Waiting for the Walker apology

Political bloggers are, by definition, also polemicists; they are expressing opinions either pro or contra and there is nothing whatsover stopping them expressing those opinions without any kind of evidential back-up. Actually, no.
There are two things preventing them from just putting down any old nonsense they want to.

First, of all, we have the small question of libel which applies just as much to what is written down in blogs as it does to the MSM. Secondly, for political opinion to have any chance of influencing those open to be influenced, you need convincing arguments and arguments to be convincing need some kind of readily accessible foundation in fact; the liberal use of links to back-up source material is the best way to achieve this. It’s not rocket science but it’s that second principle which differentiates the Angry Teenager, half-cut on a can of Woodpecker, spilling out their incoherent rants from the safety of their bedroom and the kind of quasi-professionals sharing with us their well-constructed and researched posts on mega-sites such as Slugger. Well, yes.

Not surprisingly, considering Brian Walker’s not very well-researched or -constructed opinion was directly contradicted by the facts (as supplied by someone who was actually at the meeting in question), he got destroyed in the ensuing comments. Walker then went on to commit another cardinal sin of omission: to be considered a credible political blogger, once you’ve clearly made a mistake, admit it, update your post and only then, move on.

The ex-BBC political correspondent's refusal to do so has, I guess, resulted in this reply to Walker’s direct accusation of sectarianism from Sir Reg Empey:

Brian Walker’s piece yesterday was clearly written with the aim of tarring me as a bigot. The headline at least suggests that in the past week I have in a sectarian, Machiavellian and calculating manner moved to purge from the Conservative and Unionist Westminster campaign all Catholic candidates. That is offensive and totally inaccurate.

That three Conservative Party candidates have decided to withdraw from the process is regrettable. All three are extremely capable individuals who would have added much to the partnership between our parties and to the political life of Northern Ireland. However what has happened is an internal matter for the Conservative Party, and it is not me to comment. Whether that washes with Brian Walker or not, that is the situation as it stands. Until final candidates are selected they have their processes and we have ours.

My own Party is continuing through its selection process, which we hope will be completed shortly. Some constituencies have completed their process, and others are very close to doing so. I am aware of all or nearly all of the names involved and look forward to seeing the final slate of UUP candidates. I do not care what the religious background of these people is. The religious background of UUP candidates does not interest me. Their sexual orientation does not concern me, nor their race and I am on record strongly urging more women candidates.

I care that all UUP candidates are Unionists. I care that they are committed to a shared future, to delivering national politics to Northern Ireland and I care that they are talented and capable of winning elections and holding office. I wish to see, and am actively working for, a brand of unionism that encompasses the entire community in Northern Ireland, irrespective of religious background. Together with the Conservative Party we are committed to identifying individuals who have all these qualities, and who will help bring national politics to Northern Ireland.

I have not sacrificed anyone for anything, never mind two Conservative Party candidates on account of their religion, and now that those individuals have resigned I neither know nor care what the religion of their eventual replacements will be. I am not prepared to stand by and let those who should know better portray me as something that I am not. I repeat that it is regrettable that these events have taken place, but to suggest that I either wanted or planned for it to happen is fantasy. My focus remains on keeping devolution going, and making sure that Northern Ireland moves forward.

Walker as a blogger who presumably wants to be taken seriously, never mind as an alleged professional journalist, should be now composing a retraction of his earlier offensive and infactual work and thanking his lucky stars that it is probably only a respect for the sterling and important work done by Mick Fealty and Co on Slugger that has prevented a more serious course of action being taken in this instance.

Update

In the interest of transparency, both McCann and Ms Davidson today have said the alleged UUP-DUP-Conservative pact was a factor in their decision, thus, to an extent, contradicting the Parsley post I linked into. Their bigger problem seems to have been the delay over the selection process and no accusations, a la Walker, have been made of any sectarianism on Sir Reg's part.