Irish and British universities have discovered the fragility of their reliance on the huge fees paid by a seemingly limitless pool of international students, and will also have to ask themselves whether they are educational institutions focused on the public good, or primarily businesses focused on revenue raising
The idea that the deaths of elderly people are to be expected is one of the most pernicious beliefs to have taken hold during this nightmare
Instead of united action to deal with the pandemic, the dysfunctional executive has descended into playing green and orange politics
While it’s crucial that the PSNI reflects the communities it serves, the proposal to reinstate 50:50 Catholic and Protestant recruitment is a knee-jerk reaction
Refusing to discuss Irish unity no longer makes any sense for the DUP –talking about a united Ireland is not the same as supporting it
Any proposals from the DUP or Sinn Féin for the re-establishment of Stormont must be accompanied by plans for reform that will learn from past mistakes
Spiralling waiting lists and a failure to tackle high rates of mental illness are glaring symptoms of the breakdown at Stormont
The Democratic Unionist Party got a taste of power, but they overplayed their hand and were outmanoeuvred by Brexiteers whose commitment to the union ultimately came second to their desire to get Brexit done
The SDLP was floored by the loss of its then leader Mark Durkan’s seat in the 2017 general election wipeout. Two years later, it has yet to get back on its feet
In a party whose leaders are anointed, rather than contested, the challenge to O’Neill may signal a move towards more democratic principles
The DUP leader’s brusque manner and provocative behaviour towards nationalists are undermining any hopes of reconciliation
Julian Smith’s arrival as Northern secretary was welcomed by some, but he may struggle to bridge a widening gulf
The Tory leadership frontrunner would happily throw his allies under a bus if it advanced his own ambitions