NEWS

Tuesday 29 September 2026 Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has called on Sinn Féin to replace Deirdre Hargey on the Northern Ireland Policing Board while the investigation into events on the Garvaghy Road, and any resulting proceedings, remain ongoing. He has written to the Board’s chair seeking an urgent decision before Thursday’s meeting, arguing that a member involved in events under investigation should not scrutinise the officers responsible for policing them. Th

(L-R) Antrim and Newtownabbey Sinn Féin councillors Taylor McGrann, Maighréad Ní Chonghaile, and Eamonn McLaughlin. Tuesday 29 September 2026 Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has voted to refer three Sinn Féin councillors to a standards watchdog over allegations relating to their presence near a protest at Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The proposal passed by 20 votes to seven, with seven abstentions, at a full council meeting in Mossley Mill on Monday evening, 28 Septemb

Stormont Parliament Buildings and (inset) Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows Tuesday 29 September 2026 Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has called on Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant to extend Thursday’s deadline for the Executive to agree a three-year budget, arguing that recent political tensions have made agreement within the current timeframe unlikely. Mr Burrows confirmed on Monday that he had written directly to the Secretary of State seeking wh

Stormont Parliament Buildings and (inset) TUV Party Leader & North Antrim MP Jim Allister, and the party’s North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston Monday 28 September 2026 The TUV has called for the DUP to bring down Northern Ireland’s power-sharing institutions unless the Orange Order parade along the Garvaghy Road is allowed to proceed, as the political fallout from Sunday’s blockade moved directly into the Assembly chamber. TUV leader Jim Allister MP and North Antrim MLA Timothy G

Speaking at Saturday’s UUP conference, Elizabeth Clarke MBE Sunday 27 September 2026 Working families should not be left to absorb the cost when childcare, housing, education, transport and other public services fail to deliver, Ulster Unionist candidate Elizabeth Clarke MBE has told her party’s annual conference. Clarke, who is standing as a second UUP candidate in South Antrim alongside MLA Steve Aiken, used her speech at Saturday’s conference to argue that pressures often

Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows speaking on Saturday at the party’s annual conference Saturday 26 September 2026 Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has declared his party “ready to lead” as he used his first annual conference speech as leader to set out a broader plan for rebuilding unionism — and a policy programme centred on children, families, housing, infrastructure and reform of government. Addressing delegates on

Health Minister Robbie Butler Speaking at today’s Ulster Unionist Party conference Saturday 26 September 2026 Health Minister Robbie Butler has signalled that an expansion of Northern Ireland’s life-saving thrombectomy service is moving closer, telling the Ulster Unionist Party conference that the case for providing the specialist stroke treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week “has been made”. Mr Butler, who took over the Department of Health just over five weeks ago, als

South Antrim MP Robin Swann speaking at today’s UUP annual conference Saturday 26 September 2026 Robin Swann has said the arrival of a new Prime Minister could create an opportunity to secure Westminster backing for the proposed £300 million to £500 million reopening of the Knockmore railway line through South Antrim. The South Antrim MP used his address to today’s Ulster Unionist Party annual conference to put infrastructure investment alongside changes to Troubles legislati

South Antrim SDLP candidate Linzi McLaren (right), pictured with SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP (centre), and Cara Hunter MLA Wednesday 23 September 2026 Former Ulster Unionist councillor and former police officer Linzi McLaren has been selected by the SDLP to contest South Antrim in next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, marking a significant change of political direction less than a year after she left the UUP. McLaren, who is from Antrim and grew up in the constituen

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill MLA and Declan Kearney MLA Tuesday 22 September 2026 Sinn Féin has selected Declan Kearney to contest South Antrim in next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, with the sitting MLA seeking to retain the seat he has held since 2016. Kearney’s candidacy was announced at a party selection event at the Dunsilly Hotel in Antrim on Tuesday evening, as Sinn Féin begins preparing for the combined Assembly and council elections on 6 May

Sitting Sinn Féin North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan with the party’s deputy Dáil leader and finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty TDPearse Doherty TD. Friday 18 September 2026 Sinn Féin has selected sitting MLA Philip McGuigan to contest the 2027 Northern Ireland Assembly election in North Antrim, as parties begin preparing for voters to go to the polls next May. McGuigan, who currently chairs Stormont’s Health Committee, confirmed his candidacy at a party event in the Marine H

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows is pressing Justice Minister Naomi Long for answers over the release of at large prisoner Gary Anderson (centre) Police are continuing to seek convicted murderer Gary Anderson as political pressure grows for a full explanation of how he came to be temporarily released from prison despite the Prison Service having initially decided he was unsuitable for compassionate temporary release. Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has de

Ulster Unionist East Antrim MLA John Stewart Ulster Unionist MLA John Stewart has accused First Minister Michelle O’Neill of engaging in “smoke and mirrors” as she joins nationalist leaders from Wales, Scotland and Ireland in Cardiff today for talks focused on greater co-operation and constitutional change. Speaking on Sunday (August 13), the East Antrim MLA said any declaration agreed by Sinn Féin, the SNP and Plaid Cymru could not be made on behalf of Northern Ireland or it

Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows Unionism must confront its past mistakes and give people practical reasons to support Northern Ireland remaining within the United Kingdom rather than relying on traditional identity and inherited allegiance, UUP leader Jon Burrows has argued. The North Antrim MLA has set out a striking assessment of the challenges facing unionism, acknowledging previous strategic failures while warning that constantly portraying Northern Ireland as ne

Belfast City Hall A debate intended to highlight the persecution and killing of Christians around the world descended into a bitter political clash at Belfast City Hall this week, as councillors traded accusations over Northern Ireland’s own troubled past. A DUP motion focused specifically on the persecution of Christians — including thousands of reported killings in Nigeria — was ultimately replaced by a Sinn Féin amendment broadening Belfast City Council’s position to conde

Dr Kathryn Owen with Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA A former DUP councillor has been selected to contest Belfast South and Mid Down for the Ulster Unionist Party in next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election. Dr Kathryn Owen, a former RAF medic and healthcare professional, will stand for the UUP in the constituency after previously serving in local government as a DUP representative. The selection represents a notable political switch ahead of the election,

General and colorectal surgeon Damian McKay, NI representative for the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) Monday 24 August 2026 A leading Northern Ireland surgeon has warned that prolonged delay over the future of emergency general surgery at Causeway Hospital would place already stretched clinical teams under increasing pressure — as he revealed that he and colleagues sought the intervention of three major surgical associations following even

Causeway Hospital, and (inset) newly appointed Health Minister Robbie Butler Robbie Butler has been confirmed as Northern Ireland’s new Health Minister, taking charge of a health and social care system facing severe waiting-list pressures and major decisions over the future of hospital services. Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows announced the nomination on Thursday, less than two days after Mike Nesbitt resigned amid a political dispute over emergency general surgery a

Ulster Unionist Party MLA Robbie Butler Ulster Unionist Party MLA Robbie Butler is set to be confirmed as Northern Ireland’s new Health Minister, taking over one of Stormont’s most demanding roles following Mike Nesbitt’s resignation. The Lagan Valley representative will inherit responsibility for a health service facing severe waiting-list pressures, difficulties accessing primary care and continuing controversy over the future configuration of hospital services. Among his m

Causeway Hospital, Coleraine The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has stood by its proposal to centralise emergency general surgery at Antrim Area Hospital, warning that the current two-hospital model is becoming “increasingly unsustainable”. Its intervention follows Mike Nesbitt’s resignation as Health Minister after a political dispute with Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows over the proposed removal of emergency general surgery from Causeway Hospital in Colerain