The last time I took any notice of the UK Supreme Court was back in 2017.
That was when it was ruling that Rangers EBT scam was just that.
You can read the full judgment here.
Today the body created that was created a decade ago ruled that the Rt Hon Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson MP might be a bit of a cad.
Well, colour me shocked.
My thoughts were brought back to my undergraduate youth.
I recall punishment seminars about the…ahem… “British constitution”.
What absolute shite it was!
In fairness, I did volunteer to read politics at an English university.
Unlike many MPs in Westminster, I actually had to study the back on an envelope loose set of arrangements that they operate under.
I am a citizen of a republic that has had a written constitution since 1937.
For the avoidance of doubt, Bunreacht na hÉireann is out of date.
Written constitutions almost always are.
However, the fact that they are written down means that there can be some forensic scrutiny as to what part is now dangerously in need of repair.
Referendums play a very clear role in our constitution.
Consequently, we all know here what the democratic decision by the people will actually entail.
Looking across the hedge to the UK I shouldn’t be surprised to see them in this embarrassing mess.
I recall one seminar paper I had to submit entitled “the crown in parliament”.
After working for several weeks on the subject I had to conclude that the entire thing was nonsense.
That is the constitutional fictional that the British state is based on and not my seminar paper…
If the British finally get round to drawing up a written constitution then they would have some difficult issues to address.
One of them is the role of the Monarchy and their unelected upper chamber.
Indeed, we have the democratic outrage of Seanad Éireann.
However, we did put it to the people in a referendum.
Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 did what it said on the tin.
Sadly we, the people, voted it down and decided to keep the fekkers.
I was on the losing side on that one, as I voted for abolition, ach sin mar atá.
The thing is we have an agreed set of rules here with clear roles for the executive, legislature, judiciary and our elected head of state.
On that final component of our polity, I think that the current incumbent in Áras an Uachtaráin is a bit of a star.
Moreover, he isn’t in that important constitutional role by accident of birth.
The last time I was in his presence was in 2016 in my father’s town of Westport County Mayo.
Now, I have sat through some fekkin awful political speeches on this island during the last 40 years.
However, that day the Galway man was electrifying as he laid out the story of the “Westport 31” and their historical significance.
He was there because he had the approval of us, the people.
We Irish can vote for our head of state.
Well, some of us can.
I get to vote in Donegal, but my neighbours in Tyrone and Derry can’t despite being Irish citizens just like me.
Of course, we can change that by a referendum.
So sort yourselves out Britain, you’re making a holy show of yourselves.
Ireland and our gallant allies in Europe are watching and waiting…
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As for the Tony Benn comment. Well it’s not lost on me he’s upper class and some would call him a twit…..
But realistically no!!
I’m sure he was a rare English inspiration for you Phil. A real giant of politics and a he had a true human touch for the ordinary man despite being born into a life of privilege.
They don’t make them like that anymore
Facts are sacred……Phil ever the journalist has quoted the last set of figures that show Ireland is indeed a net contributor to the EU budget, although that was the first time since it joined……so he is right on that score
Overall since joining EU, Ireland has received more back than put in.
It’s a situation as a whole with Brexit et al I cannot get my head around.
The EU is not what it should be. It crushes sovereignty of the nations, it’s and encroaching beast upon the rights and few wills of the many and IMO it benefits the few.
Now having living near Dublin for several months and having had some links to the south ever since. I have notes couple things.
It used to be cheap to get by in the south. Fuel, alcohol and cigarettes cheaper. (The last of which I do not consume). Price of day to day stuff I felt was better. Goods and services.
I remember vividly getting a puncture repaired on my car in Tallaght. Year was 2000, The guy charged just 2 punts or £1.60 Sterling !! Now back in Scotland that would have been £3. my car wash Irish bought brand new and I went on to register in Scotland. Saved 25%!!
If i went again I do not think things would be cheap. In fact I know they would not. I have found myself supplying items here and there to the south, I did not think of a minute thing such as certain industrial adhesives would be cheaper here in U.K. by so much that I can sell on as and ancillary item part of a parcel of goods and make a small profit whilst saving my Irish customer some money!!!
In short all of above has changed due to the Euro. The working man is not better off with this wretched currency.
Now say what you might in the here and now about sterling taking a tumble etc, overall staying out of the Euro has been good here.
Places like Ireland, Italy and France the working man of woman sees the cost of general stuff rise. This isn’t good.
A basket of grociery goods I would say was more expensive in the south, however the mass supermarket rush had not hit Ireland the way it had the U.K. indeed the whole of Europe does not seem to have had the supermarket explosion we had here in U.K.
This made U.K. grocery sector very competitive but not necessarily better for food stuffs in particular.
Long and short of it. The Euro is a bastard. It’s fucked Greece and is on its version of an EBT to remain strong so germany can sell all its goods easily to the rest of Europe.
It’s a napoleonic dream and even a set up that hitler would find so good that he would say I didn’t have to shoot anyone to get this result with tDeutschland Überalles.
Frankly I despise Johnson and his lot. I wish a trade deal could be struck let the north do what it wants.
