Professor (Emeritus) University of Kent. Also Prof at University of Warwick. Have taught & written about political conflict & peacebuilding for last 30 years. Still learning. Living in Peak District England but FROM Belfast in NI. Politics nerdhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mttk4uemos2oI wasn’t taking any position. Merely pointing out that the GFA terminology recognises British and Irish identities while allowing dual cross over between them. [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Aug 2026 14:44 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttk4uemos2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mttfzdhpp22oThe GFA established that people in NI could be Irish OR British, or Irish AND British. It goes both ways, irrespective of unionism or nationalism… (notwithstanding the DeSouza case) #WinWin [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Aug 2026 13:30 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttfzdhpp22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtqcexwel22mMedia focused on sport and idea these robots will be bought to help out with the house work. Clearly the level of investment here is linked to defence applications. You’re watching the development of a robot army & you should be f@@king terrified. …But yeah just keep laughing when they fall over. [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Aug 2026 07:47 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtqcexwel22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtkbtku5d22rCh4 needs to stop trying to defend this indefensible programme, not least to protect its own journalistic integrity. The spurious line that it was ‘testing conventional thinking’ just won’t wash, as it didn’t test issues with any rigour. It has broadcast a dangerous programme and should apologise. [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Aug 2026 22:22 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtkbtku5d22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mth4fdn7ws24He doesn’t really appear to be in control of his party -which isn’t a great look when you’ve never actually been elected to anything or had to deliver anything as a political leader. Wonder who will accept poison chalice of Health portfolio in knowledge he’ll cut legs from under them when it suits? [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Aug 2026 16:06 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mth4fdn7ws24https://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtgidwp4us2zFor those GB MPs thinking of writing a 3 page resignation letter on their HoC stationary…. The ones that begin with praise for their leader, then 6 paras of thinly disguised self justification, ….Northern Ireland former Health minister Mike Nesbitt provides a state of the art ex of how to do it!19 Aug 2026 10:07 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgidwp4us2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtgd5ksa4k2zYes that’s why I think it was actually a dangerous programme- potentially undoing years of effort, not least by parents. An Assumption that medication is a 1st resort not last, no mention of school till 45 mins in, and WHY did it end before covering fact child had to go back on his meds after all? [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Aug 2026 08:34 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgd5ksa4k2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtgblm4vws2zWatched reluctantly. Felt I had to to comment on it. Also made me angry for two reasons 1 the poor quality of the ‘investigation’. 2 why Ch4 commissioned such a shoddy prog? Worst eg of confirmation bias I’ve seen. (ADHD sceptics only) Ethics re the child involved were awful. Ignorant & dangerous. [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Aug 2026 08:06 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgblm4vws2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtfcdxwgyk2zDifficult to see how Burrows leads a party where nearly all of his senior colleagues seem to detest him -and he has never actually stood for election or received a democratic mandate? More immediately, it’s a crisis for NI Executive as he was one of its more effective ministers. [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Aug 2026 22:47 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtfcdxwgyk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtdwopqauc2oI’m a big supporter of devolving power in terms of efficiency & democratic accountability. But I’m really curious about how effectively this will deliver on Burnham gov priorities over house building, planning, renewable energy goals etc. Likely to be more Nimbyism rather than less I’d have thought? [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Aug 2026 09:46 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtdwopqauc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtccqbnaa22oMajor credibility issue now facing Gavin Robinson’s leadership of the DUP. [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Aug 2026 18:16 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtccqbnaa22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mtbhndeci22oYup the dead cat strategy to get media talking about something other than Farage’s humiliation in Clacton/HoC Standards Enquiry recommencing…. And of course they have obliged. [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Aug 2026 10:11 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtbhndeci22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mt6mmcaldc2mA calm and restrained assessment 👏 [contains quote post or other embedded content]16 Aug 2026 07:02 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt6mmcaldc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mt6lm7vkrc2mI suppose the jokes about congratulating Translink on their new fleet of vehicles have all been done? 