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Clare Rice

@clarerice.bsky.social
4.6K followers 825 following 230 posts

Research Fellow (Politics), University of Edinburgh @edinburghpir.bsky.social 📍 Northern Ireland / Edinburgh 📧 clare.rice@ed.ac.uk UK Politics | Northern Ireland | Brexit | Elections | Territorial Politics | Institutions

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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 16h
Younger 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"
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
🚨⬇️
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Claire 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
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
For 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
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Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Richard 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...
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Belfast Telegraph @belfasttelegraph.co.uk · 29/09/2026
LATEST | Prospect of mediator to Garvaghy Road dispute ‘dead in the water’ and fresh legal bid launched - as morning talks to resume with Secretary of State
belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Prospect of mediator to Garvaghy Road dispute ‘dead in the water’ and fresh legal bid launched - as morning talks to resume with Secretary of State
Scroll down to read our live coverage
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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 29/09/2026
Colleagues 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.
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Telling people repeatedly to "double down on compromise" is only highlighting how disconnected the SoS is from the sensitivities of the Drumcree issue
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CAJ @cajni.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The 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.com
Justice group says it’s ‘premature’ to claim Garvaghy Road protesters broke law
Thousands join protest to oppose Orange Order Drumcree march
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Spotted 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
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
However, 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
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Lisa O’Carroll @lisaocarroll.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Full 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.com
Belfast court injuncts decision to allow Orange Order march down Garvaghy Road
Andy Burnham calls for calm as fears of unrest grow after request for countermarch in mainly nationalist area
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/...
belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Ex-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson should serve at least 10 years in prison, court told
A 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.
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The Journal @thejournal.ie · 23/09/2026
The 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/7170607
jrnl.ie
'Unpalatable choices': Cost of public sector in Northern Ireland rising faster than funding from UK
The NI Fiscal Council said there is a ‘structural tension between the cost of maintaining the workforce and the funding available to do so’.
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Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee @lordsniscom.parliament.uk · 17/09/2026
The 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.uk
Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee visits Belfast for Article 2 inquiry - Committees - UK Parliament
The 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.
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
As 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
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
So 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
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Darran 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."
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
When 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
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Back 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.uk
Stormont: What's on the agenda after the summer recess?
What challenges face assembly members and ministers as Stormont returns after the summer recess?
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Very 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.uk
Former BBC NI Political Correspondent Stephen Walker dies
During 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.
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
New 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
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Northern Ireland Assembly @niassembly.gov.uk · 02/09/2026
Want 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
Want to understand how democracy works and how you can have your say? 

Join our Assembly Explained workshop on International Day of Democracy and learn how the Assembly works, how decisions are made, and ways you can get involved. Join us online or in-person. Spaces are limited, you register now by emailing engagement@niassembly.gov.uk

At Parliament Buildings on 15 September at 10am–1pm
and online via Teams 7.00pm–8.30pm
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David Ford @david-ford.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
In all the talk of a possible Stormont collapse, this is a bit of a bombshell.
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Belfast Telegraph @belfasttelegraph.co.uk · 18/08/2026
BREAKING | Mike Nesbitt has resigned as Health Minister in a dramatic move that has shaken Stormont tinyurl.com/j3ub83he
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Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
There has never been anything like this attention to (the many) academics subject to sexual abuse allegations. A frenzy of killer hot takes...
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Stefan Müller @stefanmueller.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Comprehensive 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
Interactive graph showing the most recent estimatesPlot comparing individual polls and Irish Polling Indicator estimatesInteractive graphs showing and explaining “house effects”New section on media coverage
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Gavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 27/07/2026
NI 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 2
belfasttelegraph.co.uk
DUP drops to five-year low in wake of Donaldson scandal as SF support also on slide
In latest LucidTalk poll results, UUP rises to most popular unionist party while SDLP hits new high under Claire Hanna
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Northern Ireland Elects @nielects.com · 20/07/2026
🚨 NEW: Chris Bryant has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Andy Burnham
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Graham Jeffery @grahamjeffery.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Nearly 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.com
Humanities among degrees being ‘extinguished’ by hard-up universities
Exclusive: Experts fear rise in education ‘cold spots’ and social immobility as 4,000 academic posts lost in one year
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Gavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 15/07/2026
In 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
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FactCheckNI @factcheckni.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Financial 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.
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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
NEW - Greens won’t stand in Clacton. So it is Nigel Farage versus Count Binface.
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Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Essential 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...
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NI Assembly Library @assemblylibrary.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
We'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...
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
10 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/
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Lisa O’Carroll @lisaocarroll.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
DUP statement on Jeffrey Donaldson mydup.com/news/stateme...
Jeffrey Donaldson conviction DUP statement by Gavin Robinson
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Larry is the closest thing the UK has had to political stability in the last 10 years 🐾
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Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
This 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.uk
Jeffrey Donaldson: Found guilty of all sex abuse charges including one count of rape
Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson faces 18 sex abuse charges, including one count of rape, all of which he denies.
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Gavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 22/06/2026
Barely 100 minutes between the vacancy arising and the contest being sewn up
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Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
BREAKING: 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.”
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Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 22/06/2026
NEW: 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.
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Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
The lectern has now been brought outside No 10 for Keir Starmer to make his announcement
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Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee @lordsniscom.parliament.uk · 17/06/2026
Our 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.tv
parliamentlive.tv
Parliamentlive.tv - Commons
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
For anyone planning to travel by train to/from Dublin this evening... #Enterprise #Belfast #Dublin
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Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
May you never live in a place where the local news trumps the national and international news. Old Belfast Proverb.
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Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
The 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.uk
Legal action over how to define a woman to come before NI court later this year
Legal 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.
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Sam McBride @sjamcbride.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Why 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.uk
Why you can’t comment on Jeffrey Donaldson’s trial
Sometimes we try to stop you commenting on our reports; sometimes we don’t. Why the difference?
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Clare Rice @clarerice.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
A 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 women
Decades-long campaign powered by patient perspectives results in switch from PCOS – a name that caused confusion and undue suffering – to PMOS
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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Breaking: Jess Phillips resigns as safeguarding minister just ahead of the 1pm news bulletins
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