With some form of proper reparations from the British state for a few decades for the near 100year disaster it has visited upon those 6 counties.
It’s all about trade for me. This ever closer political union I do not like. Europe is and can stay brilliant without this monstrosity of a peer hungry behemoth crushing all dissent before it.
It resembles more and more the Soviet Union. Not for me. Although for an easy life I might just vote remain next time.
I’m tired and seeing the bastards on the leave side just depresses me.
I am a practising capitalist, but mines was the Brexit of Tony Benn and others.
Not this far right cabal led by Tory Toff Twits!!!
I am proud to have voted for Michael D as my President. When I lived in Scotland where I, like you, was born, the only choice I could exercise in relation to the hereditary Head of State was in refusing to stand and join with the Orange Order in singing a national anthem I could not stomach.
How any Scots person can sing it is beyond me. I have in mind the verse celebrating the deliberate campaign of mass rape and murder committed by the British army after the 1745 Jacobite Rising:
“God grant that General Wade,
May by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush,
God save the King.”
Thankfully, my Irish family entitled me to the citizenship of a free Republic, and I am more than happy to live in my ancestral County Galway.
Éirinn go Bráth!
Saor Alba gu Bràth!
Wow, proud to have voted for a labour party member who signed not one but two eviction bills into law while almost everyone else was having their Christmas diner.
Would the South of Ireland vote to have the North back if there was a referendum?
Did the majority not sell out; the 6 counties before? With a civil war to boot.
They voted for the Free State, as my Granny from Donegal and Grandfather from Derry use to call it.
I have a sneaky feeling if it ever came to a vote it might be the south that keeps the North out, not the band marching bothers of Unionism in Patriotic British Six County Ulster.
We might need to stick that in our pipe and smoke it.
Footnote
Are The Rangers not the same Club? Asking for a friend.
Would the South of Ireland vote to have the North back if there was a referendum?
Did the majority not sell out; the 6 counties before? With a civil war to boot.
They voted for the Free State, as my Granny from Donegal and Grandfather from Derry use to call it.
I have a sneaky feeling if it ever came to a vote it might be the south that keeps the North out, not the band marching bothers of Unionism in Patriotic British Six County Ulster.
We might need to stick that in our pipe and smoke it.
Footnote
Are The Rangers not the same Club? Asking for a friend.
Phil you are most certainly not a citizen of The Irish Republic. You are a citizen of The Irish Free State. The 1937 Constitution was a total sham, invented by Dev, that murderer of good Republicans. If he was a man at all, he would have attended the 1921 Treaty Talks in London, instead of leaving a real fighting man-Mick Collins-holding the baby.
Anyhow, any good that was in that so-called constitution was run over by a steam-roller in the form of The GFA. Hail Hail.
As an Irish citizen I have no doubt you are in favour of the EU. Could that be because the RoI takes more out than they put in. The UK is one of the very, very few who contribute more than they receive, and this is one reason why the leave vote won.
You may not like it, but watching this to the end will give you an insight as to why the UK voted leave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTMxfAkxfQ0
The Republic of Ireland is a net contributor to the EU budget and has been for several years.
For the avoidance of doubt, I didn’t read that on the side of a bus…
You are having a laugh if you think the RoI is not taking more than they give.
https://fullfact.org/europe/uk-one-biggest-contributors-eu-budget/
You will see Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium,France, UK, Austria, Denmark, Finland and Italy are the only countries giving more than they receive.
Ireland takes more than they give.
Ps I didn’t get that from the side of a bus either.
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/ireland-s-contribution-to-eu-budget-expected-to-rise-to-2-7bn-this-year-1.3467403
From the same piece:
“In 2016, Ireland became a net contributor to the EU Budget for the first time since it joined the bloc in 1973 with the State paying in more than it received in grants and payments.”
Brilliant from Joanna Cherry.
“Neither the Government nor indeed the Monarch are above the law”.
Perhaps Her Majesty should think very carefully before making future decisions and constitutional related comments.
The English Queen is indeed above the law…even those on state benefits like her Maj have to pay tax on said benefits…except she doesn’t. Strange, very strange indeed. Hail Hail
I wonder if there’s added schadenfreude in that comment, given that Cameron reported that Aul’ Liz purred when he informed her of the result of Indyref.
Indeed Cha there may have been an element of shadenfreude in my comment about her Maj…may she reign over us for a thousand years.
However, I would never, repeat never stoop to that level when it comes to our chums at Ibrox…I have too much respect and love for those poor souls. Hail Hail.
Your praise of “the hobbit” seems a tad misplaced to an inhabitant of the occupied six considering he REFUSED to visit “the six” in his role of President during the Centenary of our revolution. He may well be a gifted orator and intellect but to Republicans in the north it’s all about fancy words at lavish dinners.
I think you should re-read the piece with care as I note the issue with Partition and voters in the Six Counties.
Your ad hominem slur says everything about you and nothing about President Higgins.
i was at a function on the falls road in may of this year where Pres Higgins gave a speech that lasted about an hour.Most of the people present were Republicans.