Alistair Bushe, Editor

Dear Voornaam,

What a dramatic and exhausting month November was. 

For many reasons, it felt like arguably the toughest month yet of the Covid-19 pandemic as tight restrictions on our lives returned with a vengeance. 

I think it’s fair to conclude that politicians at Stormont didn’t cover themselves in glory during a turbulent month dominated by infighting within the Executive. 

Hospitality bore the brunt of the indecision with the expected lifting of restrictions on restaurants and pubs not failing to materialise despite the DUP’s initial resistance to proposals tabled by Health Minister Robin Swann.

The sense of farce hung over Stormont as sectors of hospitality that don’t sell alcohol were allowed to reopen for just a week, before being closed again. 

Sam McBride, our political editor, repeatedly challenged the Executive’s decision-making process in a series of brilliant analysis pieces. My personal favourite was this article that charted the continual changes of course within the Executive over the course of a week, which Sam described as a “performance of spectacular absurdity by the entire Stormont system”.    

In this second article, Sam aims to explain the change of course taken by the DUP, which initially resisted attempts to introduce tougher restrictions for Northern Ireland, before a dramatic U-turn. 

It was also a month when the human cost of Covid-19 continued to be felt, with daily deaths connected to the virus reaching double figures through November and we also passed the milestone of 1,000 Covid-related deaths. 

The stories of personal heartbreak continued, with the one affecting a Co Down family, with a son and his mother and father all succumbing to the virus within days, particularly heart-rending. 

The spectre of Brexit was also looming large over the course of the month with the end of the transition period rapidly approaching. 

With negotiations continuing between Britain and the UK, this story, in which DUP MLA Christopher Stalford claimed Boris Johnson would “fold like a cheap suit”, was very popular with our readers. 

Away from news, sport didn’t really provide much in the way of relief, with disappointment on the football pitch as Northern Ireland lost to Slovakia at Windsor Park, ending our hopes of a second successive European Championship. 

Once again, thanks for continuing to read the News Letter website. 

Regards,

Alistair Bushe,
Editor

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