Nearly a quarter of a century on, we are all pretty familiar with the term in the Good Friday Agreement. There can only be a border poll on Irish unity if it appears ‘likely’ to the Secretary of State that ‘a majority of those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to […]

As any book lover knows all too well, it always pays to read to the end. There’s some fascinating stat-nuggets in the recent University of Liverpool/Irish News polling, which showed Sinn Fein extending its lead to 10% over the DUP if fresh assembly elections were held tomorrow. The main thing that caught my eye, however, […]

Willing to survive the sweltering heat of central London, ensconced in one of the air-conditioned committee rooms in Portcullis House, I was thwarted only by the possibility of melting railway lines from attending this week’s discussion in the Palace of Westminster. If I had been able to attend and participate, as billed, alongside Sinn Fein’s […]

As a PR type, I always shudder at those images of stern-looking middle-aged blokes stood behind one or other of Northern Ireland’s political leaders while they conduct a television interview. An equal opportunities criticism to be sure given all the parties do it. Its fine when its your negotiating team heading into talks, but as […]

There are decades when nothing happens, Lenin famously observed, and weeks when decades happen. It’s a pretty good rule for understanding Irish history, with long periods of statis punctuated by dramatic events. Think of the period between 1798 and 1803 – with a brace of Irish revolutions, or between 1916 and 1921, with another two. […]

‘Don’t touch this’ sounds like an instruction to punters in a pole dancing club, but it is also advice to Boris Johnson from the Belgian PM, Alexander De Croo. Responding to continued speculation that British ministers are preparing unilateral measures to rescind parts of the Protocol, the Belgian prime minister said the EU’s message was […]