NEWS

Wrightbus manufacturing facility in Ballymena A major boost for Ballymena’s manufacturing sector has been announced after global bus maker Wrightbus was ranked the number one supplier on a key UK public sector procurement platform. The recognition places the Ballymena-based company at the top of the list for operators and local authorities purchasing buses and coaches with 36 seats and above, reinforcing its growing reputation as a leader in both zero-emission and traditional

Health officials have reassured the public in Northern Ireland there is no increased risk from a meningitis outbreak in South East England — but are urging people to stay alert to the warning signs of the potentially life-threatening illness. The Public Health Agency (PHA) said it is closely monitoring the situation, with the UK Health Security Agency leading the response in England. While the outbreak has not impacted Northern Ireland, experts stress that rapid recognition

North Antrim MP Jim Allister, speaking in Parliament A new European court ruling on gender recognition has sparked fresh constitutional concerns in Northern Ireland, with TUV leader Jim Allister  warning it could override a landmark UK Supreme Court decision. The North Antrim MP has raised urgent questions with the UK Government after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of a transgender woman in the so-called Shipova case—potentially setting up a legal clash with do

Families across Northern Ireland are set to receive a share of a new £50 million support package aimed at helping households struggling with soaring heating oil prices. The UK Government has confirmed that £17 million will be allocated to Northern Ireland, where reliance on heating oil is significantly higher than in other parts of the UK, leaving many families exposed to sudden price spikes. The announcement comes as kerosene — the fuel used in most home heating oil systems

(L-R) Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus; Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; John McLeister, Wrightbus Sales Managing Director for UK and Ireland Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed a new order for 55 electric buses from Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, reinforcing confidence in UK manufacturing and strengthening the region’s growing zero-emission transport network. The announcement came during a visit to the company’s headquarters and

(L-R) Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA, John Stewart MLA, Jon Burrows MLA, Prime Minister KeirStarmer, Secretary of State Hillary Benn MP and Chief Executive Jayne Murray. Ulster Unionist Party leaders have pressed Prime Minister Keir Starmer to deliver targeted support for households reliant on heating oil and increase defence investment in Northern Ireland during what they described as a “frank and constructive” meeting in Belfast. Party leader Jon Burrows MLA met the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Families across Northern Ireland who rely on heating oil to warm their homes could see stronger protections against price hikes, as the Prime Minister visits Belfast today, Thursday 12 March, to warn companies against profiteering. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is using the visit on Thursday to send what Downing Street describes as a “strong message” to heating oil suppliers that prices must be fair, transparent and justifiable — and not inflate

Businesses across Northern Ireland are being urged to prepare for sweeping changes to the way food, animals and plants move between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the European Union, as negotiations continue on a new UK-EU trade agreement designed to cut red tape and speed up trade. The UK Government says the proposed Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement could make agrifood trade “easier, cheaper and quicker”, potentially transforming supply chains for farmers, r

Channel 4's Location, Location, Location –a property show hosted by experts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer Channel 4’s flagship property show Location, Location, Location is heading back to Northern Ireland — and this time, it’s the house hunters who are being called to step forward. The long-running primetime programme is casting for its 2026 series and is actively looking for individuals, couples and families across Northern Ireland who are ready to buy this May. For anyo

Escalating conflict in the Middle East could yet hit UK drivers where it hurts — at the pump — but any sharp rise in petrol prices is far from guaranteed, according to the RAC . With oil markets reacting to geopolitical uncertainty, motorists are already seeing prices edge upwards. And while the situation remains fluid, the RAC says sustained increases in the oil price would be needed before forecourt costs climb dramatically. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “While t

Pictured 25-year-old Lisa Dorrian who disappeared in February 2005 Nearly 21 years after 25-year-old Lisa Dorrian vanished, detectives have made two further arrests in a case that continues to cast a long shadow across Northern Ireland. Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team, investigating the disappearance and murder of Lisa Dorrian, confirmed that a 42-year-old man was arrested in Scotland earlier today, Wednesday 25 February. He w

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer The Government has announced urgent action to strengthen the Online Safety Act and close legal loopholes that ministers say are putting children at risk, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer  pledging that “no platform gets a free pass” when it comes to online safety. Speaking to parents and young people on Monday 16 February, the Prime Minister will set out new powers designed to ensure the law keeps pace with fast-moving technologies, including

Principal Alastair Beacom, Dunclug Primary School in Ballymena, honoured at Westminster this week for their work in international education - receiving a British Council International School Award, from Colm McGivern, Director of the British Council Northern Ireland At a time when schools across Northern Ireland continue to face mounting financial pressures and concerns that funding is not sufficient to meet the scale of educational challenges, a Ballymena primary school has

The cost of a UK TV licence will increase to £180 a year from 1 April 2026, the Government has confirmed, in line with inflation and the terms of the existing BBC funding settlement. The £5.50 rise – equivalent to an extra 46p a month – follows the methodology set out in the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, which links annual increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) until the end of the current BBC Charter period in 2027. Ministers said the increase is intended to provide the

Robin Swann MP and John Stewart MLA have led a cross-sector delegation to Westminster to warn that proposed changes to UK funding arrangements could place Northern Ireland’s community and voluntary organisations at serious risk. The delegation travelled to London to challenge the planned replacement of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with the new Local Growth Fund, raising concerns that the transition could result in a damaging gap in support for frontline services reli

North Antrim MP Jim Allister North Antrim MP Jim Allister has accused the UK Government of presiding over a “great deception” on the Irish Sea border, telling the House of Commons that promises made two years ago have unravelled into what he described as growing EU control over Northern Ireland. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Tuesday (28 January), the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader marked the second anniversary of assurances from the previous Conservativ

North Antrim MP Jim Allister speaking in the House of Commons, and Wrightbus Ballymena-built Electroliners in service for Translink in Northern Ireland North Antrim MP Jim Allister has called on the UK Government to take decisive action to support the British bus manufacturing industry, warning that current procurement practices risk undermining one of the country’s most strategically important advanced manufacturing sectors. Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesd

TUV Leader, Jim Allister MP signing the Book of Commitment on Holocaust Memorial Day The leader of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), Jim Allister MP , has marked Holocaust Memorial Day by signing the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, reaffirming his party’s commitment to remembrance and to challenging antisemitism in modern society. Speaking after signing the book, Mr Allister reflected on the significance of Holocaust Memorial Day, which commemorates the six

Concerns have been raised at Stormont that no public authority is currently responsible for toy safety in Northern Ireland, leaving a critical gap in oversight for products designed for children. MLAs on the Assembly’s Windsor Framework Committee have warned that they were unable to scrutinise proposed EU toy safety rules after no evidence was provided by the UK Government, Northern Ireland departments or local councils — because none of them hold formal responsibility for th

The Ulster Unionist Party has warned that Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector faces a critical threat following the publication of draft Reval 2026 valuations, with concerns mounting that sharp increases in rateable values could lead to job losses, reduced investment and business closures. Figures released by Land & Property Services (LPS) provide businesses with their first sight of new Net Annual Values (NAVs), which will be used to calculate non-domestic rates from 2026