A deal on transfer at 14?
Jim Allister released quotations from a document this morning which he claims the DUP has passed to Sinn Fein during their discussions on education. The relevant quote is:
"However none of these matters are sufficiently concerning to force us to feel instinctively that agreement around transfer at 14 could not be found."
"...Fourteen could become the key decision point for the future...We would be flexible about the instrument for matching pupils at 14...The vast majority of the province could move to a transfer at 14 system...However was the executive to indicate clearly that 14 was the key point for making decisions about pupils' futures and the key transfer stage, inevitably the broader system would reconfigure to accommodate that....Fourteen however would be promoted and supported as the key decision point...."
At the time of writing, my colleague Maggie Taggart is still awaiting clarification from the DUP about the status of this document. But this comes after the compromise proposals from the churches and a decidedly dove-ish tone between the two major parties both on last Sunday's "Politics Show" and during Monday's Education Question Time. So this may be one to watch...
UPDATE: The DUP's Mervyn Storey has put out a statement which doesn't confirm or deny whether the quotation is from a party document. However he says that "currently pupils transfer at age 11. The DUP is engaged in discussions on the basis that this will continue to be the case. It is for others to produce papers and ideas to convince us of the contrary. There is not the slightest indication of that happening. The DUP has been willing to listen to the arguments put forward for 14 but remain unconvinced. The idea of transfer at 14 would present huge difficulties, educationally, financially and practically."
A Sinn Fein source confirmed discussions are underway with the DUP on the transfer issue. The source added "we are not going into the nitty gritty. We don't discuss papers swopped with other parties".
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I wonder who leaked this to Jim?
trouble brewing within the DUP? hmmmm.....
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Is it any wonder that Statler and Waldorf stay above that crowd of clowns known as the Muppets?
As Desi Arnez used to say " Lucy..you have some explaining to do.
Maybe Edwin Poots the DUP ex-minister and Michelle McIlveen will have to walk the gang plank given their claim in seperate press releases that the DUP have saved academic selection. It is striking that neither 11 or 14 is mentioned by them. Do they not know what is going on within the party?
If they don't know they may be Kieran McCarthy clones. If they do know the DUP plan for education - why the secrecy?
Well StormontSpy it seems that Statler has given Waldorf a bloody nose for his Lets Talk insolence.
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Redflyfisher,
You continue to make an idiot out of yourself. I dont support the DUP, SDLP, SF or UUP. Read this statement - I don?t support the big 4 parties for one reason or another but it is better that they are sitting together talking and arguing their issues over the table rather than over a rifle and semtex.
Stormontspy
PS Picture this. Jim Allister on "I'm a celebrity get me out of here". He is asked to produce his expenses or face a bush tucker trial. Unable to produce his expenses Allister is then told of his bush tucker trial - sitting in Govt with SF for a day
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Picture this instead. A party elected on their alleged opposition to Sinn Fein swapping policy documents with their sham opponents but unable or unwilling to disclose same to those who elected them.
When caught in the act betraying their St Andrew's Agreement commitment they issue conflicting press statements leaving further room to fudge. How difficult is it to say "Academic selection at 11- no if, ands or buts.."
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This is a simple case of Jim Allister who has nothing else to do just stirring the pot. When will you TUV dissidents realise that Devolution is here to stay, Jim Allister has been found out and that the TUV is dead!!
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Obviously difficult for you to swallow StormontSpy. Try it... "Academic selection at 11- no if, ands or buts.."
Leave the Allister obsession alone. His very existence seems to drive you and the DUP to distraction. In the case of the DUP it has them so confused that on a virtual daily basis they vacilate between academic selection at 14, back to 11 and back to 14 again.
Don't the DUP realise that the Dickson Plan is gone if absent an 11-plus test?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Looks like the Allisterites have run out of excuses. Sadly there is still no answer to the following 7 pertinent questions regarding Jim Allister -
1. How much did Mr. Allister claim for travel expenses from the European Parliament since his election?
2. How much is each individual employee/service provider in his office paid from European funds?
3. Does Mr. Allister pay European funds to any family members? If so, what for?
4. Who administers his website? How much are they being paid for that?
5. How many trips has Mr. Allister taken since election to the European Parliament?
6. What was the total cost Mr. Allister claimed back from the European Parliament for travel expenses?
7. Have European Funds ever been used to pay office rent to the owner/owners of his office at any time?
Stormontspy
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run out of excuse's for what exactly Stormontspy?
That comment didnt make much sense
Can you explain why the DUP are giving into SF/IRA's demands on education and allowing them to start their assault on our education system
selection at 11 works. So why are the DUP agreeing to change it when they swore they wouldnt?
we have the best education system in the UK. there is a reason for that
It really is turning from a "battle a day" to a "concession a day"
Imagine if it was the UUP in the DUP's position. what oh what would the DUP be shouting across the chamber?....
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Re: traditional_unionist at 9 (and pretty much everything else he/she writes)
I have yet to hear any confirmation of these alleged concessions just wild rumour and speculation being generated by the media via Jim Allister. It's not enough simply to use your own fuhrer as a source to attempt to bash the opposition. Enough of the TUV spin, you are beginning to embarrass yourself as much as stormontspy on these pages.
