UK News
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Closer ties, but different political colours
Second only to body language, the colour of a politician’s tie can speak volumes.
Northern Ireland’s political leaders are particularly careful about the message they send out in a community in which green represents the mostly Roman Catholic aspiration for a united Ireland and orange symbolises centuries of Protestant affinity to British rule.
The atmosphere of good humour and relief that accompanied a deal to devolve all-important police and justice powers to Belfast was not quite enough to persuade the rival parties to switch sartorial allegiances.
Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of nationalist party Sinn Fein began his address to a crowded news conference with a speech in Irish.
The face of Welsh politics stands down
Some of the descriptions may have been a bit off-the-wall, but Welsh political commentators were all agreed – no other local politician has challenged Rhodri Morgan for status in recent years.
His announcement that he is to stand down as First Minister at the age of 70, has led political obit writers to describe his departure as creating a great chasm in Welsh politics.
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The Wall
