I have no interest in politics, but I do come from Belfast and I do keep an eye on what is happening in Northern Ireland. Peter Robinson, First Minister, is under scrutiny over something his wife, also an MP, did. It was foolish, wrongheaded and certainly a very big mistake on her part. But today, it is her husband who is threatened with loss of career and position. Of course there are a lot of questions to answer and I am sure he will answer them.
BBC news tells us "He has come out fighting" and good for him, I say. Now you may be wondering why a Catholic, brought up in a largely Republican area, would be supporting a politician from across the religious and political divide. Well, here is why.
Many years ago, when the Troubles were still a part of everyday life, my mother needed help with a housing matter, in fact, she needed a house! As urban redevelopment in the 1980s brought better housing and conditions, a little Catholic widow, living alone was far down the pecking order, despite suffering many illnesses. She decided to see her MP, who, at the time, was Peter Robinson.
She had many reservations, given where she lived and her religious beliefs. She visited Peter Robinson in his constituency office and voiced her reservations, along with her needs. His response tells me he is a man of his word and his integrity cannot be questioned. He replied that he didn't care what religion she was, or what politics she favoured, but because he was her MP, he would do all in his power to help, because that was his job. And you know what? He did just that, and my mother was allocated a house within weeks, after waiting over two years.
All I can do is relate this to the character of the man today, and offer support for him. I hope others do the same and that hypocritical hounding does not get in the way of a fair hearing. He is a man of his word. Support him. I have started a group on Facebook, where I am Annie Moore. Should you wish to join the group, please go there and do so.
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Please note that the comments regardning Mrs. Iris Robinson were not meant to hurt or upset, but merely included to clarify the situation that Peter Robinson finds himself in. We are all human, we all make mistakes, but not all of us are asked to pay in such a public and ungracious way.
ReplyDeleteI fully support Peter Robinson
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I have no knowledge of Mr or Mrs Robinson or their troubles. It's a story that's passed me by. I just want to register my protest at how your mother had to go and complain to an MP in the first place, and then got fair treatment.
ReplyDeleteWhat about all the people who didn't go and complain to their MP? Did they remain languishing at the bottom of the list, pushed even further down by those who did? Note I don't blame your mother in the least, I'm very glad she got what she needed, but that doesn't reassure me about the fairness of the system.