Podcasts about Northern Ireland Assembly

The Minister speaks about the environmental policies and programmes being implemented to protect and improve our environment ensuring we work together to tackle the interconnected challenges facing agriculture and the environment About the Speaker: Andrew Muir MLA is Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and Alliance Party MLA for North Down. He previously served as Alliance Party Chief Whip, Finance and Infrastructure Spokesperson and leading party efforts for Restoration and Reform of Assembly and Executive. Aged 47, prior to joining the Northern Ireland Assembly in late 2019 Andrew served for nearly a decade as Councillor including a term as Mayor of North Down 2013/14. Before becoming a MLA Andrew worked for Northern Ireland's Public Transport provider Translink as a Senior Project Manager overseeing roll out of multi-million pound Future Ticketing System Project. Andrew graduated with a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at Ulster University in 1999. A keen runner, Andrew has completed eleven Marathons with a Personal Best of 3:07. He founded both Bangor and Crawfordsburn free weekly 5k parkruns and is a member of North Down Athletic Club.

In the second episode of ‘My Identity' Professor Colin Graham (Maynooth) is in conversation with NI Justice Minister and Leader of the Alliance Party, Naomi Long MLA. This episode is a recording of a public conversation which took place in Dublin on 6 December 2024. A lifelong resident of East Belfast, and politically active since her early twenties, Naomi first joined Belfast City Council as an Alliance Party councillor in 2001. She was subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast in 2003. After having the honour of serving as Lord Mayor of Belfast from 2009 to 2010, she became the first Alliance MP elected to Westminster, as Member of Parliament for East Belfast in 2010, unseating the then First Minister, Peter Robinson. In May 2016, Naomi returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast, before becoming Leader of Alliance that October. Since then, she has presided over the most successful elections in Alliance's history. Naomi is the current Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive. In this episode she discusses, among other things, her upbringing, her faith and her career journey. The recording of the event can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXiqr9KX34s Read more about the event here: https://www.ria.ie/blog/the-long-view-identity-is-a-fluke-of-where-you-were-born/ This is episode 2 of the My Identity podcast series hosted by Professor Colin Graham, Maynooth. In this series, Colin is in conversation with a range of people whose ideas, work and life experiences shed light on the topic of identity on the Island of Ireland. My Identity is part of the ARINS project. Colin Graham is Professor English and formerly Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Maynooth University. His books include Northern Ireland: Thirty Years of Photography, Deconstructing Ireland and Ideologies of Epic. He was editor of The Irish Review from 2004 to 2020. During the Brexit negotiations he created the Twitter account @borderirish and wrote the book I am the Border, so I am, published by HarperCollins. ARINS: Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South brings together experts to provide evidence-based research and analysis on the most significant questions of policy and public debate facing the island of Ireland, north and south. The project publishes, facilitates and disseminates research on the challenges and opportunities presented to the island in a post-Brexit context, with the intention of contributing to an informed public discourse. More information can be found at www.arinsproject.com ARINS is a joint project of The Royal Irish Academy, an all-island body, and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs. My Identity is hosted by Professor Colin Graham. Podcast management and production by Dr Susie Deedigan. Audio design and editing by The Spinning Mill, Belfast.

