Editorial: The government is axing important infrastructure across the UK yet seemingly wants to press on with over-priced Casement stadium
News Letter editorial on Thursday August 1 2024:
Stonehenge is one of the most magnificent historical sites on these islands – indeed, in the world.
Dating back 5,000 years, it is a precious monument of standing stones that entrances visitors from around the world, particularly at the solstices. Yet it is near to a congested road, the A303.
For decades there have been plans to take such traffic away from such a stunning structure, including latterly a road tunnel plan that was agreed by the last government. Now the new Labour government, which wants to show fiscal restraint, has cancelled the scheme. Wilthshire Council is “dismayed”.
The UK’s financial situation is so poor that infrastructure schemes across the UK are being axed. Yet The Times reports that Sir Keir Starmer is edging towards building a gaelic stadium in west Belfast, as demanded by Sinn Fein. Apparently the prime minister has told Uefa that he is keen to complete it. This is what Sue Gray, his chief of staff, is reported to have been urging. She is also keen on civic assemblies to look at things such as devolution, another SF demand.
The News Letter would be delighted to see the Euros hosted in Northern Ireland. It is appalling that the national football stadium, in the country of George Best and Pat Jennings, has such a paltry capacity it is not good enough for such an occasion.
The Casement stadium has ballooned in cost under the oversight of the GAA. Yet that sporting organisation has not even offered to pay more to deliver it. Maybe London thinks that a sudden announcement that the gaelic sporting group will delve a little deeper in its pockets will make a blank cheque from the Treasury OK.
It won’t. It would, instead, show again that there is always special treatment for nationalists, just after they rallied to make clear that dangerous, partial, triumphalist, conduct by a PSNI officer while driving to celebrate a GAA win must not be met with any penalty.