The Changing of the Guard
I suppose I could say you heard it here first, but I'm not into that sort of thing... This afternoon the new DUP team appeared before the cameras in the First Minister's Office, but reporters like myself weren't invited in. One can only presume that this was in order to exclude the possibility of questions about Iris Robinson's controversial comments on gays and lesbians.
Climate change sceptic Sammy Wilson will make a colourful choice as Environment Minister. The proud recipient of a "most anti-Green MLA" award, Sammy committed three gaffes in quick succession - he was late for the photocall, his mobile went off continually and he made a joke about banning all traffic cameras (presumably so he could drive to Stormont quicker) which might be considered inadvisable for a minister whose brief now covers road safety.
Gregory Campbell had been rumoured over the weekend to have delayed saying "yes" to Culture. Presumably his enthusiasm for soccer and TV ( he is a Bruce Forsythe aficionado) persuaded him.
The outgoing Culture Minister Edwin Poots went down fighting - telling Barry McElduff that he hadn't been indecisive over the Maze, and accusing other ministers of being "divisive" when they thought they were being "decisive".
The Sinn Fein Culture Committee chair accused the departing minister of displaying bad manners in the way he handled his last question time. The Speaker disagreed. A final sign, perhaps, that Sinn Fein will never forgive the Lagan Valley MLA for torpedoing the Irish Language Act.
I'm 
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