In 1939 Auden wrote about the end of "a low dishonest decade." That phrase stuck in my head. Now I understand how he felt.

Chris Mullin - who wrote this highly consequential book 40 years ago which led to the release of the falsely imprisoned Birmingham Six (5 of whom were from Belfast) - gets a knighthood. He documented police and judicial prejudice calmly and procedurally, and gave life to the campaign to free those innocent men.

Expect more from the @IrishTimes - this cartoon is ignorant, insulting and just not funny. Lots of pearl-clutching about it though which is a bit of a joke.

Tonight people have been forced out of their homes in North Belfast, with houses, vehicles and other property set on fire in arson attacks. I spoke with residents too frightened to leave their homes, worried about their kids and using baby monitor cameras to look outside because they’re too scared to open their curtains or doors. Some had relatives working in healthcare who were too scared to leave their workplace to return home. None of these arsonists care about the victim of last night’s attack. Their aim is thuggery, criminality, intimidation and division – they bring shame to themselves and shame to Belfast.

I’ve spent this morning at Kinnaird Terrace and spoke to residents & witnesses of last night’s attack who are in complete shock. My thoughts are with the victim, his family and the people in the area where this attack took place – just meters from Girdwood and my old school. The idea that an attack like this could take place in our area is horrifying. The bravery of those who intervened to stop the attack and the police who arrested the assailant are to be commended. I have contacted Radius Housing, the PSNI, Belfast Trust & Belfast City Council this morning to ensure that residents living both in the building were the attack took place and on the street are given all support they require.

The images from Scarva are bleak and disturbing. Taunts at peaceful marchers, an MP surrounded by masked men in 2026. Weaponised slurry, for God’s sake. Political leaders who won’t condemn bullying and intimidation, wherever it comes from, won’t take society anywhere good.

Reporting from the Financial Times on Xinjiang remains incredibly grim: * In some areas, 90% of children are taken from parents to be educated in boarding schools where they aren't allowed to speak Uyghur * Officials monitor who eats during Ramadan and report those who skip meals * Basic items like prayer mats and religious text are considered illegal contraband * Adult Uyghur women are pressured to marry Han Chinese men, and there are official goals to sterilize a certain % of them. * Xinjiang has the largest prison capacity in the world relative to population * Huge numbers of Uyghur prisoners are now being shipped across the country in forced labor schemes, as a way to dodge Xinjiang sanctions/boycotts * The CCP shut down all 10 existing Uyghur-language publishers, none remain. They fed one university's book collection into a shredder. There's a lot going on the world, but it's worth remembering that China is still actively engaged in cultural genocide. They're barely even hiding it, they openly talk about the need to 'correct' Uyghur culture and create 'ethnic unity'. They are openly destroying an entire culture as efficiently as they can, cutting children off from parents, restricting language, restricting religious practice, forcing sterilizations and intermarriage, imprisoning anyone who resists the tiniest amount and shipping them out to forced labor factories. That is what the CCP is. ft.com/content/119d8c3a-e10f…

This seems to be Gordon Lyons' logic, supported by the NIHE Chief Executive: Step 1. REDUCE the grant given to housing associations, who are the only organisations building social homes, in Belfast & Lisburn, Step 2: Expect MORE social houses to then be built in those areas. Can't work. Won't work.

Interesting thread on public pools in sun-baked Madrid. The Spanish capital has 1 municipal pool per 140,00 people. In Belfast we have 10 public pools (11 once Girdwood is opened) - which is roughly 1 pool per 35,000 people. And we've a lot less sun to deal with! These are the services ratepayers, in my experience, are happy to fund and support.

Interesting story below re sale of Castlebrook property in Manc. The big question for the owners of the area-formerly-known as TriBeCa is what they plan to do after a planning decision. Do they have the money to develop it? Or do they plan to put it on the market?

Reminder that our liquor licensing laws are so supportive of 'local businesses and local community' that a German multinational was able to open it's first EVER pub in Dundonald, whereas you or I would need at least £100k to get a license to open a pub anywhere in Belfast. And we wonder why pubs are closing year in year out. #supportlocal #supportGermanMultinational

We started with Belfast Summit, then Derry Summit and then we thought let's just get 12 cities together! They're all here - plus New York & York Mayors - on 24th June! Speakers & tickets here: summitofthecities.com

Good morning from Ulster where the time sponsored by the TUV is 1690 and zero else to offer. 🤦‍♂️

How do we end up with proposals for new treatment clinics right beside kids fancy dress shops? Because while it's the responsibility of the @healthdpt to support those addicted to drugs in the City Centre, they engage in an ad hoc approach, relying on other agencies & funding streams (DFC/NIHE, Council, Police) to sort it out.

Belfast is the natural location for the National Famine Commemoration next May - when it will take place in Ulster. Despite tens of thousands of famine deaths in North East Ulster and Belfast being the only place with recorded famine victims from every county in Ireland - the history of the the Famine here is forgotten & ignored. The proposal has cross-party support & there are no barriers from Belfast's point-of-view to it taking place here.

The basics have eluded the Scottish FM here. Not a mistake either of his predecessors would have made.