Saddened to learn of resignation of Conall McDevitt from Politics.
This Blog is socialist, republican and nationalist and while getting some credit for being independently minded, I lean towards SDLP.
In the circumstances, I will not be blogging about this story.
There is clearly an element of grief for Conall and the broader SDLP.
The Party…I am NOT a member…deserves the support of its friends.
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Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Very sad for the SDLP, a big loss.
Well said, Fitz. I think it would be wholly inappropriate for you to blog about Conall. He will be a big loss to the SDLP.
I thought and always said that McDevitt was one of the few politicians in NI that could pass muster in the south. As such, he is a very big loss.
I feel very sorry for Conall. He has actually taken an honorable step here. It’s a mark of how degenerate politics has become that it’s almost shocking to see a politician actually take responsibility for wrongdoing, and do the right thing.
I reckon Conall will be back, and indeed I hope so. One of the good guys, who happened to make a mistake. He still has much to offer, and will recover from this. I’m a South Belfast resident these days, and will vote for him, if I get a chance.
As for Factual’s remark about his being ‘one of the few that could pass muster in the south’ – I can only assume he’s having a laugh. I honestly cannot imagine any politician from FF, FG or Labour resigning over something like this, or even if the amount was ten times as much. When you’ve got a senior minister in Stubbs’ Gazette, you really don’t have much to be snooty about.
Have to say I thought he was something of an opportunist with a dash of pomposity – he will probably re-surface in the Labour Party (south of the border) after issue is forgotten about.
Billy,
re. “He has actually taken an honorable step here.”. That puts me in mind of LibDem leader Clegg’s similar comment on the qaurefellah who got the quareone to take the wrap for his driving fine.
And there was me expecting the boul Nick to say he needed a good kick up the hole for bringing the party in disrepute.
I said it over on slugger if the DUP politicians acted similarly when caught with their pants down then the annual conference would be a one man show
Boondock is correct. “if the DUP politicians acted similarly when caught with their pants down then the annual conference would be a one man show”
While I hope we haven’t heard the last of Conall I think, by his actions, he has set a new (for here) benchmark for the conduct of public representatives.
Mind you, the neck on some of them would put Jabba the Hut to shame.
Boondock,
I see – nothing about the boul Conal’s trousering just something about themmuns
BangorDub,
“he has set a new (for here) benchmark for the conduct of public representatives.”
Did you actually say that with a straight face?
He comes from the land down under where trousering is* part of a way of political life.
* hopefully that has changed dramatically after half the FF cabinet was implicated plus numerous councillors.
The main point is – the boy Conall reisgned because he is a trouserer – trying to turn the manner of his resignation into a badge of honour or a stick to beat themmuns with is just a nonsense.
Jeez Sammy in the political world of ‘trousering’ McDevitts efforts are piss poor. I am not condoning what he did but lets look at the evidence. Undeclared 6000 pounds compared to the millions our gombeen friends down south cream off or some of the stunts our Greek political friends have pulled off compare it to even the more modest UK trousering such as 5 pound land deals and causeway centre contracts wink wink or filling in your expenses form to have your moat cleaned as one Tory did it really is small fry stuff. Even the outrage over his wife is a bit of a storm in a teacup. I would say most politicians have a relative on the pay roll or at least off set their tax somewhat with some nonsense job the spouse ‘does’. If McDevitts wife was qualified to do the work and it was up to standard then whats the problem. He could have apologised taken a bit of flak from the media and the likes of LAD and within one week it would have been forgotten. Maybe there is something deeper down we dont know yet or maybe he just though Fuck it I can earn more money doing something else with none of the bullshit. Now compare his standing down to the McCausland ‘I did nothing wrong’ or Ruth Patterson ‘sure I thought it was a private conversation’. ‘Themmuns’ deserve to be beaten with the stick again and again until they do the honourable thing and as a Nationalist it is certainly NOT in my interest for these muppets to resign as they really are the gifts that keep on giving
The ‘land down under’. Are you talking about Australia, Mexico or Ireland? I believe you are also from Ireland, Sammy. I hope you’ve never done anything unethical.
Sammy,
It was a polite suggestion with little expectation of fulfillment 😉
I’m interested to see how things will pan out given certain other MLA’s “appointments”
BD,
“I’m interested to see how things will pan out given certain other MLA’s “appointments”
Yes undoubtedly there will be a few nervous felllow trouserers above in Stormo.
boondock,
I agree relatively small (northern) fry stuff but I think that he is correct to resign and I think it he has damaged he SDLP – and is not deserving of any praise for so doing.
After Labour is booted out of office next time – I suspect he will re-surface on their ticket at some point in the future.
Discussing themmuns foulplay in this context smacks of whataboutery and distraction.
I find it hard to believe McDevitt won’t be back in politics in some shape or form. He’s a political animal and now, a ‘man of honour’ – the comeback is on. The only questions are: A. how long will it take, B. who set him up for this fall and C. why?
I’m going to agree wholeheartedly with Sammy here; his coming out & falling on his sword cos he was basically found with his snout right in the trough is not something where we should close on congratulate him for or compare to the other side’s inability to ‘fess up’, we all know it to be true but it doesn’t make his rank stupidity something where we should pat him on the back.
I didn’t like Conall for the simple reason that he’s all fur coat & no knickers so to speak. Vacuous, opportunistic, fairly unprincipled unless its furthering himself & a bit of a blowhard, he represented everything I hate about the SDLP & acted as a reminder of why I should never give them my first preference, & at times ANY PREFERENCE.
Nobody touching this then? Seriously, he was caught with his snout in a trough, why are we acting like as if it’s Hume’s death? He was an opportunist who was found out not to live up to the standards he preached, he should be rightly ridiculed and the SDLP (if it has a shred of decency left after the past 10 years of middle class tutting at SF & acting like an unglorified fish wife or Newry Ma) should be washing its hands of the oil sales man who nearly became king.
I’m amazed at this whole thing. It’s like that cartoon called ‘Animaniacs’ where a giant chicken palmed itself off as anything but a giant chicken! It’s nuts!
He would be perfect for Southern Labour, he’s a vacuous gombeen man.
I dont mind anyone touching it.
I cant.
I am not a member of SDLP. Clearly I am gene pool SDLP and I feel a certain amount of distress and in others I see genuine grief.
From my own perspective…and I stress its my own…I cant think of anything to say that would be helpful.
I’m not going to be helpful & the SDLP needs to understand that for a certain part of Northern Nationalism (myself for instance) it’s lost it’s vote probably for good, I find then close to the APNI for its idiocy and it’s inability to answer a question straight. I’m gene pool SF, but I’m the type of person who likes to think of itself as upwardly mobile, working to middle class & unwilling to compromise on issues like identity for instance.
I know we talk about how ‘scarily good’ the young SDLP in South Belfast are, look, I’ve met them and they’re not scarily good, they’re scarily related to other Sdlp pols and massively sheltered. For the likes of myself & the fam the reason I dislike the Sdlp (among others) is that they’re sooo middle class. The last time I met one at my house in Craigavon was whenever they went all ‘post nationalist’, signed up to Patten sans any protections. I tried to question the rep on the reasons for their decision and the rep ran off. The same rep all I’d a sudden lives my fam as its 2 lawyers & an accountant in it (we cone for one of the worst estates in the north 8 my brother, sister & I are about 3 out of 1500 who made it to
Uni from estate ) but before that they didn’t give a monkeys a d now they s wee at my former neighbours.