Progressive Justice plans

MINISTER for Justice, David Ford, comes from a party known for its allegedly progressive politicals – maybe some may even say that the party is a liberal party. Heaven forefend!

For when David settled into his big chair at the justice crib the first priority he has put in place is prisons.

Yeah, the lock ‘em up type at Magheraberry, not them nancy open prisons…much favoured by those liberal types.

This could be a sign of a mature thought process, identifying the most expensive and probably most criticised prison regime in the UK.

But where was the progressive attitude to justice and policing? Where was the shift from a punitive approach to one of prevention? Where was the liberal approach?

Mmmm, that must be because we live in Northern Ireland.

Opening mouth to change feet

NEW Justice Minister – awaiting confirmation of course – David Ford seems to have all the qualifications necessary to sit on the Northern Ireland Executive; that is the ability to annoy people.


His ‘pointless’ reference to the Saville Inquiry managed to irritate almost all of the nationalist community.


But still it must rank as some sort of record, annoying so many people in so short a time with one word!