BEN HABIB, JIM ALLISTER & DAN BOUCHER GIVE US OUR COUNTRY BACK GLOBAL DISCUSSION FORUM EPISODE 06 Give Us Our Country Back: Focusing on the internationally totemic issue of Northern Ireland's people being subject to EU laws over which they have no say, and over which their politicians have no vote. To support Jim Allister's bill, visit: https://www.restoretheunion.co.uk First keynote speaker: Jim Allister KC MP Jim Allister KC is the MP for North Antrim having previously represented the constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2011-2024. He represented Northern Ireland in the European Parliament from 2004-09. A strong Unionist, Jim is an implacable opponent of the Irish Sea Border, a stand which was critical in seeing him returned to Parliament at the last election overturning one of the largest majorities in Northern Ireland to do so. To follow or contact Ben Habib, visit: https://x.com/JimAllister Second keynote speaker: Dr. Dan Boucher Dr Dan Boucher has a PhD in sovereignty and international relations. Author of The Big Society in a Small Country, he was until September 2021 a member of the Conservative Party and stood as a Conservative candidate in Wales. Unable to reconcile himself with the Northern Ireland Protocol, he resigned from the Conservative Party and joined the DUP, subsequently becoming their Director of Policy. Dismayed by the 'Safeguarding the Union' deal that the DUP did with the UK government he resigned his position in April 2024. Widely published in the Belfast Newsletter, Conservative Home, Facts4EU, Comment Central, and Brexit Central, he is writing a book on the impact of the Windsor Framework on the future of the United Kingdom. To follow or contact Ben Habib, visit: https://x.com/DansBoucher Surprise guest speaker: Ben Habib Delightfully eloquent, highly intelligent, well-informed, and occasionally argumentative(!), Ben is a former Member of the European Parliament and now former Deputy Leader of Reform UK. Drawing upon his time as a MEP, Ben has particular insight into the workings of the EU Parliament and the EU Commission. He also addresses the recent fallout he has had with Reform UK Leader, Nigel Farage. To follow or contact Ben Habib, visit: https://x.com/benhabib6 To join us on our next Global Discussion Forum, please sign up to our mailing lists at either: https://facts4eu.org/news https://cibuk.org https://www.commandingthenarrative.com Chaired by: Leigh Evans https://facts4eu.org/news https://cibuk.org Deputy Chairmen: Steven Tripp https://www.commandingthenarrative.com https://x.com/RealStevenTripp https://rumble.com/user/ExCandidates https://spectator.com.au/author/steven-tripp Ben Philips https://cibuk.org Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CibukOrg Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GIXhHBogM1McL5EPGP3DT Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/ExCandidates Please share and spread the word! #AusPol #nswpol #interview #podcast #politics #commentary #australia #uk #independent #media #government #steventripp #leighevans #benphilips #brexit #facts4eu #cibuk #CtN #GDF #ukpolitics #benhabib #nigelfarage #reformuk #jimallister #tuv #dup #danboucher #northernisland #greatbritain #restoretheunion

This week we turn the spotlight on Kemi Badenoch's debut as Leader of the Opposition at Prime Minister's Questions, as she sparred with Keir Starmer for the first time. We examine her strategy, topic choices and what it will take to position herself as a credible challenger in the House of Commons Chamber and beyond.Then we analyse Donald Trump's re-election and its potential ripple effects on UK policies, from trade tariffs to defence commitments. How might a shift in US foreign policy affect British alliances, and what could this mean for Parliament's upcoming agenda? And might Nigel Farage, the new MP and UK Reform Party leader, leverage his connection with President Trump and if so how it could affect Keir Starmer's government?The long-awaited Ministerial Code has finally been published. The Prime Minister's new guidelines set out the do's and don'ts for Ministers and tighten up some of the rules on ministerial conduct. The “seven principles of public life” – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership – provide an ethical framework to the document. Ruth and Mark break down the changes, from empowering the independent advisor on ministerial interests to initiate investigations to the newly required quarterly declarations of ministers' interests and monthly reporting of gifts and hospitality.Finally, we explore Northern Ireland Assembly's upcoming democratic consent vote on the Windsor Framework, which governs the nation's post-Brexit trade rules. Professor David Phinnemore of Queen's University Belfast joins us to explore why this vote matters, how it's viewed differently by the nationalist and unionist parties in the Assembly, the possible outcomes, and the broader implications for the UK-EU relationship and UK politics.

We start this episode with the unveiling of the statue of Edward Carson at Stormont Castle in Northern Ireland. It rather makes the point that a man who helped organise an armed force against British law, and even to call on British soldiers to mutiny rather than fire on rebels – no doubt because to him and his friend they were the right kind of rebels – could get away with such behaviour if he had the backing of the right circles of power back in England. Not just get away with it, in fact, but be honoured with a statue. From there, we move to India where a man like Gandhi kept finding himself being gaoled by the British authorities for actions far less noxious than Carson's. A brown-skinned Hindu simply couldn't be allowed to call on action against the rule of the British government, even if that action was far less subversive of the law than what the white-skinned Protestant Carson had championed. As it happens, the National government in Britain was beginning to consider the possibility of granting a little more autonomy to India, though nothing like as much as enjoyed by white-ruled holdings, such as Australia or Canada, which enjoyed Dominion Status, giving them almost independence. That was far too little for Gandhi, or for Clement Attlee and his Labour Party. On the other hand, it was far too much for Winston Churchill. He fought the government all the way to the point, by the end, of becoming something of a figure of fun in the House of Commons. No one proved that better than his chief tormentor, Leo Amery, despite being a fellow Conservative and a contemporary of his at Harrow school. He used mockery against him in a way that Churchill himself might have been proud of had he used it himself. But the real danger for Churchill was that he was perilously close to becoming a bore. Illustration: the Carson statue outside the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont Castle, outside Belfast. Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

