Westminster notes
Principle of democracy ‘under threat’
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers has likened the threat against Alliance MP Naomi Long to an attack on democracy in the United Kingdom.
She addressed MPs after Labour had described the flag dispute as a matter of national security due to paramilitary involvement in protests and a death threat against an elected Member of Parliament.
“The right of elected representatives to go about their daily business without the threat or fear of intimidation is one of the hallmarks of our democracy,” Villiers stated. “These threats are nothing less than an attack in our democracy in this country.”
Solutions rested in the hands of local politicians but she added: “Everybody has responsibility to consider very carefully their words and deeds on wider community relations.”
Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Vernon Coaker emphasised that such violence “would not be tolerated in London, Cardiff or Edinburgh, and it shouldn’t be tolerated in Belfast.”
The Secretary of State had previously stated that Belfast City Council’s decisions on flag-flying “must be taken on the basis of sound, reasoned discussions and democratic votes.” Similar threats against DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson and other elected representatives have also been widely condemned at Westminster.
In a BBC interview beforehand, Naomi Long warned that the attacks had “started to take on the dynamics of a pogrom” and remarked the Government would have given its public support to any other MP living under threat.
“There cannot be an acceptable level of violence,” she stated, “and that message needs to be made loud and clear by all political voices.”
Call to end air passenger duty
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has called for the abolition of all air passenger duty on flights between the province and Great Britain.
The duty is currently £13 per person on short-haul flights; duty on long-haul flights from Northern Ireland is to be abolished from next April.
Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Aliance, the UUP and Sylvia Hermon take the same view as the committee. The DUP prefers a UK-wide reduction as devolving and cutting the rate would cost approximately £90 million. The Green Party opposes a cut on environmental grounds and also cites the cost to the block grant.
In its air transport inquiry report, the committee also called for the ring-fencing of slots at Heathrow and improved road and rail links to local airports. A shared visit visa for the UK and Ireland was also proposed.
“For the people of Northern Ireland, air travel is not a luxury. It is fundamental to family and economic life,” Chairman Laurence Robertson stated. “To help rebalance the Northern Ireland economy, it is vital that air links to Great Britain, mainland Europe and the rest of the world are robust.” The NIO is due to respond in early 2013.
Welby welcomed
The Church of Ireland’s incoming Archbishop of Armagh has welcomed the appointment of Bishop of Durham Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury with “genuine pleasure”. Dr Richard Clarke assured Welby of his personal support and looked forward to “a new friendship in the fellowship of the gospel.” The Archbishop of Canterbury is President of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Church of Ireland’s 390,000 members.
