Stoops aim high, then get stoop-id

SDLP start 2009 with a flourish. None of the usual assertions, accusations, suppositions, verbosity and pseudish/cheesy Durkanisms here. Oh no. Just good honest forensic politics.

Alas, the statement hasn’t made it up on the SDLP website yet, but the News Letter covers the Dolores Kelly statement in which she lists the issues backed up inside the dysfunctional Executive:

• an action plan to address gender inequality
• a review of the civic forum
• a decision on the Maze
• a Cohesion, Sharing and Inclusion Strategy for a shared future
• a decision on a work plan for the Victims’ Commission, sent to OFMDFM months ago
• a date for bringing forward the Single Equality Bill
• a strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion
• an agreement on the membership of the programme board of the Strategic Investment Board
• an assessment of the fall in property values and its impact on the public purse and Programme for Government.

And in highlighting (SDLP interests in) these issues she conveys something of the Party’s priorities and ownership of same. It’s a relatively simple but highly effective statement. It reassures Staff at Bobballs when politicians focus on policy issues and avoid the usual petty squabbling amongst rutting personalities.

PS. High-fives all round at SDLP HQ for kicking off our first Spot the Balls-up Competition of 2009.

Happy New Year

SDLP European Candidate Alban Maginness and Cllr Pat Convery plan for the year ahead on route a train for a meeting in Dublin

This mashed-up caption appears just above a link on the SDLP’s planned Bill to celebrate/preserve Irish and English as official languages of Northern Ireland. Staff at Bobballs don’t trust any organisation that claims an interest in language while serving up bollocks on the frontpage of its website.