Tom Kelly: Richard Needham memoir an entertaining portrait of a lucky general Former NIO minister Richard Needham's latest memoir is an entertaining portrait of one of the more colourful politicians sent from London to Belfast - usually the Serbia of British politics - writes Tom Kelly 23 June, 2021 01:00 Richard Needham, pictured on Royal Avenue in 1988 as the CastleCourt development takes shape, left his mark on Belfast. Picture by Pacemaker I remember once driving home when on a pirate radio station, the presenter - a maverick independent councillor named Eugene Markey - said the next song was dedicated to British Minister of State, Richard Needham MP. The song was