Slugger O'Toole

Slugger O’Toole is a recognized news and opinion platform that offers insightful commentary on political issues in Ireland and Britain. The site aims to provide its audience with "open source analysis," drawing from both traditional media and blogs. We are always seeking ways to enhance discussions on topics that affect our regions, nations, and the world at large.

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Starmer should be brave and reinstate Corbyn’s membership…

1 week ago | sluggerotoole.com | Fionnbharr Rodgers

‘We took tough but right decisions in the budget… because we inherited a broken economy,’ said Starmer today after a close defeat at the Runcorn by-election, and more losses in the council elections. ‘Tough decisions’ is also the phrase Starmer invoked two months ago, defending the announcement that his government would reduce the already minuscule foreign aid budget to 0.3% in favour of raising defence spending.
Free Speech for Me, but Not for Thee…

2 weeks ago | sluggerotoole.com | Fionnbharr Rodgers

Last night I had a vision. A premonition of approximately twenty years into the future: DJ Próvai, his balaclava thrown aside, has just been appointed to Seanad Éireann after previously serving a single term as TD for the newly created constituency of Belfast West.
New ESRI analysis of the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland…

4 weeks ago | sluggerotoole.com | Mick Fealty

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) recently released an interesting comparison of the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and there’s some pretty striking stuff in the report. According to their figures, disposable household income per capita in Ireland is around €25,334, way above Northern Ireland’s €19,603. Productivity levels are miles apart too—Ireland’s productivity per worker clocks in at €99,600 per year, compared to just €55,900 in Northern Ireland.
Was It Really the Protestant Work Ethic?

4 weeks ago | sluggerotoole.com | Arnold Carton |Mick Fealty

Why did Britain (or England) prosper in the late 1700’s and lead the way in the Industrial Revolution? Was this in part due to the earlier Glorious Revolution when our own ‘King Billy’ defeated the Catholic King James and ensured that Britain was a ‘Protestant State’ and had a Protestant work-ethic? Why do some countries like the USA become rich, while nearby countries like Mexico remain poor; what makes one country successful and another fail?
Rory McIlroy: Love, beauty, trust and love all wrapped up in one hectic, thrilling and desperate game of golf

1 month ago | sluggerotoole.com | Mick Fealty

There’s two things I love about golf. One is the sheer beauty and multigenerational memories of the greats playing the Masters course in Atlanta, Georgia. The other is the boundless courage, natural decency and outrageous genius of Rory McIlroy.
UK and Ireland are merely pawns in a bigger geo-political game…

1 month 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.
Are we divided or diverse? (“Often, it’s not what we say but what people hear…”)

1 month ago | sluggerotoole.com | Terry Wright

A few weeks ago, nationalist parties who raised procedural issues regarding the decision to fund a sports pitch for a controlled college were accused by the DUP of being ‘sectarian.’ Now the DUP, on procedural and squandering money grounds relating to the decision to fund Irish Language signage in the new Belfast transport hub, is calling foul. Is it also, in its expression of limited cultural democracy, open to the charge of adopting a prejudicial position with regard to the language?
Weekly Bulletin. What you need to know this week…

1 month ago | sluggerotoole.com | Mick Fealty

Ministers describe Trump tariffs as “deeply regrettable” and warn that NI must not become “collateral damage” This week, NI politicians reacted to Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariff announcement. UK exports to the US will face a tariff of 10%, while EU goods have been hit with a 20% tariff.
How will the NI Executive handle its response Trump’s opening gambit in tariff negotiations?

1 month ago | sluggerotoole.com | Mick Fealty

The old Chinese curse that runs ‘may you live in interesting times’ holds today much as it ever did. Two days after Donald Trump announced his new tariff rates (and the international stock market when into meltdown), the air has yet to clear. Since the Second World War, the average US tariff has sat at around 4%, so what we are seeing is a remarkable shift in post war norms. World wide it is thought likely to affect around $700b of trade. Long established trade arrangements are up in the air.
The Republican Party has a moral duty to speak up against swingeing cuts to USAID…

1 month 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.