Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 16hYounger generations with no living memory of Drumcree, people who don't identify as either unionist or nationalist, people who just want the rot of public services to stop.... Times, slowly, are changing in NI. It is increasingly necessary to consider the who, how, and why of what "whips up people" 120
Reposted by Clare RiceClaire Mitchell @clairemitchell.bsky.social · 01/10/2026🚨 Open letter from people of Protestant backgrounds concerning the Garvaghy Road 🚨 We feel compelled to speak publicly about what is happening in Portadown 🚨Over the past few hours we have collected over 140 signatures 12270119
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 01/10/2026For anyone concerned about the degradation of healthcare in NI, this is an important story to follow. The knock-on consequences of removing maternity services from Daisy Hill will be felt not just at Craigavon, but in other health trusts as well - all already creaking under their own pressures 000
Reposted by Clare RiceColin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Richard Martin on the clash of interests at issue at Drumcree. For deep understanding, stop reading other analyses and sit down with this. For me, a coda on the "heckler's veto" point is that this works differently (Art 8) if people are on their own street: ukconstitutionallaw.org/2026/09/30/r... 198
Reposted by Clare RiceBelfast Telegraph @belfasttelegraph.co.uk · 29/09/2026LATEST | Prospect of mediator to Garvaghy Road dispute ‘dead in the water’ and fresh legal bid launched - as morning talks to resume with Secretary of Statebelfasttelegraph.co.ukProspect of mediator to Garvaghy Road dispute ‘dead in the water’ and fresh legal bid launched - as morning talks to resume with Secretary of StateScroll down to read our live coverage 024
Reposted by Clare RiceUniversity and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 29/09/2026Colleagues at Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian are all on strike today over job cuts. Please show your solidarity as they take to the picket lines to defend jobs and education. 15633
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Telling people repeatedly to "double down on compromise" is only highlighting how disconnected the SoS is from the sensitivities of the Drumcree issue 1125
Reposted by Clare RiceCAJ @cajni.bsky.social · 28/09/2026The European Court of Human Rights has held that, in certain circumstances, the right to hold spontaneous protests in immediate response to events, where the protest would be pointless if delayed, may override notification requirements. More from our Director here: www.irishnews.com/news/norther...irishnews.comJustice group says it’s ‘premature’ to claim Garvaghy Road protesters broke lawThousands join protest to oppose Orange Order Drumcree march 13920
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Spotted this over on Facebook from Tim McGarry ⬇️ Whatever one's perspective on it, it's hard to deny that the handling of the situation has been anything but farcical 192
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 27/09/2026However, operations will not completely cease should this happen - it will put things into a type of care-taker mode. Arrangements agreed in NDNA mean Exec ministers will continue in post for 24 weeks and committees will continue to function 121
Reposted by Clare RiceLisa O’Carroll @lisaocarroll.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Full story from Belfast’s high court Judge injuncts tomorrow’s March down Garvaghy Road as she urged all parties to “step back from the abyss” and consider the whole of society in NI www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comBelfast court injuncts decision to allow Orange Order march down Garvaghy RoadAndy Burnham calls for calm as fears of unrest grow after request for countermarch in mainly nationalist area 02713
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 25/09/2026www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/...belfasttelegraph.co.ukEx-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson should serve at least 10 years in prison, court toldA court has heard that former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson should serve at least 10 years in prison for crimes committed against two women when they were children. 010
Reposted by Clare RiceThe Journal @thejournal.ie · 23/09/2026The Northern Ireland Fiscal Council has warned there is a “structural tension” between the funding Stormont receives and the cost of maintaining its public sector workforce. It added that this leaves a “range of unpalatable choices” for ministers when it comes to the public sector. jrnl.ie/7170607jrnl.ie'Unpalatable choices': Cost of public sector in Northern Ireland rising faster than funding from UKThe NI Fiscal Council said there is a ‘structural tension between the cost of maintaining the workforce and the funding available to do so’. 052
Reposted by Clare RiceNorthern Ireland Scrutiny Committee @lordsniscom.parliament.uk · 17/09/2026The Committee is in Belfast today taking evidence from the Northern Ireland political parties for its inquiry on Article 2 of the Protocol/Windsor Framework. committees.parliament.uk/committee/76...committees.parliament.ukNorthern Ireland Scrutiny Committee visits Belfast for Article 2 inquiry - Committees - UK ParliamentThe House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee visits Northern Ireland on Wednesday and Thursday to continue its inquiry into Article 2 of the Protocol/Windsor Framework. 012
