Brian Clifford Pope

2 months ago | sluggerotoole.com | Brian Clifford Pope

As the UK’s FTSE 100 fell to its lowest level for over a year and then dramatically bounced back by 5% following the pause in tariffs it is easy to assume that Donald Trump’s trade war is just an economic crisis, but there is much more to it than that. Some commentators and politicians have failed to grasp that the imposition of Donald Trump’s tariffs is also a geo-political move. This is demonstrated by his decision to pause the tariffs for 90 days for all countries, except for China.

2 months ago | sluggerotoole.com | Brian Clifford Pope

Time is running out for millions of people in the world’s poorest nations as the US takes a step closer to making drastic cuts to its international aid budget. Tariffs, Ukraine and Gaza have dominated the headlines, for good reason, but we should not forget Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s plans for USAID and the Republican Party’s complicit role in its destruction.

Mar 26, 2025 | sluggerotoole.com | Brian Clifford Pope |Mick Fealty

Infrastructure Minister, Liz Kimmins, has just made a shock announcement to the Assembly to send forensic accountants into NI Water to investigate a potential budget overspend. The short-term and long-term funding of the water industry and infrastructure is clearly becoming a political ‘hot potato’!Back in 2020 the then Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, published a report from the Ministerial Advisory Panel on Infrastructure detailing proposals for new Infrastructure Commission.

Mar 22, 2025 | sluggerotoole.com | Brian Clifford Pope |David McCann

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has just issued a public consultation on Developer Contributions for Wastewater Infrastructure but unfortunately this won’t be enough to resolve a few decades of underfunding. The 35 page document Developer Contributions for Wastewater Infrastructure – Consultation Document is aimed at raising desperately needed funds to upgrade and improve our dilapidated drainage system.

Mar 18, 2025 | sluggerotoole.com | Brian Clifford Pope

Over the last few weeks Donald Trump has unleashed a whirlwind of executive orders, tariff announcements, foreign policy declarations and intentions, and, more generally, he’s managed to shakeup the whole world, but what’s this all about? Currently, there are an increasing number of voices in America who point to the role or influence of the tech billionaires in the US administration and a type of techno-authoritarianism future.