After the ovation
I've just come off air, after our live coverage of Peter Robinson's speech. It struck me as a confident address in which he made the best of the Stormont bad job, trying to sell the advantages of devolution whilst acknowledging its current difficulties.
Predictably enough, he began with a tribute to Ian Paisley, but then followed with pen portraits of his wife ("she shuns media attention and rigorously avoids controversy") and all his ministerial team, past and present. It struck me that here was a leader intent on ensuring every member of his party felt appreciated and thereby avoiding some of the pitfalls which befell the UUP when they traversed similar ground.
The boo boys and girls here have been Gerry Adams, Caitriona Ruane and Jim Allister. The barbs against the UUP have been delivered more in mock sorrow than in anger.
In the absence of Sammy Wilson, the best one liners have come from the Leader and Deputy Leader. Nigel Dodds reckons the Executive deadlock pits "Gerry versus the Pacemakers". Peter Robinson says republicans protesting against tomorrow's Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔcoming Parade will get the chance to "see what a real army looks like". And on the topic of Sammy, the First Minister claims he turned down his Environment Minister's suggestion that the Environment and Heritage Service new logo should be a JCB. That was a joke, wasn't it?
I'm 
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