Westminster notes
Miliband offers open door
Ed Miliband will keep an “open door” to the First and deputy First Ministers, in contrast to David Cameron’s refusal to meet them. The Conservatives have said that local parties must sort out their problems locally, rather than running to Downing Street.
“This is a totally unacceptable situation and it’s something that certainly never happened under the stewardship of either Tony Blair or Gordon Brown,” said Martin McGuinness. Making his first visit to the province since becoming Labour leader, Miliband pledged to continue the bipartisan approach.
The DUP and Sinn Féin protested against UK Government spending cuts. The SDLP warned Miliband that MI5 was unaccountable and raised welfare reform. He also met David Ford, but not the UUP.
Miliband was accompanied by Shaun Woodward, who is now Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, and they also visited Bombardier’s East Belfast factory.
To be sir
David Cameron was presented with shamrock at a St Patrick’s Day reception in the Lords on 16 March. Irish Welfare Minister Joan Burton also attended.
In a historic loophole, the UK’s honours allow for 22 ‘Knights of St Patrick’ but all posts are currently vacant. The Order of St Patrick was set up by George III in 1783 but the last member (Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester) died in 1974.
Appointments ceased after 1936, due to Irish independence, but the Queen can create new knights if she wishes. The UK Government has no plans to either reinstate or abolish the order.
Divided views on Libya
Alliance and most unionists are supporting Western military action in Libya, but nationalists are sceptical. The Commons divided 557-13 in favour on 21 March.
“Doing nothing was not an option for the Government and the international community in this case,” Jeffrey Donaldson stated. The UUP is supportive. Sinn Féin and the SDLP are opposed, preferring more diplomacy.
Mark Durkan said the Government had been “fairly gung-ho … but it is not clear where they are going thereafter.” On 2 March, Nigel Dodds asked David Cameron to compensate IRA victims from the regime’s frozen assets, but the PM replied that those belonged to the Libyan people.
Sylvia Hermon was absent on a Northern Ireland Affairs Committee visit to Belfast but would have abstained, as UK armed forces were already in combat. She was “extremely unhappy” that the vote took place only after the strikes started, and says the Arab League could have put more pressure on the Gaddafi regime.
The ayes included Ian Paisley Junior, who approved a PSNI secondment to train Libyan police in tactical command in December 2008.
