{"id":9003,"date":"2023-11-14T10:00:45","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T10:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/qpol.qub.ac.uk\/?p=9003"},"modified":"2023-11-14T10:00:45","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T10:00:45","slug":"suella-bravermans-comments-comparing-gaza-protests-with-northern-ireland-are-a-grave-misunderstanding-of-the-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/qpol\/suella-bravermans-comments-comparing-gaza-protests-with-northern-ireland-are-a-grave-misunderstanding-of-the-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Suella Braverman\u2019s comments comparing Gaza protests with Northern Ireland are a grave misunderstanding of the facts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The aim of Suella Braverman\u2019s controversial Times article<\/a> commenting on the ongoing protests over Gaza seems obvious. As with many of her recent and provocative statements, the assumption is that she is trying to undermine and ultimately replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader by appealing to the party\u2019s right. However, the methods used \u2013 and particularly the comparisons she made between marches in Northern Ireland and demonstrations in London \u2013 are more confusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This confusion is understandable, as Braverman herself seems confused in what she wrote. She linked marches over the Gaza conflict to \u201cthe kind we are more used to seeing in Northern Ireland\u201d. She drew further comparisons when suggesting that some of those organising the London protests \u201chave links to terrorist groups, including Hamas\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the article alone, it was not at all clear which Northern Ireland marches Braverman was referring to. In some ways it read as though she was trying to make a connection between Irish republicanism and support for Hamas. But marching in Northern Ireland is more associated with the unionist community. Even the head of the Orange Order \u2013 responsible for the overwhelming majority of marches in the region \u2013 was concerned enough to suggest that Braverman should clarify<\/a> exactly which groups she was referring to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To continue reading, please click here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Article originally appeared in The Conversation.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The featured image<\/a> has been used courtesy of a Creative Commons license.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Suella Braverman’s decision to draw an analogy with Northern Ireland in her efforts to defend her position was a poor decision says Dr Peter McLoughlin <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2461,"featured_media":9005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[448,1080,619],"class_list":["post-9003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics-and-democracy","tag-gaza","tag-suella-braverman","tag-uk-government"],"mb":[],"acf":{"authors":{"simple_value_formatted":"