The events of recent days will not be quickly forgotten
View email online | | | | | Nov 14, 2020 | | | | | | Dear reader, Well thank goodness that week is over. The unedifying spectacle delivered by Stormont will not be quickly forgotten by many of those who have suffered as a result. The political implications will also be far-reaching - not just for the credibility of this Executive and its leaders, but for the sustainability of devolution itself. The pandemic will mean multiple difficult decisions, but there are also contentious decisions on Irish language legislation, Troubles legacy issues and public sector reform. Will a weak and divided Executive unite to push those through? After this week, that is much less likely. It was also a challenging story to cover, with the Executive leaking like a river pouring into its floodplain - but with lots of dubious spin. But it was a stark demonstration of why politics matters. It has long been fashionable in parts of Northern Irish society to declare one's disinterest in politics. As this week demonstrates, there are understandable reasons for many potential voters to eschew any part in a system so absurdly detached from the reality of most people's lives. Yet it is those who opt out of politics who allow the others to decide on the identity and priorities of our rulers. They might have ignored politics but this week has surely demonstrated to many people that they might have ignored politics, but it is not ignoring them and is now impacting directly on their lives. In today's News Letter I have attempted to unravel the spin about what really happened this week and explain what it means in a 2,500-word long read: Things fall apart: Stormont’s dark week reveals melancholic truth even its spin cannot hide Thanks for your time and let's hope for better weeks ahead! Sam Want total access to all of our online content? You can subscribe to our website, newsletter.co.uk for just £1 a month for 3 months - and it couldn't be easier.
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| | | | | Sam McBride: A week when Stormont plumbed new depths of rank incompetence (and four other things we learned this week) | | | | | | In a week of staggering incompetence at Stormont, our political editor Sam McBride examines five developments at the Northern Ireland Assembly this week. | | | | |
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