NEWS

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Failures to tell GPs that hospital referrals had been rejected affected 44,657 referrals in Northern Ireland, including 1,423 for suspected cancer and 16,366 classified as urgent, a ministerial letter has revealed. The figures were disclosed to North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew by former Health Minister Mike Nesbitt in correspondence dated 17 August, before his resignation. Mr Nesbitt said the referrals had been received and clinically assessed within

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew speaking at the local business networking event in Ballymena More than 100 representatives from businesses and the wider community gathered in Ballymena on Friday morning for a major networking breakfast bringing local industry together with senior political figures. North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew hosted the Business Networking Breakfast at the Adair Arms Hotel, with DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA

A High Court ruling that the Parades Commission acted unlawfully in its handling of the Drumcree parade has triggered demands for the entire Commission to resign, with political pressure now expected to move to Westminster. Mr Justice McAlinden today quashed the Commission’s determination preventing Portadown District Orange Order from completing its traditional church parade along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The court outcome represents a significant d

County Hall, Ballymena A review of the environmental service that advises councils on major planning applications is being pursued by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council amid concerns over delays, accountability and confidence in Northern Ireland’s planning system. Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has welcomed the move to examine Shared Environmental Services (SES), which is based at County Hall in Ballymena and provides specialist environmental advice to councils as part of the

DUP Agriculture Spokesperson Carla Lockhart MP Serious whistleblowing allegations involving animal welfare, biosecurity and environmental practices at Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) should be subjected to a genuinely independent examination, a DUP MP has said. Upper Bann MP and DUP Agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart has questioned whether investigations into concerns at AFBI’s Hillsborough site can command public confidence when the organis

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Serious questions are being raised over whether opportunities to intervene were missed before two dogs were found dead inside a property in Lurgan. Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has secured an urgent meeting involving police, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Arbour Housing after saying local residents had raised concerns about the Sloanhill Court property before the animals were discovered. A 47-year-old man has been arrest

Pictured: DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart and Ulster Unionist agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler MLA, and the farmers protest earlier this week outside Stormont. Friday 14 August 2026 Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has rejected demands for his resignation and launched an extraordinary attack on the Ulster Farmers’ Union, declaring that its days of “dictating government policy are over”. His defiant response came after the UFU passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Muir,

DUP agriculture spokesperson, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Pressure on DAERA over the controversial destruction of cattle near Fivemiletown has intensified after DUP agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart described the incident as “one of the biggest scandals the department has ever faced”, while calling for a full public inquiry rather than an external review. The Upper Bann MP said confidence in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) had been

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is to establish an independent confidential process for anyone with information or concerns relating to Jeffrey Donaldson’s time in the party to come forward, saying its initial internal review was only “a first step, not the end of the matter”. The move follows Donaldson’s conviction on 18 child sex abuse offences, including rape, and represents the party’s most significant organisational response since the verdicts. Independent route outside

(L-R) UUP party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows, TUV Bannside councillor Anna Henry, and Alliance Party Braid councillor, Chelsea Harwood Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has condemned reported comments by DUP councillor Reuben Glover about girls’ clothing and an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena, saying such views should have been “consigned to the 70’s”. Alliance councillor Chelsea Harwood has also called for an investigation and disciplinary action, descr

DUP Ballymena councillor Reuben Glover, and TUV Bannside councillor Anna Henry A TUV councillor has strongly condemned reported comments by DUP Ballymena representative Reuben Glover linking girls’ clothing with an alleged sexual assault, describing the remarks as “blatant victim blaming”. Bannside councillor Anna Henry said women and girls were never responsible for the actions of sexual predators and warned that comments from elected representatives could reinforce harmful

Former Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson A safeguarding and accountability row surrounding Jeffrey Donaldson has deepened after the DUP confirmed it is commissioning a specialised independent review into issues arising from the former party leader’s conviction. Donaldson, a former DUP leader and one of Northern Ireland’s most prominent political figures, has been convicted of 18 historical sexual offences against two women when they were children. He is await

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

Entrance to Tullygarley Community Centre car park, and the local playing fields Residents living near Tullygarley playing fields are set to see overnight access restrictions introduced after concerns were raised about anti-social behaviour involving vehicles in the area. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed it will arrange for the entrance barrier at the popular Ballymena facility to be closed nightly between 8pm and 8am once repairs to the existing gate have bee

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

Wellington Street, Ballymena A Mid and East Antrim councillor has called for a “fresh pair of eyes” to help drive town centre regeneration across the borough. Speaking at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Environment and Economy Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening, Braid DUP Alderman William McCaughey called for an independent expert to be included on a proposed new town centre taskforce. Alderman McCaughey said the taskforce is “something t

The Dark Hedges, County Antrim in June. (Image: Shirley Carson Photography) Causeway Coast and Glens DUP councillor Darryl Wilson has accused the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the Department for the Economy (DfE) of a “dereliction of duty” over the future management of the Dark Hedges. June’s meeting of the council’s Leisure and Development Committee received an update report from Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust (CCGHT). The report followed a motion tabled b

Guilty: Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson The conviction of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on multiple sexual offence charges has prompted immediate calls for his knighthood to be revoked, with political leaders across unionism describing the verdict as a profound betrayal of public trust and praising the courage of the women who came forward to give evidence. Donaldson was found guilty on all charges by a jury, bringing one of the most significant political an

DUP Bannside Councillor Tyler Hoey A proposal inspired by a Ballymena child who became overwhelmed before attending a community event is set to bring sensory support boxes into council buildings across Mid and East Antrim after receiving unanimous backing from local councillors. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council voted in favour of a motion brought forward by DUP Councillor Tyler Hoey during a meeting at The Braid on Monday, June 8, paving the way for officers to examine the

Mayor, Councillor Dawn Huggins (left) and Deputy Mayor, Alderman Sandra Hunter. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has made history after appointing two women simultaneously to its top civic positions for the first time since the authority was formed. DUP Councillor Dawn Huggins has officially been installed as the new Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, while UUP Alderman Sandra Hunter has taken on the role of Deputy Mayor for the year ahead. The appoin