Splintering at both ends

The mortar attack in Craigavon and the recovery of a viable bomb that didn't go off in Newtonstewart are both pretty worrying. As we know, some extremist Republicans disagree with the Provos' decision to disarm and are intent on showing us "they haven't gone away, you know".

 

This splintering may be at the opposite end of the political spectrum from the DUP, but Paisley's right wing is equally showing its muscle these days, albeit in the rather less-than-frightening form of Willie McCrea and Nigel Dodds.

 

Annoying though saying 'no' parrot-fashion may be, it's in a different league from killing which deserves to be condemned roundly.

 

The biggest political headache over the next six months is going to be 'splinter management', or how Sinn Féin and the DUP can respectively manage their support bases at the same time as meeting each other in the middle.