surely another a Leave issue at work ; when they ’ re about it to fulfil their promise , endlessly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of evidence to the contrary , that customs and phytosanitary checks should be unobtrusively minimal at NI ports .
You may wonder why on earth a Tory government led by Boris Johnson , the heirs to Thatcher for goodness sake , are sacrificing the prospect of a trade deal with the EU because they want the right to subsidise British industry .
If the Tories and Thatcher stood for anything , it was rolling back the role of the state in the private sector .
Well , all that is stuff for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be irrelevant to today ’ s politics .
Because if the government of Boris Johnson has an ideology , it is that of Dominic Cummings and his Vote Leave crew .
And Cummings ’ s passionate conviction is that Johnson ’ s government MUST have the discretion to invest without fetter in hi-tech , digital , artificial intelligence and the full gamut of the so-called fourth industrial revolution From the Assembly the four Remain parties published a joint letter declaring that the UK and EU “ must ensure the rigorous implementation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the NI Protocol was “ imperfect ” , it guaranteed in all circumstances that there would be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland .
It is entirely unacceptable to the Northern Ireland parties that the UK Government would seek to abandon these safeguards and mitigations , which we believe would amount to a serious betrayal of an existing international treaty , Indeed nobody wants a hard border .
But nobody wants a “ fettered ” border at the ports either .
The UK government protest that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s just a question of a nip here and a tuck there .
But if there ’ s No Deal , there can ’ t be a legal vacuum at the ports and the border .
But is it just possible they could pull it off ?

The Protocol is a pawn on a bigger game; to remove any trace of involvement by the European Court of Justice in ruling on applications for state aid for ailing or new industries . While that would remain the rule for Northern Ireland firms, it leeches into GB firms who invest or have branches in the North. And that breaches a cardinal Leave principle, of no involvement by the Court in GB affairs. There is surely another a Leave issue at work; when they’re about it to fulfil their promise, endlessly repeated and endlessly disbelieved in the face of evidence to the contrary, that customs and phytosanitary checks should be unobtrusively minimal at NI ports.
Peston raises the bigger theme..
You may wonder why on earth a Tory government led by Boris Johnson, the heirs to Thatcher for goodness sake, are sacrificing the prospect of a trade deal with the EU because they want the right to subsidise British industry. If the Tories and Thatcher stood for anything, it was rolling back the role of the state in the private sector. Well, all that is stuff for the GCSE history syllabus, and turns out to be irrelevant to today’s politics. Because if the government of Boris Johnson has an ideology, it is that of Dominic Cummings and his Vote Leave crew. And Cummings’s passionate conviction is that Johnson’s government MUST have the discretion to invest without fetter in hi-tech, digital, artificial intelligence and the full gamut of the so-called fourth industrial revolution
From the Assembly the four Remain parties published a joint letter declaring that
the UK and EU “must ensure the rigorous implementation” of the NI protocol.The letter states that while the NI Protocol was “imperfect”, it guaranteed in all circumstances that there would be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is entirely unacceptable to the Northern Ireland parties that the UK Government would seek to abandon these safeguards and mitigations, which we believe would amount to a serious betrayal of an existing international treaty,
Indeed nobody wants a hard border. But nobody wants a “fettered” border at the ports either.
The UK government protest that the Protocol will be intact and it’s just a question of a nip here and a tuck there. But if there’s No Deal, there can’t be a legal vacuum at the ports and the border.
Scepticism reigns.
But is it just possible they could pull it off?