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 17/09/2026As an interdisciplinary academic, this is an accurate depiction of UK academia currently. Institutions love to talk about interdisciplinarity but rarely want to meaningfully enable it. Silos are easier (and increasingly cheaper) to maintain, but this comes at the expense of scholarly advancements 050
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 14/09/2026So much of the media coverage of this meeting, on both sides of the water, has been remarkable for the amount of shock it seems to have caused that leaders of parties that seek to break away from the UK would talk to each other about their shared goal 160
Reposted by Clare RiceDarran Marshall @dmarshall.bsky.social · 12/09/2026"It turns out that he isn’t as orange as he looks." SDLP leader Claire Hanna reacts to Trump's comments on Irish unity. "I'm not sure if anybody has checked on the DUP. I suspect they're burning those Trump flags as we speak." 14485163
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 12/09/2026When Biden visited Ireland in 2023, signing the book was a telling event: there was warm chat, big smiles, a genuine sense of two leaders enjoying the moment. I recall it vividly as I was live on air with Sky News when it happened The contrast with the images emerging from today tells its own story 031
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Back to business today for Northern Ireland's MLAs as they return to Stormont after the summer recess This is a handy reminder from @bbcjaynemcc.bsky.social of some of the main issues on the agenda: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukStormont: What's on the agenda after the summer recess?What challenges face assembly members and ministers as Stormont returns after the summer recess? 020
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Very sorry to hear this sad news today. Was always a pleasure to work with Stephen and to discuss politics with him. My sincere condolences to his family and many colleagues across the BBC www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukFormer BBC NI Political Correspondent Stephen Walker diesDuring a high-profile career at the BBC for three decades, he was an investigative reporter on the Spotlight programme, as well as being both London correspondent and political correspondent. 030
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 03/09/2026New report from @pivotalpolicy.bsky.social on NI Exec performance: "the last eight months have been marked by a failure to agree a budget, an inability to work together on shared challenges, and increasing tensions and divisions between the parties" www.pivotalpolicy.org/assets/files...pivotalpolicy.org 001
Reposted by Clare RiceNorthern Ireland Assembly @niassembly.gov.uk · 02/09/2026Want to understand how democracy works — and how you can have your say? 💬 Join our Assembly Explained workshop on International Day of Democracy — register now by emailing engagement@niassembly.gov.uk 📍 Parliament Buildings | 🗓️ 15 September | ⏰ 10am–1pm 💻 Online via Teams | ⏰ 7.00pm–8.30pm 001
Reposted by Clare RiceDavid Ford @david-ford.bsky.social · 18/08/2026In all the talk of a possible Stormont collapse, this is a bit of a bombshell. 376
Reposted by Clare RiceBelfast Telegraph @belfasttelegraph.co.uk · 18/08/2026BREAKING | Mike Nesbitt has resigned as Health Minister in a dramatic move that has shaken Stormont tinyurl.com/j3ub83he 251
Reposted by Clare RiceColin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 14/08/2026There has never been anything like this attention to (the many) academics subject to sexual abuse allegations. A frenzy of killer hot takes... 223054
Reposted by Clare RiceStefan Müller @stefanmueller.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Comprehensive update to the Irish Polling Indicator: all graphs are now fully interactive and work better on mobile devices. There’s also a new page on media coverage of the project. You can still download and reuse the data. ➡️ pollingindicator.com @irishpollingind.bsky.social 03814
Reposted by Clare RiceGavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 27/07/2026NI POLL: Belfast Telegraph/Lucid Talk (July 17-19, MoE 2.3%) Sinn Féin 22 (-2 since April) UUP 16 (+3) DUP 15 (-3) SDLP 13 (+2) TUV 12 (+1) Alliance 10 (-1) Greens 5 Aontú 3 PBP 2 Inds/others 2belfasttelegraph.co.ukDUP drops to five-year low in wake of Donaldson scandal as SF support also on slideIn latest LucidTalk poll results, UUP rises to most popular unionist party while SDLP hits new high under Claire Hanna 1196
Reposted by Clare RiceNorthern Ireland Elects @nielects.com · 20/07/2026🚨 NEW: Chris Bryant has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Andy Burnham 144
Reposted by Clare RiceGraham Jeffery @grahamjeffery.bsky.social · 19/07/2026Nearly 4,000 academic posts in social sciences, humanities and the arts have been axed in one year alone. In the 12 months to December 2024, just under 3,000 social sciences, 820 humanities and 240 arts jobs went. www.theguardian.com/education/20...theguardian.comHumanities among degrees being ‘extinguished’ by hard-up universitiesExclusive: Experts fear rise in education ‘cold spots’ and social immobility as 4,000 academic posts lost in one year 02738
Reposted by Clare RiceGavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 15/07/2026In the flood of legislation being passed on the Dáil’s last nighttime sitting of the term: Jennie’s Law, for a public register of domestic violence offenders, and Valerie’s Law which removes guardianship rights from parents who kill their child’s other parent. @virginmedianews.bsky.social 0356
Reposted by Clare RiceFactCheckNI @factcheckni.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Financial pressure is not the same as underfunding. Northern Ireland’s public finances are under immense strain, but that’s not the same as evidence that Westminster has underfunded NI. 102
