Weston Park and other tall tales

 

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Remember Weston Park? That’s where talks were held in 2001 which came to agreement on a number of matters including IRA decommissioning and the Pat Finucane case.  Yes indeed, Virginia – all important matters. The first of these, IRA decommissioning, against the expectation of many including some leading republicans, was achieved. The IRA’s arsenal of weapons was destroyed. The second,  the promise of a public inquiry into the Pat Finucane case? Um, no. That’s not going to happen.

Remember the Irish Language Act? It was promised by the British government at the St Andrew’s Agreement. Much success there? Um, no. No Irish Language Act.

Remember the promise that Northern Ireland would get a Bill of Rights? That was made some fifteen years ago. How are we doing on it? Um, no. No Bill of Rights.

So in these major matters,  Britain has entered into a solemn and public agreement that certain things – important things – would happen, but have not delivered on their promise. They have, to be blunt, lied.

On Raidio Uladh/Radio Ulster this morning Jimmy Spratt, who was RUC Chief Constable Jack Hermon’s bodyguard during the 1980s, told how on one occasion Hermon was so nervous of the Dundalk garda escort car following him after a visit to Dundalk that first of all he had his driver try to shake them off. When that failed, he made a detour of some forty miles to cross the border at Aughnacloy. In other words, he was obviously fearful that there were people in the following garda escort car who could have lethal designs on him and the other occupants of his car.  However, when Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan were killed on their way back from Dundalk Garda Station in 1989,  the Chief Constable was emphatic that no collusion between the IRA and gardaí had occurred. The Smithwick report, issued the other day, disagrees. So if you accept Mr Justice Peter Smithwick’s report , you must conclude that Jack Hermon lied. He may have had his reasons for doing so  – doesn’t everyone? – but he lied.

So here’s the thing: if the British government and Jack Hermon have lied to us on these matters, what other matters have they lied to us on?

 

 

 

4 Responses to Weston Park and other tall tales

  1. Feilim Ó hAdhmaill December 5, 2013 at 10:26 am #

    Of course if could have been Jimmy Spratt who has the agenda? Is he related to the guy who used to be a spokesperson for the prison warders ‘who didn’t’ batter the prisoners in the H-Blocks and Armagh jail?

  2. Taxi Driver December 5, 2013 at 12:26 pm #

    Subtle whataboutery here, a little muddying there and the dance goes on with everybody ceili-ing to their own sweet tunes. What a pied piper you are Jude, I just love it; I can even hear the little voice

  3. paul December 5, 2013 at 3:38 pm #

    Whataboutery whatever, but the fact is that the MRF expose, Ann Cadwalladers book and the Barron report present hard evidence that security forces( those paid to uphold the law of the land) knew about,in many cases aided and in some other cases( Rock Bar in Keady among others ) actually carried out shootings and bombings of innocent civilians. let me repeat, thos e paid to uphold the law, broke the law. That is a different type of whataboutery. As for broken promises by the British Government, is this really any surprise

  4. Taxi Driver December 5, 2013 at 7:59 pm #

    Ann Cadwalladers book- 1-0
    Smithwick tribunal – 1-1