Comments on: Real IRA car bomb timed to disrupt policing and justice transfer

By: What to watch for – Northern Ireland | Left Foot Forward

What to watch for – Northern Ireland | Left Foot Forward — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:11:34 +0000

[…] other major issue for unionism will be what happens to the electoral force created by the alliance between the UUP and Conservatives, dubbed by the UUP’s former deputy leader Lord Kilclooney as […]

By: The Election Week Outside Westminster | Left Foot Forward

The Election Week Outside Westminster | Left Foot Forward — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:31:31 +0000

[…] Matt Baggott, warned of a “very severe threat” as dissident republicans were blamed for a car bomb outside MI5 headquarters in County Down and a failed attack on a police station in County […]

By: Election Focus – Alliance Party | Left Foot Forward

Election Focus – Alliance Party | Left Foot Forward — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:05:42 +0000

[…] now faces in ensuring the security of the people of Northern Ireland, following Monday morning’s bomb attack on MI5 headquarters in Holywood, County Down. However, Mr Ford’s elevation makes him the first […]

By: Liz McShane

Liz McShane — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:30:45 +0000

Mr Sensible – here is the link for John Harris’ piece on Sylvia Hermon & the North Down constituency. Even in this part of NI you can see hat there is not a great deal of enthusiasm for a The Tories or a Tory pact.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2010/apr/01/northern-ireland-conservatives-ulster-unionist-party

By: Ed Jacobs

Ed Jacobs — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:14:52 +0000

Is it not the case that the high wire act being performed by the Tories and the UUP as the potential to cause havock for the Ulster Unionists? Imagine Reg Empey not winning and Lady Hermon winning her seat – that would be the strongest rejection of all of both the UUP and Tories. What does Cameron do then if he becomes PM? The next Stormont crisis, his opponents would be empowered to legitimately ask what authority he had.

By: Liz McShane

Liz McShane — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:02:27 +0000

Mr Sensible – you mean Sylvia Hermon, MP for North Down, yes. She has never been comfortable with them cosying up to the Tories (check out John Harris’ video of his interview with her on The Guardian website recently). She is socially liberal and is really Labour at heart. The DUP are not putting up a candidate so she should get in and is well liked MP by both ‘sides of the community’.

She has had a very hard & lonely time within the UUP and I wish her good luck!

By: Mr. Sensible

Mr. Sensible — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:17:09 +0000

Fully agreed, Liz.

Is that why the UUP candidate for I think South Antrim broke ranks and said she would go independent?

And I think I am also right that is the only seat they have in the Commons?

By: Real IRA car bomb timed to disrupt policing and justice transfer « The best Labour blogs

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:45:37 +0000

[…] More… […]

By: Liz McShane

Liz McShane — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:25:29 +0000

The UUP/Tory pact is such a cynical move. How, if in the awful event of a Tory Government, can Cameron et al can claim to be the neutral powerbroker/facilitator….

By: Ed Jacobs

Ed Jacobs — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:02:04 +0000

I think potentially the most worrying thought is whether dissident republicans will seek to use violence during the election campaign. Such tactics would be a backwards step, and we should also make clear that intimidation like this will not work.