NEWS

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street. (Picture by Alecsandra Dragoi / No 10 Downing Street) Northern Ireland’s entire Executive has united to demand an urgent meeting with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, warning that mounting financial pressures are threatening the ability of departments to plan and deliver public services. In a joint intervention signed by all Executive Ministers, Stormont leaders argue Northern Ireland is not being funded on a comparable bas

Aldi has hundreds of supermarkets across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, yet Northern Ireland remains a conspicuous gap in its network — and a new competition ruling involving both Aldi and Lidl has put the reasons for that absence back under the spotlight. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that Aldi, Lidl Great Britain and Lidl Northern Ireland should be brought under rules designed to prevent major supermarket chains using land

Immigration officers have carried out more than 100 visits targeting suspected illegal working across Northern Ireland in the first half of 2026, resulting in 123 arrests as enforcement activity reaches record levels. New Home Office figures show released today, Friday, August 6, Northern Ireland Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) teams carried out 103 visits across Northern Ireland during the first six months of the year — a 43% increase — while arrests rose by 16%

A new once-daily tablet that could improve the lives of people living with a serious inherited heart condition is being considered for use in Northern Ireland after receiving approval for NHS patients in England. Aficamten, marketed as MYQORZO, has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and simultaneously recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic c

Ulster Unionist MLA Dr Steve Aiken The Windsor Framework continues to present practical challenges for consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland, according to Ulster Unionist MLA Dr Steve Aiken, who has highlighted a series of unresolved issues ranging from online shopping charges to steel imports and VAT on household energy. Speaking after a meeting of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee on Thursday (23 July), Dr Aiken said members examined several emergin

South Antrim MP Robin Swann South Antrim MP Robin Swann has renewed calls for a reduced rate of VAT for Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector after the UK Government announced fresh business rates relief for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England. The Ulster Unionist MP said the new measures for England highlight the need for similar support tailored to Northern Ireland, arguing local businesses continue to face rising costs while competing with significantly lower hosp

UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham Northern Ireland politicians have urged the UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to ensure his promises of change deliver tangible benefits for people across the region, with the cost of living, trade and the future of the Union among the issues they want addressed. The calls came as the Prime Minister began his first full day in office by speaking with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, signalling a commitment to work

Inset: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Households in Northern Ireland are set to receive financial support with electricity costs this winter after the UK Government announced plans to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills across Great Britain from 1 October. Because of post-Brexit VAT arrangements, the tax change cannot automatically apply in Northern Ireland, meaning the Northern Ireland Executive will instead receive comparable funding to ensure local households benefi

Millions of people using Buy Now, Pay Later services such as Klarna, PayPal and Clearpay are covered by new consumer protection rules from today (Wednesday 15 July), bringing the products into line with other forms of regulated credit for the first time. The changes mean shoppers will benefit from stronger legal rights if something goes wrong with a purchase, while lenders must now carry out affordability checks before offering Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) credit. The reforms af

Households across Northern Ireland who rely on home heating oil could benefit from stronger consumer protections after the UK’s competition watchdog called for new regulations to better safeguard customers during periods of price volatility. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recommended that the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive introduce a new regulatory framework for the heating oil sector, arguing that the current system leaves around 1.5 million U

Families looking to keep the cost of the school holidays down can now search for free children’s meals, discounted attractions and cheaper activities close to home. Offers already available in Northern Ireland include kids eating free at YO! Belfast, reduced admission and children’s meals at The Ark Open Farm, and discounts on food and trampoline sessions at Airtastic. A new postcode-search website brings the participating deals together, allowing parents to see what is avail

North Antrim MP Jim Allister, and inset, former Lagan Valley MP, Jeffrey Donaldson Questions have been raised over payments totalling almost £12,000 made by the Ministry of Defence to former Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson while he was serving as a sitting Member of Parliament. The issue has been brought into the spotlight by North Antrim MP and TUV leader Jim Allister, who said the payments were made for consultancy work connected to peace efforts in Cameroon at a time whe

Political fallout intensified across unionism on Friday night after a special edition of BBC Spotlight examining the double life of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson prompted renewed scrutiny over what was known, when it was known, and who, if anyone, failed to act. The programme, presented by investigative journalist Mandy McAuley and titled Politician, Predator and Paedophile, examined how one of the most powerful figures in modern Northern Ireland politics was able to ri

People living with obesity in Northern Ireland will soon be able to refer themselves directly into NHS weight management services without needing to wait for a GP appointment, under a major new UK-wide programme backed by £85 million in government and industry funding. The move forms part of a series of pioneering projects designed to transform how obesity care is delivered across the UK, using technology, digital services and community-based support to make help easier and f

Ten years after the Brexit referendum reshaped British politics, Northern Ireland remains deeply divided over whether the historic vote has ever truly been delivered. Marking the 10th anniversary of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) and Alliance Party have set out starkly different visions for Northern Ireland’s future, highlighting how Brexit continues to define political debate across the region. While the TUV argues Brexit rema

UUP Party Leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows, and (inset) convicted former MP and DUP Party Leader Jeffrey Donaldson. Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has called for sweeping changes to parliamentary pension rules, arguing it is “absolutely reprehensible” that former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson remains entitled to a taxpayer-funded parliamentary pension following his conviction for sexual offences against children. The intervention comes in the aftermath of Dona

The UK Government has announced a £4 million emergency funding package for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) following last week’s widespread public disorder and “racially motivated violence” that left communities shaken and placed significant pressure on policing resources. The intervention comes after several days of unrest which followed the serious knife attack in north Belfast and led to violent incidents across Northern Ireland, including attacks targeting e

More than 200 hospitality and food service businesses have closed across Northern Ireland since the beginning of the year, industry leaders have claimed, as support grows for a proposal to cut VAT to 10 per cent in a bid to protect jobs and struggling local firms. The Northern Ireland Food to Go Association (NIFTGA) has publicly backed South Antrim MP Robin Swann’s call for a Northern Ireland hospitality VAT pilot, arguing that businesses are facing unprecedented financial pr

South Antrim MP Robin Swann South Antrim MP Robin Swann is calling for a major tax intervention that he says could help struggling hospitality businesses survive mounting financial pressures, safeguard jobs and breathe new life into town centres across Northern Ireland. The Ulster Unionist MP has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons urging the Treasury to introduce a pilot scheme that would reduce VAT on hospitality services in Northern Ireland from the cu

Children across the UK will be banned from using major social media platforms under landmark government plans designed to “give kids their childhood back”, in what ministers are describing as the most far-reaching package of online protections introduced anywhere in the world. The proposed measures would prevent under-16s from accessing platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube, while also introducing sweeping restrictions on harmful online feat