There was more glorious sunny weather in Belfast for much of this week, such as on Thursday and Friday, and all happening when it is bright now until 530pm. The clear skies meant it was cold. Things are less bright when it comes to the legacy of terrorism and the outrage over the Clonoe legal ruling against the SAS for stopping a heavily armed IRA gang. I write that this latest appalling ruling from a Northern Ireland court, which is being seized upon by republican supporters of violence, would only be tolerated in Britain. Given that the tables will never turn against the biggest killers of the Troubles, the IRA, the best you can hope for is that the deluge the anti UK state findings are tempered, as in this case in which the police ombudsman has been 'slapped down', say unionists. But then as we point out the ombudsman is back in post with no information about probe into an incident said to be at her home in which police were reportedly denied entry. In other opinion, the Tory shadow spokesman Alex Burghart writes here challenging the Labour government to implement the Safeguarding the Union deal. In this story our political editor David Thompson reports that the committee that botched the grilling of Michelle O'Neill has had training on effective questioning. Meanwhile, Jackie McGregor reflects on Valentine's Day, which is pending. Enjoy your weekend, and your reading. Ben |