In the news this week: Following Labour's success at the polls, we look at where the party stands on some key moral issues, members of the Northern Ireland Assembly urge their colleagues to tackle the widespread harm caused by gambling, and a man with locked-in syndrome speaks of his mission to inspire others. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories UK General Election: Labour's policies on some key moral issues MLAs: ‘Stormont must seize opportunity to rein in gambling Wild West' NHS Scotland employee takes legal action over man using female changing rooms Fewer than 1 in 200 Scots aged over 16 identify as ‘trans' ‘Cultivating hope: my life with locked-in syndrome'

Episode 57: Stella Creasy on “being the change”, staying professional amidst personal turmoil and her love of WalthamstowStella Creasy is the Labour and Co-Operative MP for Walthamstow, first elected in 2010.She has held a variety of positions within the Labour party, first as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the shadow Education Secretary Andy Burnham, and then in 2011 as a shadow Home Office Minister for crime prevention, in Ed Miliband's first reshuffle. She ran for the deputy leadership of the party in 2015, coming second. She is currently Chair of Labour Movement for Europe and has campaigned for a continued relationship with the EU and against Brexit induced parliamentary deregulation.She is an avid campaigner and contributor to debates. Most notably, in July 2019 she put forward the amendment which proposed that if the Northern Ireland Assembly was not restored by October that Westminster would legalise abortion in the country. Other campaigns include sexual harassment, childcare provision, andMotheRED – a campaign to financially support mums to be selected and elected as Labour Party candidates in the next General Election. She has also campaigned against ‘legal loan sharks', introducing a Ten-Minute-Rule Bill to cap the cost of credit to avoid extortionate rates and force the Government to tighten restrictions.#hygystpod #StellaCreasy #Walthamstow #MP #Parliament #Election24 #Labour #SirKeirStarmer #Equality #UKPoliticsHave You Got Your Sh*t Together? with Caitlin O'Ryan, is a podcast that celebrates not having your sh*t together! In each episode, Caitlin interviews guests who seemingly “have their sh*t together” - be that in life/love/work/hobbies. Throughout the conversation, the questions unveil whether they actually do, or whether the whole concept is a lie! With a mix of guests from various backgrounds, the podcast is sure to be relatable, honest, and an antidote to Instagram culture. Producer - Ant Hickman (www.ahickman.uk)Artwork - Tim Saunders (www.instagram.com/timsaunders.design)Photography - Patch Bell (www.patchstudio.uk)Music - Cassia - 'Slow' (www.wearecassia.com)Web: www.hygystpod.comInsta: www.instgram.com/hygystpodEmail: hygystpod@gmail.comRSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/644a8e8eadac0f0010542d86 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Mark visits the Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland. In the week when the Northern Ireland Assembly has declared the country to be in an ecological and biodiversity crisis, Helen asks the new Minister for Agriculture, Andrew Muir, how he sees farming and the environment working together.Produced by Beatrice Fenton.

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned. How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom? The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford. Speakers: Chair: Clodagh Rice, Business Correspondent for BBC NI David Phillips, Associate Director at the IFS Professor Katy Hayward, Queen's University Belfast Jonathan Tench, Director of Well-being Economy and Programmes, Future Generations Commission

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned. How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom? The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned. How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom? The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford. Speakers: Chair: Clodagh Rice, Business Correspondent for BBC NI Emma Congreve, Deputy Director at the Fraser of Allander Institute Dyfed Alsop, Chief Executive of the Welsh Revenue Authority Lindsey Whyte, Director General of International Finance at HM Treasury

1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued to evolve, with the extent of the devolution of economic powers building over time. And those powers have been used, with different tax, spending, and social security choices made across the nations. As devolution hits its 25th birthday, now is the time to take stock of what has been done, and what has been learned. How have devolved nations used policy levers differently, whether to raise revenue or address priorities like reducing child poverty? Have different growth strategies been pursued across the nations, and what are the different approaches to strategic economic policy making? Has devolution of economic powers gone too far or not far enough? And what lessons can policy makers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Westminster learn from devolution so far – and from each other – to improve economic decision making across the whole United Kingdom? The Resolution Foundation is hosting a major conference, in partnership with PolicyWISE, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We will hear from leading politicians, economists and policy makers on the lessons from devolution, including keynote speeches by the Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Former First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

Jim was first elected to Ards Borough Council in 1985 and served as Mayor in 1991/92.He was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996 until it completed its work in 1998. He was then subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly representing Strangford.Within the NI Assembly Jim served on both the Public Accounts Committee and Agriculture Committee. He was re-elected in both 2003 and 2007, stepping down from the NI Assembly in 2010.Jim was elected to Parliament at the General Election of 2010 where he received nearly 15,000 votes, with the next closest unionist receiving just over 9,000. He was again re-elected in 2015, 2017 and 2019.Jim is currently the DUP spokesperson on Health and Human Rights. He is also a member of the Ecclesiastical (Joint) Committee.In this episode we talk about his faith, his principles, his love of Leicester City FC and his service in the Armed Forces.Support the show✅Support The Show Help Us Grow! Help us reach more veterans by donating the cost of a cup of coffee today...