Reposted by Clare RiceJessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026NEW - Greens won’t stand in Clacton. So it is Nigel Farage versus Count Binface. 1141609272
Reposted by Clare RiceColin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 02/07/2026Essential reading from @sylviademars.me and Eleni Frantziou on just how divorced from the reality of EU law the UKSC's approach to direct effect in Dillon actually is: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2026/07/doub... 0107
Reposted by Clare RiceNI Assembly Library @assemblylibrary.bsky.social · 30/06/2026We've updated our Brexit Reading List: Brexit Outcomes and Northern Ireland. The publication of this updated edition coincides with a period of continued reflection and change. June 2026 marks ten years since the 2016 referendum on EU membership. www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets... 021
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 23/06/202610 years since the referendum that has shaped most of my career in academia to date. Much to the bemusement of EU scholars I was surrounded by at the time, I said Leave would win; Remain arguments were not cutting through. What a time to have been doing a PhD on EU and UK law and politics... 1/ 140
Reposted by Clare RiceLisa O’Carroll @lisaocarroll.bsky.social · 22/06/2026DUP statement on Jeffrey Donaldson mydup.com/news/stateme... 183
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Larry is the closest thing the UK has had to political stability in the last 10 years 🐾 010
Reposted by Clare RiceColin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 22/06/2026This will get lost in today's national news, but the finding that Jeffrey Donaldson is guilty on all counts, only after decades of multiple people having concerns, speaks to how powerful abusers can use their status in a small society like NI to deflect attention: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw...bbc.co.ukJeffrey Donaldson: Found guilty of all sex abuse charges including one count of rapeFormer Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson faces 18 sex abuse charges, including one count of rape, all of which he denies. 1024696
Reposted by Clare RiceGavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 22/06/2026Barely 100 minutes between the vacancy arising and the contest being sewn up 34110
Reposted by Clare RicePaul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 22/06/2026BREAKING: Sir Keir Starmer resigns as Prime Minister. “The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question - and I accept that answer with good grace.” 46017
Reposted by Clare RiceLewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 22/06/2026NEW: Keir Starmer confirms he will resign as leader of the Labour Party. Nominations open 9th July. In event of contest new PM will be in place by September. He will be the shortest serving Labour prime minister in history. 4612424
Reposted by Clare RicePippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 22/06/2026The lectern has now been brought outside No 10 for Keir Starmer to make his announcement 167313
Reposted by Clare RiceNorthern Ireland Scrutiny Committee @lordsniscom.parliament.uk · 17/06/2026Our second evidence session of our new inquiry on Article 2 of the Protocol/ Windsor Framework is happening this morning with witnesses from the @equalitycommni.bsky.social 📺Watch live at 10:45am on parliamentlive.tvparliamentlive.tvParliamentlive.tv - Commons 001
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 10/06/2026For anyone planning to travel by train to/from Dublin this evening... #Enterprise #Belfast #Dublin 020
Reposted by Clare RiceColin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 09/06/2026May you never live in a place where the local news trumps the national and international news. Old Belfast Proverb. 229555
Reposted by Clare RiceColin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 01/06/2026The ECNI case for guidance on the application of FWS in NI is set for December. This is always going to be fought to the bitter end, but it is worth saying that at least the UK Supreme Court might have changed dramatically before they decide this in 2030: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/...belfasttelegraph.co.ukLegal action over how to define a woman to come before NI court later this yearLegal action over applying a landmark ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex in Northern Ireland will be heard in December, a High Court judge has confirmed. 184
Reposted by Clare RiceSam McBride @sjamcbride.bsky.social · 26/05/2026Why you can’t comment on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s trial: Sometimes we try to stop you commenting on our reports; sometimes we don’t. Why the difference?belfasttelegraph.co.ukWhy you can’t comment on Jeffrey Donaldson’s trialSometimes we try to stop you commenting on our reports; sometimes we don’t. Why the difference? 071
Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 12/05/2026A huge step forward for women's health, and one that will hopefully lead quickly to improvements in diagnosis, medical care, and support for so many www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...theguardian.com‘Unprecedented’ global effort gives new name to polycystic ovary syndrome – and new hope to millions of womenDecades-long campaign powered by patient perspectives results in switch from PCOS – a name that caused confusion and undue suffering – to PMOS 010
Reposted by Clare RiceJim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 12/05/2026Breaking: Jess Phillips resigns as safeguarding minister just ahead of the 1pm news bulletins 74394130