Twenty-three years ago today a collection of very diverse politicians and community leaders signed what became known as the Good Friday Agreement. @BorisJohnson @michaelgove were journalists, whose cuttings books bulge with pieces critical of the process and those who led it 1/4
23 years on their carelessness and indifference, + lies told at various stages of the Brexit process, have helped resurrect fears about the future that the GFA helped consign to the past. Meanwhile I read in @thetimes that Johnson is ‘pining’ to get to Chequers for the W/end 2/4
‘It’s his spiritual home,’ gushes a source. The same paper has five paragraphs on page 28 on what is happening in N Ireland, headlined on bishops calling for the violence to end. There was some talk pre the death of the DofE of the PM actually going to NI (as a real PM would)3/4
As he puts his feet up at Chequers, doubtless Johnson will toast the Duke for providing such a huge story that takes the heat off him for the role he has played in igniting tensions, and the role he has avoided in seeking to resolve them 4/4

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More from @campbellclaret

10 Mar
It is possible to think as I do that @piersmorgan is one of a small number of journalists who has done a very good job holding the government of liars and charlatans to account on Covid. And that he has been going over the top Re Meghan and Harry. 1/4
It’s possible to be angry my phone was hacked by several newspapers and hope that @DailyMirror has good strong future as a centre left paper. It is possible to think Piers is a bit of a narcissist and that he has other qualities that I admire like resilience wit and kindness 2/4
Yes, kindness. I know of several instances where that word would apply. It’s possible to think Meghan may have been badly treated and that the Queen is a remarkable woman. Indeed it’s possible to be a Republican and admire her 3/4
Read 4 tweets
5 Mar
I was really sad to hear this. We never met but as the obit says when she was ill she became convinced we were having an intimate relationship. People in my office were worried and thought I should contact the police. But I never felt remotely threatened 1/4
It was obvious to me she was bipolar and I could always tell where she was on the scale. When manic she would write dozens of pages and send photos galore where she had my picture all over her house. When depressed she just poured out sadness. I really felt for her and family2/4
Her husband said it was ruining his life but I didn’t know what I could do other than suggest to him she get proper medical help. Yet within it all she also had some really insightful observations about life and about politics. It started in opposition and carried on in No 10 3/4
Read 4 tweets
29 Oct 20
I have never wavered in my view that @jeremycorbyn becoming leader would be a disaster for @uklabour and that the country was never, ever going to put him in Downing Street. In a Parliamentary democracy, Opposition matters. He is a large part of why Brexit is happening and .. 1/4
.. why @BorisJohnson is in Number 10, doing the dreadful job he is doing. As I know from experience, it is not nice to be kicked out of your own tribe. But @Keir_Starmer clearly recognises that there can be no conciliation whatever with the anti-semitism that plagued Labour 2/4
or the self-indulgent nonsense that dominated so much in recent years, and was on display again today. JC leadership led to several wasted years and the damage done has been enormous. Starmer seems to recognise that. Tories will try to say he should not have served inside ..3/4
Read 4 tweets
28 Oct 20
Getting loads of messages from football fans who have experience of the people involved in the @BurnleyOfficial takeover bid revealed publicly today. And none of them have been positive. The board need to be very careful. They are custodians of a great football club. 1/4
Having a board made up of genuine Burnley supporters has been an advantage. If they sell they will make a lot of money because the club has enjoyed several years of success and they can take some of the credit for that. But their role has to go way beyond that. 2/4
Any sale must be judged not just according to money made but the best interests of the club in the future. There has been too little transparency about either of the bids being discussed. Yes football clubs are businesses and the EPL is a global brand. But .. 3/4
Read 4 tweets
22 Sep 20
This is horrible news for you and your family and friends. I am so sorry. I’m pleased though that you want to support suicide prevention work. I am Patron of the @MaytreeRespite , the only suicide sanctuary in the country, and know the team would love to meet you 1/4
Can I also make a gentle plea in terms of the word ‘commit.’ The word ‘commit’ relates to when suicide was a crime, or viewed as a sin. It is neither. It is just the ultimate in human suffering and mental distress. She took her own life. She ended her life by suicide 2/4
I hope you don’t mind me saying this at this time. It really is a well-intentioned comment. Changing the language surrounding mental health and mental illness is an important part of the @TimetoChange @MindCharity campaign and I know they too would welcome your support. 3/4
Read 4 tweets
16 Aug 20
Breaking news from GNMS (government news mismanagement scheme.) We are sad to announce that our Quarantine Distraction, in which we hoped by creating anger and confusion among hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers, did not work. People continue to focus on our Exams failure 1/4
We have decided we need a fresh distraction and this means Public Health England will be scrapped. We are confident most of the media will fall for this, and hope the public can be as gullible. Further we are hopeful this will suggest PHE was to blame for our Covid failures 2/4
The highest excess death rates and deepest recession were helped off the agenda by our successful Channel dinghy distraction, but exams are proving a tougher nut. We believe the quick double whammy of Quarantine PLUS PHE should do the trick. 3/4
Read 4 tweets

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