Politics in the Islands: Rathlin Island
Post categories: The Islands
|16:15 UK time, Wednesday, 13 April 2011
I am spending the week island hopping. With elections just weeks away in the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland and Welsh Assemblies, what does devolution mean to people who feel detached from Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff?
On Monday I was in the Shetland Islands, today I am on Rathlin Island off the coast of Northern Ireland.
The Crossing
It is the only inhabited island off Northern Ireland, around six miles off the coast of County Antrim. There is a small ferry across from the mainland, which takes around 30-40 minutes.
By the time I arrived here, I was in no mood to eat anything. I felt decidedly peeky.
Local Politics
Politically, Rathlin Island is fascinating. This is Richard Green. Along with other islanders he became frustrated that politicians on the mainland didn't really see Rathlin Island as any different from anywhere else in Northern Ireland, even if any map could tell them different.
So he helped negotiate the Rathlin Island Development Policy. It's a form of devolution within devolution - where islanders have a significant say over how they are governed, and a minister in Belfast is assigned to come to visit them regularly.
Election Day
It is election day in Rathlin Island. The committee which negotiates policies with the Northern Ireland Executive is being elected by fellow islanders.
A Small Island
Rathlin Island is sufficiently small you can spot road signs that don't need to measure distances in miles. It is an L shaped island, that is six miles across, four miles long and no more than two miles in width.
You can tune into 5 live Drive and Up All Night to find out. I'll also be posting some photos of my travels on the 5 live blog. Plus, you can also follow my trip on Twitter: @chrismasonbbc
Chris Mason is 5 live's political reporter.
Comment number 1.
At 20:48 13th Apr 2011, dennisjunior1 wrote:Chris,
Hopefully, that the journey across the Isolated regions will be good news...for the political processes.
(NB: I am not a political operative)
-Dennis-
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)