An old friend from Omagh, an ex-member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary called me to tell me of the attempted police killing. Published: 23 February 2023 An old friend from Omagh, an ex-member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) — the predecessor of the Police...
My late friend David Trimble saved unionists from having joint authority imposed on them because he fought nationalism, constitutional and violent, intelligently and imaginatively — despite the attacks from his own side. Published: 30 August 2022 He also benefited...
I’m a bit of a politics nerd, but being an historian by trade, I’ve always been interested in the long view. Published: 14 June 2022 Often I find myself comparing contemporary politicians with those of the past, which is why I find myself so impatient with media...
I couldn’t stand Piers Morgan until he lost his job on Good Morning Britain for telling the truth about Meghan Markle Published: 10 May 2022 Then I overlooked his crassness, praised his moral courage and wished him well in his new job with Talk TV. But the honeymoon...
As polls show many voters rejecting tribalism, the two main Unionist parties are likely to be devising a joint strategy Published: 19 June 2021 It’s easy to laugh at Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party: its followers are almost all Christian and socially...
I was delighted for two reasons on Sunday afternoon when I saw this tweet from the Northern Ireland Office. Published: 8 June 2021 “Secretary of State @Brandon Lewis has announced Trevor Ringland MBE as the UK’s first Special Envoy to the United States on NI. He will...
With goodwill, there is a solution that avoids a hard border either on land or in the sea Published: 5 June 2021 The briefing war between the EU and the UK led to headlines this week saying that Brexit Minister Lord Frost thinks the Northern Ireland Protocol is...
What a moment in the politics of Northern Ireland! Published: 1 June 2021 Just now, the DUP, Alliance and Sinn Fein should be very nervous. Now I know that at the moment some of the most bitter enemies of Edwin Poots are members – or about to be ex-members – of the...
I’m writing this on May 3, Northern Ireland’s hundredth birthday. Published: 3 May 2021 My hope is that the next hundred years will be free of the violence and misery that was so often up to now imposed on peaceful people all over Ireland by intolerant, murderous...
Here’s a suggestion to unionism in dealing with Irish nationalism. Published: 30 March 2021 Stop reacting and take control of the agenda. “How do you feel about a united Ireland these days?” I recently asked a patriotic friend in the Irish Republic who takes more...
