I see Nicholas Whyte has a piece on Slugger O’Toole., the website which is a partner of Stratagem, which advises Rowntree which has given the Alliance Party £98,000 since 2007.
Mr Whyte is a former advisor to David Ford MLA, current leader of the Alliance Party (funded £98,000 since 2007 by Rowntree). Rowntree are advised by Stratagem, which is a partner of Slugger O’Toole.
Mr Whyte is currently based in Belgium.
EDITORS NOTE: In fairness to Nicholas Whyte, I should draw attention to his comments below. He states that he was in fact a paid researcher at the Alliance Party when David Ford was General Secretary.
My academic discipline is History (as well as Politics) and the important thing for all students of History is…….source. Who is saying this and why? Now in fairness to Nicholas Whyte, my headline on “almost interesting piece” is a reflection on me rather than him. It is a bit…….academic.
But on other sites, I have often observed that not enough attention is paid to the (usually journalistic) source of a story. Indeed I have usually been told its irrelevant……..and I find that a naive stance.
Dear FJH,
I don’t think it is really accurate to describe me as a former adviser of David Ford’s. I have often given him advice, as I have done for many others, solicited or not, but I have never been employed by him in an advisory capacity. (I was paid by the Alliance Party as a researcher for a few months in 1996 at a time when he was General Secretary and before he was an MLA, but it is a stretch to describe me as a former adviser to DF on that basis.) If I may become an adviser to Fitzjameshorse for a moment, I would advise you to be more accurate in your innuendo.
It’s true that I am based in Belgium. So what? It’s terribly brave of you to make statements about me from behind the cloak of a pseudonym.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Whyte
I think it is entirely accurate to describe you as a former advisor to David Ford. As you yourself state you were an Alliance “reseracher”. Am I also right in saying an Alliance candidate? I think it splits hairs to suggest otherwise. I am not sure where you get the notion that there is innuendo involved. What could possibly be the harm in being paid by the Alliance Party? Is there a problem with pointing it out?
Belgium? Well nice place. Been there myself. And no harm in having an academic interest in the place where I live. Indeed I encourage it.
Dear FJH,
I am glad that you found my piece almost interesting.
But you are not really correct to describe me as a “former advisor to David Ford MLA”. I have on occasion given him advice, as I have done for many others, but I have never been employed by him as an adviser. I did work as a paid (and rather junior) researcher for the Alliance Party for a few months in 1996 when David Ford was General Secretary, before he became an MLA, which is not exactly playing Peter Mandelson to David Ford’s Tony Blair, as a careless reader might interpret your description!
I will give you some advice (and I promise never to give you any more; perhaps this will make me a “former adviser to FJH”). If you are casting innuendoes from behind the cloak of a pseudonym, I advise you to be sure to get your facts straight.
Yes, I do live in Belgium. So what?
Sincerely,
Nicholas Whyte
Well it would be unfortunate if a careless reader of Slugger O’Toole did not know of your (former?) political connexions.
Dear FJH,
I can’t speak to the accuracy of your other statements here, but I have never been an official advisor to David Ford. I was a paid (and junior) researcher for the Alliance Party for a few months in 1996, when he was General Secretary, but this does not exactly make me Mandelson to his Blair. I have of course given him advice on occasion, as I have for many other people.
If I may advise you (and I promise not to do this again, thus making me a “former advisor to Fitzjameshorse”): check your facts before casting innuendoes, especially from the convenient shade of a pseudonym.
Yes, I do live in Belgium. So what?
Sincerely,
Nicholas Whyte
My apologies for the double post.
No problem. I didnt delete either because I have never deleted any comment except of course obvious commercial spam.
He’s not really accurate in suggesting Slugger’s a partner of Stratagem (Slugger Awards, yes and for other things too), nor in calling the Joseph Rowntree Foundation the James Rowntree Trust, but then I don’t think we’re supposed to take Fitzy and his ‘discipline’ seriously. Right FJH?
Mr Fealty has a tendency to call me “Fitzy” when he is in “disapproving” mode.
Assuredly he is also in hair splitting mode.
I treat him with the same degree of seriousness as he treats me.
Long may it continue.
Au Contraire Monsieur Fitz. I take instruction directly from the horse’s mouth. YOU say YOU should not be taken seriously, and I merely concur.
Well like I say polite people cant help being polite.
Its the way we were brought up.
Ignorant people cant help it either.
Its the way you were brought up.
It’s been said before, but far far better than I ever could… 1 Corinthians 15:33