Coming to you from Belfast this week, Andy Zaltzman quizzes the news with Zoe Lyons, Neil Delamere, Diona Doherty, and Alex Kane.In this episode Andy and the panel will be asking if turning the Northern Ireland Assembly off and on has made it work again?Why Labour is keeping the red flag flying?… a Formula 1 style red flag, that is, which they're waving at their own environment policy to tell it it's off.And whose chopper has got them in trouble?Written by Andy ZaltzmanWith additional material by: Cody Dahler, Alison Spittle, John Meagher, and Claire SullivanProducer: Sam Holmes Executive Producer: Richard Morris Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Nicholls Sound Editor: Marc WillcoxA BBC Studios Production for Radio 4

The return of the Northern Ireland Assembly means there's a new man in charge at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, or DAERA. We speak to Andrew Muir about his priorities.After leaving the EU, the four nations of the UK have decided on different payment systems for farmers. In England the Environmental Land Management Scheme, or ELMS, has several parts to it. The Sustainable Farming Incentive or SFI is part of that. It pays farmers for doing environmental work, like planting hedges or improving soils. Some English farmers felt there was little ‘incentive' to join it, because payments were too low. However in January that changed. 50 new things farmers could do to attract money were added to the scheme and some payments were increased. We discuss what those were with the Farming Minister Mark Spencer.All week we've been looking at the business side of running a farm. Farmers have long argued that they deal with far too much paperwork. One company set up to help them with form filling says it's been inundated with requests and believes many farmers feel burdened and isolated by the sheer amount of red tape. Diversification is often key to a successful farm business. According to DEFRA, 69% of farm businesses were engaged in some kind of diversification in 2022-23. We visit a small upland farm in the Lake District to find out how diversification has worked for them.In the Scottish Highlands vast tracts of land and whole estates are being bought as ‘green investments'. Tree planting and rewilding are used to offset carbon. A report for the Scottish Government has tried to quantify the impact of this on rural communities. Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

Dutch coalition talks break down leaving Wilders in limbo, Northern Ireland gets its first Republican first minister and the death knoll for gas-guzzling cars in Paris. Also: Kosovo's new currency rule irritates minority Serbs, we visit Turkey's Hatay a year after the earthquakes, southern Estonia begins its culture capital year and a trip to the magical dragon festival in the Bavarian forest.

This week marks 20 years since the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster. 23 Chinese migrants lost their lives after getting cut off by the Bay's notoriously fast flowing tide while gathering cockles. Those who drowned were found to have been illegally smuggled into the country and were working as forced labour for criminal gangmasters. The tragedy paved the way for the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in 2005 and to this day, anyone supplying workers into the shellfish sector, and into agriculture and horticulture, requires a licence with what is now the GLAA, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.The Northern Ireland Assembly has been meeting at Stormont this week for the first time in two years. There's a whole new executive, finding their desks and their feet, including a new minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. It's Andrew Muir, an Alliance party member, who's been visiting Lough Neagh.From sheepdogs to birds of prey, we're hearing about working animals on the programme this week. The shire horse was the original workhorse, essential for heavy farm work like ploughing before the tractor took over. Today the breed is considered endangered but there are still a few working shires left, like the ones at Hook Norton Brewery in Oxfordshireshire, where they're used for delivering beer.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Starmer and Reeves have got in a mess over their pledge to borrow £28 billion for a green recovery programme. The proposal has been marked by defensive ‘retreats' when it would enable UK to compete with the US and EU and bring good news to every voter. Why has this happened, and what can be done about it? Plus, points from the Rock N Roll Co-operative on the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Lord Frosty Frost and more Back the podcast on Patreon for bonus editions and much more too. Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on March 26th with a brand new show. Get your tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politics-march-2024/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let's go north where the Northern Ireland Assembly has been summoned to meet later today. It's about time for many Northern businesses and citizens after a two-year impasse over post-Brexit trade rules. Tina McKenzie, UK Chair of Policy for the Federation of Small Businesses joins me now to outline what this will actually mean in practical terms.

