Metropol

Eamonn is tremendous, as is most of those involved in reporting the scandal from the BBC through to the Belfast Telegraph. Obviously I may have biased opinion, but this came from a few people I have been speaking to and they seem to agree.

Just how useless is Ken Reid.

His performance the other night was pathetic. He didn't ask any probing questions nor did he seem to want to 'upset' Peter Robinson in his line of questioning. Hardly surprising when you find out he's a friend of Peters. All you needed to do was watch the three-way between him, Darryl and Eamonn.

How can this man be political editor if when one of the non terrorist related political scandals breaks, he's walking on egg shells because he's a friend of those involved.

Latest ...

According to BBC News, Iris Robinson will stand down from both Westminster and Stormont 'at the earliest opportunity' - whatever that means.

She's just been kicked out of the DUP.

Alexia wrote:She's just been kicked out of the DUP.

Not sure where you heard that but I'm not aware of that as a fact.

marksi wrote:

Alexia wrote:She's just been kicked out of the DUP.

Not sure where you heard that but I'm not aware of that as a fact.

Here:
RT: @SkyNewsBreak: Disgraced MP Iris Robinson has had her DUP membership terminated and is to leave her posts at Westminster and Stormont.

marksi wrote:

Alexia wrote:She's just been kicked out of the DUP.

Not sure where you heard that but I'm not aware of that as a fact.

Twas on the Sky News perma-yello ticker thingy.

I wonder how much Gordon Brown's paying her to fill up all the news bulletins while he just keeps his head down?

I'd like to add my praise for Eamonn Mallie - one of the most under-rated and consummate journalists in Northern Ireland - and an inspiration to me.

My abiding memory of him is the footage from the 2003 Assembly Election campaign where the DUP brigade gatecrashed a UUP press conference outside their headquarters and it degenerated into a slanging match (the DUP as the antagonists) with poor EM caught in the middle with his DTR/Cool FM mic. Guess who was one of the most vocal (in all sense of the word) spearheads of that incident on the DUP side. Yep, our old dear friend Iris.

If she resigns her seat in the next few days, does anyone know if it would mean a by-election in Strangford before the General Election? An open one at that?

If the Ulster Unionists or the Alliance field a strong candidate they could take the seat; unless Iris's successor is going to be Simon Hamilton (wonder if he feels jealous of Kirk?). I imagine bets are off for Jim Allister or one of his TUV cronies to stand for the seat; in which case they will probably romp home - and IMO it's the worst case scenario for Northern Irish politics.

The only way the Shinners or the SDLP could get the seat is if there's a DUP/TUV/UUP split vote - and only one of them stands (SDLP did tend to poll well in that seat, even in the past few elections, so with the right candidate standing, they are certainly in consideration). It will be one to watch, and if the by-election happens before the General Election, it's going to be a portent for how that will turn out.

I doubt, however, this will be the end of the road for the DUP. Something will come along that will re-endear them to their world again, most probably when Big Ian snuffs it. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened in the run-up to the general election, to be honest.

By Election?

Possible but not probable, depends when she applies for the sinecure Manor of Northstead. There will then be two by elections pending. A situation that's not unusual but could prevoke calls for them to occur. There have been seats vacant for in excess of 4 months so I feel that the seat will be held vacant till the GE.

Today's Sunday Tribune has a front page story from Suzanne Breen where she claims that Iris previously had an affair with 19-year-old Kirk McCambley's father (and another DUP member).

Nothing like keeping it in the family!