09 September 2002

Flags and things

One of the more colourful events last week was the raising of Alex Maskey's tricolour, to join the Union Jack, put there by one his predessors, Reg Empey. For some like Gearóid Ó Cairealláin, putting one up beside the other is a matter of equality, rather than in any measure republican triumphalism. Indeed some of the immdiate heat seems to be leaving the issue fairly speedily. Unionists should not get too hot under the collar counsells the Newsletter in its editorial.

Meanwhile, and more seriously, Maskey still has no deputy. There is speculation that SDLP councillor Pat Convery may take up the post, but not everyone in the party is convinced that it is worth breaking the hard-fought-for convention of rotating the post amongst all parties. A practice which is barely older than the Belfast Agreement itself.

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