Ben Riley-Smith of The Daily Telegraph discusses the latest developments at Westminster in the week that the Democratic Unionist Party ended its boycott of the Northern Ireland Assembly after reaching a deal with the UK government over post-Brexit trading arrangements. Ben speaks to the Conservative chairman of Parliament's Northern Ireland Committee, Sir Robert Buckland MP, and Claire Hanna, MP for the nationalist SDLP.To discuss Nicola Sturgeon's evidence to the Covid inquiry, and her legacy as Scotland's First Minister, Ben speaks to Ian Blackford MP, former SNP Westminster leader, and Kezia Dugdale, ex leader of Scottish Labour and now director of the John Smith Centre at the University of Glasgow.The Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, declared this week that the UK is ready to bring forward formal recognition of a Palestinian state. To analyse that Ben is joined by Tom Fletcher, formerly David Cameron's foreign affairs adviser and then UK Ambassador to Lebanon, and Alicia Kearns MP, the Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.And, as Labour begins formal 'access talks' with the civil service, Ben gets some reflections on how the civil service approaches such talks with the former Cabinet Secretary Robin, now Lord, Butler.

From the BBC World Service: Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson said his party had agreed to end its almost two-year boycott of the Northern Ireland Assembly. We’ll discuss. Then, we’ll take a look at ongoing demonstrations across Europe: Hundreds of tractors are blocking major roads into Paris as farmers protest against red tape and foreign competition, and Germany experiences a second weekend of protests against a far-right party’s mass deportation meetings.

From the BBC World Service: Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson said his party had agreed to end its almost two-year boycott of the Northern Ireland Assembly. We’ll discuss. Then, we’ll take a look at ongoing demonstrations across Europe: Hundreds of tractors are blocking major roads into Paris as farmers protest against red tape and foreign competition, and Germany experiences a second weekend of protests against a far-right party’s mass deportation meetings.

Alex Kane, political commentator and former director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party, analyses this latest attempt to get the Norhtern Ireland Executive back up and running ahead of expected strike action on Thursday.

Peace in Northern Ireland is widely recognised as one of the leading achievements of politics in recent decades.  The Good Friday, or Belfast Agreement, reached in 1998 by the British and Irish governments and most of the main Northern Ireland political parties brought an end to thirty years of violent conflict in which over three and a half thousand people were killed.It did so in part by establishing a system of power-sharing government.  A new Northern Ireland Assembly would be elected by proportional representation, so no one group could dominate. Within the new Northern Ireland Executive, representatives of Northern Ireland's two political traditions would have to work together.Over the years since the Agreement was reached, the power-sharing institutions have worked well some of the time. But for others they have worked badly or not at all. Since February 2022 their functioning has once again been suspended. Public anger at this situation is intense. Negotiations for restoring the institutions are ongoing. But, as yet, there has been no breakthrough.Indeed, the situation has become so grave that many think the future viability of power-sharing government is now in doubt. And there are suggestions that the settlement reached in 1998 may need to be revisited.In this episode we're joined by two experts:Alan Whysall is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Constitution Unit here within the UCL Department of Political Science. He was previously a senior civil servant in the Northern Ireland Office, where he worked for many years on the Northern Ireland peace process – including the talks that led to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.Conor Kelly is a Research Assistant at the Constitution where he has worked on multiple projects relating to Northern Ireland, most recently examining perceptions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement among politicians and the public in Northern Ireland.  Mentioned in this episode:Alan Whysall's reports: 'Report 1: Northern Ireland's Political Future' and 'Report 2: The Agreement at 25' https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/northern-irelands-political-futureConor Kelly and Alan Renwick, Perspectives on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 

"What would you do if you had a ring of invisibility? And the children will say, well, I would rob a bank. I would go into a shop and Steve chocolate. I would have a stigma favorite packet of crisps. I would be going in and stealing money out of my mommy's purse. I would do all this and I do not moralize with the federal budget. Yep, I will turn and I read it up on the board. And then I say well, what should you do?" Kevin Mc Arevey is the Principal of Holy Cross Boys' School in the Ardoyne area in Northern Belfast in Northern Ireland. Kevin has been a teacher in the Ardoyne area for 26 years with the last 10 as the Principal. Kevin has written a book "Think Think Respond (slow thinking) and TTR (fast thinking)". This can be purchased at the school at a price of £20. It's a big book and all proceeds go to HCBoys. Kevin is also the main protagonist in the Film documentary Young Plato - a film about hope, peace and reconciliation. https://youngplato.com You are able to stream Young Plato by renting or purchasing on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play The Troubles, also called the Northern Ireland conflict, was a violent sectarian conflict from about 1968 to 1998 in Northern Ireland between the overwhelmingly Protestant unionists (loyalists), who desired the province to remain part of the United Kingdom, and the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic nationalists (republicans), who wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the republic of Ireland. Some 3,600 people were killed and more than 30,000 more were wounded before a peaceful solution, which involved the governments of both the United Kingdom and Ireland, was effectively reached in 1998, leading to a power-sharing arrangement in the Northern Ireland Assembly. To stay up to date, follow @SmitaTharoor on Smita Tharoor (@SmitaTharoor) / Twitter or Smita Tharoor (@smitatharoor) | Instagram and follow the podcast on your favorite streaming service.

