A "lurker" asked for my comments on the current political situation in Northern Ireland this week and below is my response.

The politics in Northern Ireland are not like the rest of the UK and never will be.

As a society Northern Ireland have long historical memories, invariably not shared between the two main communities. This is most marked in the 'Marching Season' each July, when a few marches cause tension and disorder - mainly in Belfast along the "confrontation" line. Politics is also very partisan and with a few known public exceptions splits along religious lines.

One of the weaknesses of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) is that power-sharing has steadily reduced the role and strength of the "moderate" middle. Before the GFA, let alone back in 1969 when 'The Troubles' re-started, few thought the Provisional Sinn Fein (PSF is the political arm of the Provisional IRA) would share government with Rev. Ian Paisley and the DUP.

The GFA stipulates "power sharing" and with a few short exceptions has been pursued by the UK government (plus the Irish Republic). There is ample evidence, including polling data, that the overwhelming majority of the population in Northern Ireland want peace. I am less sure that "power-sharing" is seen as the only way ahead.

A new younger generation are being attracted to the Republican cause, without any experience or understanding of the GFA and there is a small hard core of militants who have rejected peace.

The latest two murders between feuding PIRA personalities reflect their recent memories, that recourse to murder is considered to be OK, even without risk from the state and quite possibly with a strong assumption that the public would not see anything.

Was the motivation personal, political or criminal? A mixture I suspect.

These murders appear to have broken the Unionist concensus that "power sharing" was acceptable to them and their voters. Recent events I expect have eroded patience and have led to a stronger personal and public stance that "enough was enough".

The Unionists have argued that too many concessions have been made to PSF & PIRA, such as the "Comfort Letters", the Saville Enquiry and London's apparent agreement to review deaths at the hands of the security forces.

Here in the rest of the UK there is little sympathy, let aone understanding of what is going on. This has not been helped by the reluctance of the UK media to report regularly on the scale even if small of political violence in Northern Ireland, reportedly with the government's encouragement.

National governments of all colours do not want a return to violence, nor the reappearance of the military on the streets - except for specialists, for e.g. EOD and I think helicopters. Hence IMHO the crazy police 'mutual aid' from the mainland to the PSNI during 'The Marching Season'.