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David Mccann

David Mccann

TheJournal

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How voting early could mean voting more often

What I love about elections outside Northern Ireland is seeing how different jurisdictions do theirs differently – figuring out what works better in...

latest 7

The Irish News

David Mccann

The Alliance surge is over and they now face their difficult second album

A new book on the Alliance Party is being launched today in Belfast. A survey of its membership, which has already published some hugely significant...

23.10.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

Claire Hanna cannot solve the SDLP’s problems alone

The SDLP gathered last weekend to formally elect their new leader. Claire Hanna takes over the once-dominant party of Irish nationalism, which, over...

09.10.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

Gavin Robinson’s challenge is creating a DUP and unionism at ease with itself

The recent DUP conference has provoked a debate about where the dominant party of unionism goes next. I have been attending DUP conferences since 2014...

25.09.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

This Executive is now hopefully learning lessons from the past

We have a draft Programme for Government for the first time in eight years. A Northern Ireland Executive has produced a list of policy approaches and...

11.09.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

Time for a new approach if the UUP wants to be a political force

There they go again: the Ulster Unionists are seeking another new leader, following the resignation of Doug Beattie. This will be their sixth since...

28.08.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

The road to unionist unity runs through Quebec – David McCann

The dust has settled on the general election. What was predicted to be a predictable and boring outcome proved anything but. Whilst the headline...

14.08.2024 7

The Irish News

David Mccann

Whoever wins the US election, Ireland will have to shout louder to be heard

Change is coming to the United States in January 2025. The Biden era will be over in six months. Greeting us will either be Donald Trump’s second...

31.07.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

How to reform Stormont’s co-option system

We need to talk about the co-option system in the assembly - the one that allows for MLAs to be replaced without any return to the public means that a...

18.07.2024 20

The Irish News

David Mccann

Don’t let anyone say your vote doesn’t matter

Tomorrow is election day. You will go to the polls and cast your vote in what could be the most consequential Westminster election in two decades....

03.07.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

Candid conversations key to progress towards united Ireland

Ireland’s Future was back with another event at the SSE Arena last weekend. I know these events always spark a debate about how representative and...

20.06.2024 20

The Irish News

David Mccann

TUV challenge to DUP gives unionists a stark choice

I did not really believe it until I saw it. For months, pundits and analysts wondered whether the TUV would ever fulfil its promise to stand in many...

05.06.2024 30

The Irish News

David Mccann

Today’s leaders can learn from the courage shown in 1974

Fifty years ago this week, the Ulster Workers’ Council strike was in full flight, bringing Northern Ireland to its knees over the Sunningdale...

22.05.2024 30

The Irish News

David Mccann

It’s all over bar the voting for Rishi Sunak – it’s just a case of when

‘It’s all over bar the voting’. That famous headline from 2002 in the Irish Republic is now being used by analysts and commentators in the...

08.05.2024 20

The Irish News

David Mccann

Harris will have to learn from Bertie Ahern and Mary Lou McDonald

Simon Harris has become the new taoiseach. He takes over with just under a year left in this government’s mandate, with local and European elections...

10.04.2024 6

The Irish News

David Mccann

SDLP, Labour and Social Democrats should come together as new political force

Ireland is facing a general election within the next 10 months, and those of us who pay attention to the longer-term trends in Irish politics wonder...

28.03.2024 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

How to win a referendum - and how not to

The quote from former American President John F Kennedy about victory having a thousand fathers but defeat being an orphan went through my mind as the...

13.03.2024 7

The Irish News

David Mccann

Sinn Féin ministers need to keep their eye on the big picture

Seeing the bigger picture can be difficult in politics. The demands to improve public services and sort out problems quickly can often distract from...

28.02.2024 50

The Irish News

David Mccann

We need to have an honest conversation about money

The Executive is now in its 11th day in office after a two-year absence of devolution. Ministers are busy tackling the major backlog of decisions that...

14.02.2024 30

The Irish News

David Mccann

Why am I denied a vote for president?

On March 8, voters in the Republic will head to the polls to give their view on two constitutional amendments. As the respective campaigns get...

31.01.2024 20

The Irish News

David Mccann

Summoning the spirit of O’Neill and Lemass

Last Sunday marked the 59th anniversary of the historic summit between Unionist Prime Minister Terence O’Neill and Taoiseach Sean Lemass, which was...

17.01.2024 20

The Irish News

David Mccann

Westminster election contest shaping up nicely – David McCann

One thing we know for sure this year is that it is an election year. The slight possibility of the Westminster election being held in 2025 was killed...

03.01.2024 8

The Irish News

David Mccann

The UUP needs to stay out of the next Executive - for its own sake as well as good government

On the most recent edition of Sunday Politics on BBC Northern Ireland, the Ulster Unionist leader, Doug Beattie, was asked about whether his party...

20.12.2023 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

Sinn Féin should learn lessons from Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand and not make promises on housing they cannot keep – David McCann

A centre-right government came to power in New Zealand last week.

06.12.2023 20

The Irish News

David Mccann

Sinn Féin should learn lessons from New Zealand – David McCann

A centre-right government came to power in New Zealand last week.

06.12.2023 10

The Irish News

David Mccann

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