Coco and her special guest Femi Oluwole pore over the bin fire that was the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Was Sunak strengthened or weakened by the whole HS2 fiasco - and what was the thinking behind wheeling out his wife for a surprise appearance? With the likes of Braverman, Truss - and even Farage - being feted by the party faithful, Coco and Femi discuss the party's lurch to the right. Plus Femi on playing real-life Pokemon Go in Manchester…only with Tory Ministers.What's it like for the people of Northern Ireland to be without a functioning government for the last 18 months? The SDLP's Matthew O'Toole explains the real world effects of the collapse of power sharing - including on the country's drinking water. He also tells us why being in Stormont right now is like being on the set of The Shining.Plus Femi has some tips for budding activists, and reflects on the personal toll of putting himself in the firing line by calling out Brexit lies. You can find Coco and Femi's Hero and Villain of the week on our social media channels.Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.ukWhatsApp: 07514 644 572 (UK) or + 44 7514 644 572Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukTwitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld Guests:Femi Oluwole, journalist, political commentator and content creator Matthew O'Toole, SDLP member of the Legislative Assembly for South Belfast, and Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Ireland AssemblyUseful links:Find Femi on X: @Femi_Sorry / or YouTube: FemiFind Cariuma x Lovett Or Leave It at crooked.com/storeAudio credits:@Femi_SorryConservatives

Harry McGee and Cormac McQuinn join Pat Leahy to talk about the big political stories of the week:News that RTÉ licence fee receipts have continued to plummet will be of concern when the Cabinet meets this weekA spike in road deaths is another issue for the coalition to grapple withPolitical party think-in season is about to commence, but the annual events are not what they used to be, lament our correspondents.Plus: Northern Editor Freya McClements on the waning prospects of a restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the attrition a lack of leadership is causing to day-to-day lives of citizens. What is in the mind of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, in whose hands powersharing lies? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden's visit to Northern Ireland was designed to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. But it was brief compared with his stay in the Republic of Ireland. Did the US president's presence help or hinder the prime minister's efforts to restart power-sharing self-government in the Northern Ireland Assembly? Host Miranda Green discusses US-UK relations with Ireland correspondent Jude Webber and the FT's chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley. Plus, sewage again and everywhere: it's in the UK's rivers and seas. Is there a risk it could sweep away Conservative councillors and MPs? Columnist Stephen Bush and Gill Plimmer, the FT's expert on the privatised utilities, are on hand to discuss.Presented by Miranda Green. Produced by Anna Dedhar. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. The sound engineer is Breen Turner and the FT's head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.News clip: BBCWant more?Joe Biden's long Good Friday Joe Biden in Ireland: ‘Your feet will bring you where your heart is' Biden's ‘homecoming' Ireland visit mired in post-Brexit politicsOfwat has fined just one water company over 1994 sewage spill rulesTwo water groups blamed for 40% of England's sewage spills in 2022Join a panel led by award-winning columnists Miranda Green and Stephen Bush, who writes the daily Inside Politics newsletter, for an FT subscriber webinar on the factors that will shape the outcome of next year's general election hereFollow @greenmiranda on TwitterSign up for 90 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter' award: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/inside-politicsRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a quarter of a century since the Good Friday Agreement was signed, ending decades of violence in Northern Ireland. But there are new concerns the document's promise of peace could be threatened, as Brexit negotiations shine a light on Northern Ireland's constitutional place within the United Kingdom. Last month a deal, known as the Windsor Framework, was reached between the UK and EU leaders over the Irish border issue, but not everyone is happy with the outcome, including the Unionist leadership who have boycotted the Northern Ireland Assembly. David Mitchell is Assistant Professor in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation at Trinity College Dublin in Belfast whose work includes coediting The Politics of Conflict and Transformation: The Island of Ireland in Comparative Perspective. So what lessons have been learned since the grim days of the Troubles, and how big a risk are these negotiations to peace in Northern Ireland?

There was one major party in Northern Ireland that did not participate in the multi-party talks that resulted in The Good Friday Agreement. The DUP, led at the time by Ian Paisley, refused to engage in the negotiations and campaigned for a 'No' vote in the referendum that followed. Peter Robinson, who took over as leader of the party and served as First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2008 until 2016. explains to Bertie why the party stayed out of the talks, why he regrets not engaging with Sinn Féin sooner and what aspects of the agreement he thinks have been a success.

