David Ford

I'm a member of the UFU and a small farmer in the Lough Neagh catchment.
It's hard to disagree with Newton. It also appears, yet again, that the UFU Executive is following, not leading.

Netherlands twinned with Kent?

2 of 5 DUP and single TUV voted with Farage.
Alliance, UUP and 1 of 2 SDLP voted against.

Don't forget @allianceparty.bsky.social SDLP ... and UUP.

What an unusual division. Most Tories voted with Farage, with DUP & TUV.
@eddavey.libdems.org.uk made the speech against Farage, supported in the vote by Lib Dems, @sorchaeastwood.bsky.social, UUP, most of SNP, Plaid, Green, SDLP & Ind Left.
And some Labour, but clearly not whipped.

I agree with @timfarron.bsky.social.
It's hard to know which is worse: a Government which denied the problems caused by Brexit or one which acknowledges the mess but does nothing to deal with it.

Badenoch is warned against turning Tories into rightwing populist party Former premiers John Major and Theresa May tell Conservative leader not to seek to mimic Reform UK

Too late, my darlings. www.ft.com/content/d6c8...

But in addition to the 15 MPs in the shuffle, all party leaders* know in advance when they will get in on a supplementary (assuming that they bother to turn up^).
* not just 2 biggest, even parties with 1 or 2 MPs get in occasionally.
^ most do.

And last year, Hydebank Wood got 4 4s on inspection. The highest possible grading and best in UK (or E, W and NI).

6b in partnership between @justice-ni.bsky.social and former Dept of Employment and Learning, then led by @stephenfarry.bsky.social.

All despite Maghaberry being the most complex prison in the UK - all remand prisoners, all high security, 2 sets politically motivated, sex offenders, ...

4 Good work in community by Youth Justice and Probation, reducing pressure on prisons (though current inmate numbers are very high).
5 Focus on rehabilitation, with multiple partners.
6 Transformation of Hydebank Wood Women's Prison and YOC to Hydebank Wood College.

There's probably something in my ex-Minister interview with @jillongovt.bsky.social. Key points -
1 Huge issues left by NIO that had to be addressed on devolution of Justice in 2010.
2 Comprehensive report on reforms by broad based team led by Dame Ann Owers.
3 Huge effort by NIPS to implement.

<declares interest>
I think there's enough info in reports on individual institutions from HMI to illustrate significant progress has been made in NI since 2010 which has not been matched in E&W.

Next task for the IfG: compare and contrast Prison Service in E&W with those in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Yet another reason why so many who were glad to see the Tories removed from Government at GE24 now despair of the current crowd.

Reform’s Sarah Pochin forced to apologise after claiming adverts 'full of black people' drive her 'mad’ | LBC The Runcorn and Helsby MP was responding to a viewer live on air who complained about the demographics of advertising.

Nothing on the BBC Radio news this morning. Nothing I could find on their website. This is an MP from the party whose lead in the opinion polls normally ensures them wall-to-wall coverage. She spouts racist nonsense for which even she feels obliged to apologise. What on earth are they playing at?

2 With six parties likely to win seats, D'Hondt allocation of seats in six seat constituencies may not be very proportional (unlike STV, where transferable votes help towards proportionality).

1 A closed list system gives individual voters no choice between individual candidates, as a vote for a party is a vote for every candidate of that party (unlike STV where Irish and Scottish voters choose the individuals they support in rank order).

Health Minister, Director of EPPOC & Justice minister pictured.

. @justice-ni.bsky.social v.uk & @healthdpt.bsky.social ministers have welcomed a landmark report on Drug-Related Intimidation (DRI) in NI.

The report reveals the widespread & complex nature of DRI, which affects individuals, families, and entire communities.

➡️ justice-ni.gov.uk/news/ministe...

Unless I am mistaken, there's a former Councillor from the "moderate" UUP in the picture. Perhaps someone from the Ulster Unionist leadership could explain their position.

Borders chief can’t name a way Brexit has helped UK control its borders The new border security commander, Martin Hewitt, said he did ‘not immediately’ have an answer

I thought I was asking a simple enough question!
#FarageFantasies

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Lisburn Chess Club: one of many partners of Prison Service, helping make Northern Ireland safer by rehabilitation of offenders.

A subtle distinction perhaps, but significant to those of us who don't see the world in bipolar orange/green way.

Correction: MLAs on election are not required to designate as U, N or 'other'. They are required to give a designation: if it is not U or N they are then described as other.
In the current Assembly (90 members) 17 designated as "United Community" and one as "Socialist".

I know it's difficult for people who haver never voted in a Single Transferable Vote election, but the advice for anyone in Scotland should be number every candidate but Reform Ltd if you want to keep them out.

What was it about people poking fun at the extremists being the thing that really annoys them?

I am disgusted at the level of abuse my colleague @naomilong.bsky.social has had to endure, but this is a new low.
Solidarity 💛

In case you need this today or tomorrow (NI obviously)

Surely it can't be true that the husband of a Tory Peer was engaging in dubious practice to evade tax?
<spolier> The High Court has determined that a significant sum must be repaid to DoH.

Ministers should face consequences over Covid 'VIP lane".

Interesting comment from Jo Maugham director of @goodlawproject.org following Court ruling against PPE Medpro.