Less traditional_unionist, redflyfisher and stormontspy; more RJ, Suzie and Pan-dora! At least then we can all read some witty and insightful comments, instead of bitty and inciteful dross.
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on 02 Dec 2008, languishing_first wrote
"I have yet to hear any confirmation of these alleged concessions"
Languishing -the first you or other dupes will know about further DUP concessions is when they are sealed into legislation. Would you wish to see the offending DUP document given to Sinn Fein published? Where is the denial of Allister's claim that the DUP moved to academic selection at 14? Where is the mention of the word "grammar" in the document?
Sad truth is that the DUP have attempted to sell out once again. Jim Allister of the TUV caught them out and they have beaten a hasty retreat in public from their secret position.
Peter "Neville" Robinson gave a recent speech attacking Allister on P&J. Interesting not a word from him on education. Has Peter the Great (capitulator) lost his tongue?
The DUP are the only unionist party spinning on academic selection at 14. The TUV and UUP are unequivocally against it.
Instead of launching pleas for censorship on behalf of the DUP perhaps you should better spend your time by demanding a written copy of their post-primary education policy.
Like their assurances on sharing government with Sinn Fein the DUP have a serious credibility gap.
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Languishing first.
What have I done to you? Have I disagreed with your opinion? If I have then I am delighted. As I said before and which you failed to address is regarding your username. Maybe with your username you are someone who is most unhappy in life and therefore provide opposition for opposition sake.
How am I embarrassing myself? Today you could have talked about the events of today or the past few days but instead you have shown yourself up as someone who is incapable of making sensible comments. Let Traditional Unionist, Redflyfisher or who ever make comments. It is not up to you to judge or criticise.
Ok?
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StormontSpy,
I note you have nothing to say about Mervyn Storey's continued refusal to admit to Mark Devenport on Inside Stormont that the DUP gave their selection at 14 paper to Sinn Fein.
Where exactly do you carry out your spying?
BTW Do I have your permission to do your work for you?
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Redflyfisher,
As a TUV activist you seem to know more about the DUP than they or Jim Allister does. I read on the DUP website a short time ago what Mervyn Storey said. He said and I quote - "On the principle of academic selection at 11, the legal reality is that the Education Minister cannot abolish academic selection without political agreement. She will not get that political agreement. On the question of what age transfer would take place, the DUP?s position is very clear. Currently pupils transfer at age 11. The DUP is engaged in discussions on the basis that this will continue to be the case. It is for others to produce papers and ideas to convince us of the contrary. There is not the slightest indication of that happening."
After reading the DUP website I flick to Mr Expense's who states - "Jim Allister has welcomed comments from the DUP?s Mervyn Storey". Looks like the DUP and TUV are singing from the same hymn sheet.
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Not so fast or slick. So discussions on what StormontSpy? If the DUP are resolute on academic selection at 11 what possible benefit can come from discussions? Why not simply tell SF, the churches and the other useful fools there is nothing to negotiate on, nothing to compromise on.
Are you a slow learner like the DUP? Jim Allister put manners on them. He has now directed attention to the latest series of broken promises from their manifesto and in particular North-South bodies funding. I thought you were some sort of spy? Spider perhaps?
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Mark
ALLISTER BOWS TO STORMONTSPY'S DEMANDS ON EXPENSES....... BUT MORE WORK TO BE DONE
Re Post 8, I think we must all extend our congratulations to Stormontspy on his long-running, but ultimately successful, campaign to have Jim Allister declare his expenses as an MEP.
Surely Stormontspy will now wish, in the interests of equity, to campaign with the same vigour for Bairbre de Brun and Jim Nicholson to match Allister's openness on the expenses issue.
Moreover, I wonder whether or not Stormontspy would consider launching a campaign to have our MLAs provide comprehensive details of their expenses and allowances. The current method of disclosure is very broad-bush and could well be hiding many skeletons.
By the way, I wonder whether the intrepid and terrier-like Stormontspy could discover the outcome of this case. Just wondering.
Incidentally, Mark, is there any truth in the rumour that Baroness Royall is seeking to recruit Stormontspy to assist in cleaning up the House of Lords?
Susie
Carryduff
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Susie,
Back of the net!!
After all this time Jim has bowed to my pressure. It is only fair that people who get taxpayers money declare what they get it for.
The only thing I would still like to know - does Jim pay European funds to any family members? I know several MLA's have their wife and children on the pay books.
Susie I agree that both Jim and Bairbre need to declare their expenses. Last weekend Mark Durkan said -"to attack Bairbre is to attack her private life" That is a bit strange. What does Bairbre do with her time?
The current system our MLA's have is very cloak and dagger. There needs to be transparency.
As for the House of Lords I doubt that I alone could crack that one. Most of the peers would be in the land of the nod!!
Once again this is a great result
Stormontspy
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CONGRATS
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CONGRATS!
Don't know what happened there, but as I was just about to say...
Well done Stormontspy, through the medium of the Devenport Diaries you kept hacking away at Jim Boy.
Pandora
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