On February 27, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a new trade agreement between the UK and European Union (EU) called the Windsor Framework. This comes after years of confusion and empty shelves resulting from the post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol, which has been criticized for making it difficult to import goods to Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom. Penta Partners Kevin Madden and Rory O'Donnell sit down to decipher some of the nuances surrounding the Windsor Framework, the Northern Ireland protocol, and why these trade agreements have such a charged history. The two outline how the Windsor Framework will change the current Northern Ireland Protocol, particularly with respect to the Irish sea border. They also explain what the new "red lane, green lane" system will look like for the movement of goods on the Irish isle.Kevin and Rory then outline some of the political responses to the new framework in the region. How will Stormont–the Northern Ireland Assembly–respond? And if the Windsor Framework is implemented, how might it positively impact the future of investment and opportunity in Northern Ireland and beyond?

Is a Northern Ireland Bill that restricts protests outside of abortion clinics incompatible with the right to protest? In this episode we talk about the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and also discuss this judgment in the light of other recent decisions about protests. https://uklawweekly.substack.com/subscribe Music from bensound.com

“If we're not careful, the United Kingdom is going to have its Notre Dame moment…. that Parliament is going to burn to the ground.”Ian Paisley, Jnr. Member of Parliament, United Kingdom“It's very politically sensitive because no politician wants to be the one who tells the public that a very large amount of taxpayers' money has to be spent on MPs' place of work.”Rowan Moore, Architect Critic for The GuardianIn this episode, Rats and Other Disasters in the Palace of Westminster these two experts delve into the danger of this historic place.Urgent intervention is needed to save the Palace of Westminster which is not only on its last legs but is potentially hazardous in various ways. This is not fresh news sadly but our two distinguished experts will certainly offer you some fresh perspective.Rowan Moore, Architecture Critic, The Guardian & ObserverRowan Moore is architecture critic of the Observer and was named Critic of the Year at the UK press awards 2014. He is the author of Slow Burn City and Why We Build. Follow him on twitter: @rowanmoore“Obviously, the longer it takes to do the work, the greater the risk, you simply multiply the risk per year by the number of years it takes. And also all the work done on a project so far says the more slowly you do it, the more it costs.”Ian Paisley, Jnr. MP, Westminster Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and SportsMember of the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Refurbishment and RestorationIan has represented North Antrim since 1996 when he was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue. In 1998 he was then elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim.As a member of the Assembly Ian served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee and also as a Junior Minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister from 2007 until 2008. He was also a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board from 2001 until 2007.“You have to have a crew of four man walk that building constantly 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and they spot fires, fire hazards and put them out and we're working in that building.”After Dr Paisley stepped down as the Member of Parliament for North Antrim Ian contested the General Election of 2010 and comfortably retained the seat for the Democratic Unionist Party. He was again re-elected at the General Election in 2015, 2017 and 2019.Ian is currently the DUP spokesperson for Communities, Local Government and Culture, Media and Sports. He is also a member on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.Read the full page here on Constructive Voices.Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectorsFollow Constructive Voices on:LinkedInTwitterFacebookRequest a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com

Newton Emerson talks to Eamon about the position with the Northern Ireland Assembly, how a new Assembly might be created and the background to the current crisis. Newton Emerson is a journalist and commentator and writes a weekly column for The Irish Times. He is also a contributing journalist to The Irish News and The Sunday Times.Recorded 1st November 2022. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-stand-with-eamon-dunphy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conor Macauley, Northern Correspondent, outlines what happens next after Northern Ireland Assembly members failed to form a new Executive.

Conor Macauley, Northern Correspondent, reports on today's recall of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the prospect of another election being called tomorrow.

Claire Hanna, Belfast South SDLP MP, discusses today's recall of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the likelihood of a second Stormont election this year.

The Smart 7 Ireland Edition is the daily news podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week… Consistently appearing in Ireland's Daily News charts, we're a trusted source for people every day. If you're enjoying it, please follow, share or even post a review, it all helps… Today's episode includes references to the following items: https://twitter.com/i/status/1585322868950253568https://twitter.com/i/status/1585320228572975105https://twitter.com/i/status/1585230585781374976 https://twitter.com/i/status/1585233712605806594 https://twitter.com/i/status/1585228149369044992 https://twitter.com/i/status/1585242337348931585https://twitter.com/i/status/1585196701110804480 https://twitter.com/i/status/1585089012372422657 https://twitter.com/i/status/1585382232801394689https://twitter.com/i/status/1585126075360608256https://youtu.be/OYhFFQl4fLs Contact us over at Twitter or visit www.thesmart7.com Presented by Ciara Revins, written by Liam Thompson and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew O'Toole, SDLP MLA and interim Leader of the Opposition at the Northern Ireland Assembly, on another bid to elect a Speaker and resume business at Stormont.

