Archives for May 23, 2007

In response to a question from the Tory Peter Bottomley on the threat to the winter quarters of whooper swans as a result of road proposals in South Derry, the minister Maria Eagle declared that roads are now devolved and whooper swans are now devolved.

I hope someone has informed the Whoopers of their new status. Will they designate themselves as "unionist, nationalist or other"? And how will they be categorised during the summer when they hang out in the Russian Arctic tundra?

Back in the Commons, the Merseyside MP Ms Eagle, clad all in red, got in a plug for Liverpool's chances in the European Champions League final. But apart from that her message was, essentially, "write to Arlene Foster".

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The Liberal Democrat spokesman and tabloid regular Lembit Opik reckons the time has come to merge the NIO with the remnants of the Scottish and Welsh Offices. Lembit reckons the move could save taxpayers millions of pounds. With Gordon Brown waiting in the wings to take over a big reshuffle is on the cards. But will he engage in such major surgery before justice powers are devolved here, and given that the Scottish question could be an increasing headache for Whitehall?

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