🚌 [contains quote post or other embedded content]16 Aug 2026 06:44 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt6lm7vkrc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mt5pydx55c2m😂 They are supposed to be journalists! What a joke they have become, almost entirely bought, gelded or cowed into obedience. A hopeless shower. They deserve everything they get. [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Aug 2026 22:30 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt5pydx55c2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mt4jov24os2tAnd where are the dozen+ articles a day about the much more scandalous behaviour within academia (and there’s plenty of it) not least from white VCs, including recent arrests over fraud? Close to zero interest…wonder why? [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Aug 2026 11:05 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt4jov24os2thttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mt2x6mdeus2g💯 #JasonArday #RIP [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Aug 2026 20:01 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2x6mdeus2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msznqs5lp22kThe Farage brand is certainly damaged by this by-election as he is now a figure of ridicule. While he may lash out and get nastier, that will not help as he needs to appeal to a broader section of the electorate to make progress -and Reform UK is inextricably linked to him- so if he goes…it goes. [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Aug 2026 07:39 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msznqs5lp22khttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msxsoukqw22lThe ones that give you a run down of how busy colleagues are in the coming weeks, presenting this and that keynote,with some visits to rare archives thrown in for their new monograph, have always amused me! [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Aug 2026 14:03 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxsoukqw22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msxngutyfk2aThis misses the point entirely and will not prevent Israel from trying to game the competition for political propaganda. They want to win it, not host it, to sprinkle the ashes of legitimacy over their genocidal regime. Another missed opportunity #Eurovision 🙃 https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2026/08/13/countries-in-armed-conflict-to-be-barred-from-hosting-eurovision/13 Aug 2026 12:29 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxngutyfk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msxbhafgkk2aFarage will win but lose, with Pyrrhic victory & reopening of HoC Standards enquiry that triggered byelection in first place. @countbinface.bsky.social will lose but win,with first ever 2nd place finish in Westminster seat & 1000% rise in his share of the vote, plus global media coverage #winwin [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Aug 2026 08:54 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxbhafgkk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msvq6xgets26Sorry it’s still bright as feck where we are! #solareclipse #pembrokeshire #mightbeslightlydimmer12 Aug 2026 18:13 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvq6xgets26https://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msvnfrynpk26It’s Bin day in #Clacton tomorrow. Do your duty you beautiful people and send Farage into retirement #VoteBinface 🚮 🗑️ 🗳️ [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Aug 2026 17:23 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvnfrynpk26https://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msuxg2ipvc2uDoes seem a tad odd that farmers, who kill their animals in private on a repeated basis, are so vexed by animals being killed in semi-public but as humanely as possible conditions…. Never had them down as the squeamish types? [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Aug 2026 10:49 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msuxg2ipvc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msulup5n5k2kThe absolute Ghoulishness of this. [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Aug 2026 07:23 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msulup5n5k2khttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3msslhrvf4c2kSo good to see a good news story from Belfast -even Nolan has wised up for a week at least! Congratulations to everyone who has made the Fleadh such a success this year. There will be at least another 3 punters next year @rosaleenduffy.bsky.social as there’s no way we are missing it in 2027! ☘️ 😎🎻 [contains quote post or other embedded content]11 Aug 2026 12:10 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3msslhrvf4c2khttps://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mspqpnoedk24It would be a much harder sell for those proposing that the U.K. rejoins. Perhaps the U.K. will be so economically bereft by that point it won’t be so difficult though. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Aug 2026 09:06 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mspqpnoedk24https://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mspmrqs46224Yes. But In the Euro? 😉 [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Aug 2026 07:56 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mspmrqs46224https://bsky.app/profile/feargalc.bsky.social/post/3mspipvmsjc24Big choice for Burnham in next Labour manifesto, he could set out timetable for application to rejoin with referendum to come after the fact. A la 1973. EU could say Non of course -which would be …awkward [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Aug 2026 06:43 +0000at://did:plc:qz5uhlxptgpitblcfwtocjun/app.bsky.feed.post/3mspipvmsjc24