Steven Egan, a final-year doctoral researcher at Queen's University Belfast and a Program Associate at the Washington Ireland Program, joined us to explain the results of the recent Northern Ireland Assembly elections, make the case for a new U.S. Special Envoy, and discuss the importance of youth engagement in northern politics.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today. Music by Sam Kyzivat and Breakmaster Cylinder Production by Ryan Conner, Iris Thatcher, and Mitchell Fariss Communications by Iris Thatcher, Shelby Emami, Mason Kane, Colleen Dougherty, and Flora Adamian Design by Sarah Diebboll https://cges.georgetown.edu/podcast Twitter and Instagram: @theeuropedesk If you would like a transcript of this episode, more information about the Center's events, or have any feedback, please email: theeuropedesk@georgetown.edu.

Danny and Derek talk with Daniel Finn, features editor at Jacobin and author of One Man's Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA, about the May 5 Northern Ireland Assembly election, wherein Sinn Féin became the largest party. They discuss the factors leading to this result, why an Irish nationalist/republican party winning a majority is significant, what it means for the prospect of Irish reunifcation, and more.Check out Daniel's book here: https://www.versobooks.com/books/3755-one-man-s-terrorist This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Two weeks ago Sinn Fein achieved something that had previously been considered politically impossible in Northern Ireland, it gained a majority in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections and is now likely to form a government. This edition of the update explores the ramifications for Northern Ireland, Britain, the Irish Republic and the EU of this momentous event and the ongoing problems caused by Brexit. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/explaininghistory.

She wants to be a first minister for all, having led her party to a historic election win. Sinn Féin now hold the most seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly, entitling them to the position of first minister. From local councillor to would-be leader of the power sharing executive, Mark Coles looks at the life and career of Michelle O'Neill, the IRA man's daughter, changing the image and appeal of nationalist party, Sinn Féin. Presenter: Mark Coles Production team: Sally Abrahams, Diane Richardson and Janet Staples Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

Half-time analysis of the “Wagatha Christie” trial. Abi Clarke, host of 5 Live's Wagatha Christie podcast, dissects the latest developments in Rebekah Vardy's libel case against Coleen Rooney, with BBC football correspondent John Murray commentating on the most dramatic moments so far. Legendary pop master Ken Bruce joins us from Turin, where he previews the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, along with Russia editor (and Eurovision superfan) Steve Rosenberg. And BBC political correspondent Ione Wells chats about nuclear power, gridlock in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and potential job cuts in the civil service. Today's Newscast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Alix Pickles, Cordelia Hemming and Miranda Slade. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Alison Gee.

Journalist, author and activist Eamonn McCann talks to Eamon about the Northern Ireland Assembly election results.Recorded 9th May 2022. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-stand-with-eamon-dunphy.

U.S. lawmakers are openly calling the fighting in Ukraine a proxy war between the U.S. and Russia; Alabama becomes the first state to make it a felony to provide gender-affirming medical care to trans youth; The Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin wins a historic number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Get Democracy Now! delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Daily Digest: democracynow.org/subscribe

U.S. lawmakers are openly calling the fighting in Ukraine a proxy war between the U.S. and Russia; Alabama becomes the first state to make it a felony to provide gender-affirming medical care to trans youth; The Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin wins a historic number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Get Democracy Now! delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Daily Digest: democracynow.org/subscribe

Freya McClements, Mary Minihan and Pat Leahy join Hugh to analyse the results of last week's Northern Ireland Assembly elections. The major talking point is Sinn Féin taking the largest number of seats for the first time, while the Alliance Party's unprecedented success signals the importance of the middle ground in Northern Ireland. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Afghan women will have to wear the Islamic face veil for the first time in decades under a decree passed by the country's ruling Taliban militants. We hear from a Taliban spokesperson and get reaction from an Ambassador to the UN Security Council. Also on the programme: the results of the Northern Ireland Assembly election are in, and for the first time ever, Sinn Féin has won the most seats. It's the first time ever that a nationalist party has been the largest at Stormont in terms of seats, 101 years after Northern Ireland came into existence. And Ukraine and Russia announce that all elderly people, women and children have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol. (Photo: Taliban stand guard on a road in Kabul, Afghanistan, 07 May 2022. Credit - EPA/STRINGER)

Matt Chorley dives into this potentially historic Northern Ireland Assembly election including interviews with U105's News Editor Grainne McKinney, Bill White from the polling company LucidTalk, Dr Clare Rice and Lord Peter Hain who is a former Northern Ireland Secretary.PLUS FINKELVITCH: Danny Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch on all women shortlists, beergate and Roe vs Wade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.