Sandra Chapman: Whatever this new year brings politics is still at the heart of it

Change is a great word, you see. Without change life can get boring so it’s useful to spend the winter persuading yourself that life is too short to keep doing the same things. Now I don’t mean re-decorating the kitchen, re-carpeting the family room which sorely needs it now that a dog rules the roost or moving the tubs filled with plants to different places in the garden in preparation for the new season.

Keep the back breaking work for the better weather. Change needs thought and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. Let’ face it, we have a new bunch at Stormont and I’ve read the newspaper headlines about how they’re settling in. And I can’t believe what I’m reading.

One headline (Daily Telegraph) was quoting Sinn Fein who now must think they are on an upward trek politically. Do they really believe `we must talk to Hamas to have peace’? This was from our new First Minister Michelle O’Neill who was being interviewed by Andrew Marr and at one point in the interview declared Gaza as a `graveyard for children’. Maybe they would be better sticking to local politics. We have a number of children of the Troubles era in graves here who should be still alive and well, maybe even with families of their own by now.

I couldn’t help thinking of all those children who died during our own Troubles over the decades and wondered had Ms O’Neill forgotten them. Besides would Hamas have any interest in what’s happening here? Do they even know where Northern Ireland is? Just occasionally politicians get ahead of themselves.

Ms O’Neill had been making her first visit to the UK as First Minister. She talked about the importance of dialogue and suggested to the interviewer that `it is the only way you’re going to ever bring an end to conflict’. Ah, sure we knew that decades ago but Republicans weren’t listening then. Were they more interested in what was going on in the Middle East?

The newspaper in the same article also had words from Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald who `expects a poll on reunification here by 2030’. Well, they can but dream. Mary Lou may be Taoiseach one day – some think it could be as soon as after the next election – but a lot of water has to flow under the bridge before then, if ever.

Politics here, north and south, are far from being straight forward. Two dedicated united Irish politicians have acquired powers we should be wary of. Ah but they are just women, some might say. But that may be all the more reason why we should sit up and take notice.

The Irish problem goes back a long way. My mother was a small girl when she lost her big brother James who was in what eventually became known as the B Specials. They knew his route home when he was on duty. One night he didn’t make it home. Families suffered then and are still suffering. My grandmother never really recovered from the loss of her son. There are many grandparents still alive today who live with the grief of our more recent troubles. Ms O’Neill is quoted as believing `today we are enjoying a peaceful and far more equal society’. We should hold her to that.

Royals are taking up the mantra of work as never before

Life can’t be easy for the leading Royal women today. The King’s serious illness - he is being treated for cancer – must be giving Queen Camilla, also known as Queen Consort, sleepless nights and yet there are many public duties for her to attend to without the support of her husband.

This week she was installed as an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers at Clarence House one of the 233 engagements she has been involved in during the last year. She still manages to smile through it all.

Prince William’s wife Kate, Princess of Wales has had to give up her duties until Easter after a 2-wk spell in hospital and it is expected that the Queen Camilla may fill in some of those.

Meanwhile that other Royal, the Duchess of Sussex, Megan wife of Prince Harry is heavily involved with the Sussex’s new website which it is said is to `streamline the Sussexes’ communication with the public. One can only suppose that privacy has little or no place in such a venture. Information for the public after all, is exactly that. This Royal couple can’t complain if they feel they’ve lost privacy.

Meanwhile back at the ranch – or whatever Royal residence Prince Andrew has set up home in after his public disgrace, - there is news that his wife Sarah is pulling out all the stops to get their relationship going again. Despite Prince Andrew’s fall from grace he is expected to return to some form of Royal duty now that there is scarcely enough of them to carry out all the public duties.

One thing about the British people, they are very forgiving towards Royals who step out of line.

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