NEWS

NI Youth Assembly Members Raphael, Tomila and Erynne holding the voting boxes in the Assembly Chamber Members of the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly have voted to prioritise health, rights and equality, and education as the key focus areas for their two-year mandate, following a landmark debate at their first plenary sitting. The decision was taken during a session held in the Assembly Chamber at Parliament Buildings on Saturday 24 January, where 90 Youth Assembly Members deb

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

Northern Ireland is set to introduce statutory miscarriage leave and pay from April 2026, marking a significant extension of workplace protections for parents experiencing pregnancy loss. Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has published the Department for the Economy’s consultation response on introducing statutory miscarriage leave and pay, confirming the creation of new legal rights for employees affected by miscarriage or other forms of pregnancy loss at any stage. The

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) MLA Timothy Gaston has welcomed a recent employment tribunal ruling in England on single-sex spaces, while warning that policies in place at Stormont are in direct conflict with the judgment and leave women in Northern Ireland without comparable legal protections. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday (January 20), Mr Gaston referred to a case in which an employment tribunal found that a hospital trust had violated the dignity a

Leaders of Unionism, (L-R) Gavin Robinson MP (DUP), Jim Allister MP (TUV), and Jon Burrows MLA (UUP). The debate over Unionist co-operation has intensified following a call from Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson MP for closer working between pro-Union parties — a proposal that has drawn cautious and, in the case of Traditional Unionist Voice, sharply critical responses. In a message to party members and supporters, Mr Robinson described 2026 as a pivotal year

Ulster Unionist Party Leader-Elect Jon Burrows MLA speaking at the 2025 Ulster Unionist Party conference Ulster Unionist Party Leader-Elect Jon Burrows MLA has spoken of his pride, renewed energy and sense of duty after being formally nominated as a candidate to succeed Mike Nesbitt MLA as party leader, as the Ulster Unionist Party enters the next phase of its leadership transition. Reflecting on his nomination on Friday 16 January, Mr Burrows set out a vision of a “strong,

The former DUP Advice Centre on Church Street, Ballymena More than £5,000 in unpaid rates remains outstanding on premises linked to a DUP advice centre in Ballymena, the Northern Ireland Assembly has been told. The issue was raised during Assembly questions on Monday, January 12, when TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston asked the Minister of Finance to outline the current position regarding the rates bill for 9–11 Church Street, Ballymena — an office previously associated wi

Ulster Unionist Party North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows speaking at the party’s annual conference in 2025 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA for North Antrim Jon Burrows has formally announced his candidacy for the leadership of the party, setting out an agenda of renewal, reform and what he describes as “straight-talking, service-driven” politics aimed at reconnecting with voters across Northern Ireland. In a statement issued on Thursday, 8 January 2026, Mr Burrows said his decisio

Mike Nesbitt speaking at the UUP annual conference in 2025 The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has confirmed that Mike Nesbitt MLA will step down as Party Leader, triggering a leadership transition as the party looks towards the 2027 Assembly elections. The announcement marks a significant moment for the UUP, which says it is seeking to build on what it describes as strong organisational and political foundations while accelerating towards a “bold, forward-looking vision” for the

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson shared a family photo with wife Lindsay and son Reuben The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Gavin Robinson MP, has used his New Year message to call for a renewed focus on economic stability, public services and “common sense” politics as Northern Ireland enters 2026. Setting out what he described as a clear choice for the year ahead, Mr Robinson said Northern Ireland stood “at a junction”, urging political leaders to prioritise delivery ove

TUV leader Jim Allister MP TUV leader Jim Allister MP has warned that Northern Ireland will enter 2026 facing tighter EU controls, increased costs for businesses and further divergence from Great Britain, as he delivered a hard-hitting New Year message criticising the Protocol, Stormont and unionist rivals. Mr Allister said the new year would “begin where 2025 left off”, with what he described as the continued tightening of European Union restrictions under post-Brexit arr

Gary McErlain, Chair of the Lough Neagh Partnership The Chair of the Lough Neagh Partnership has urged DAERA Minister Andrew Muir to urgently reconsider a newly announced financial support package for fishermen, warning that it fails to reflect the true scale of loss suffered by the industry amid the ongoing environmental crisis at the lough. Gary McErlain said the £100,000 support scheme for Lough Neagh brown eel fishers, announced earlier this week, risks underestimating t

Lord Craigavon’s tomb TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has welcomed confirmation that Stormont officials will begin work to address what he described as the “shocking deterioration” of Lord Craigavon’s tomb at Parliament Buildings, following questions he raised at the Assembly. The Grade A listed structure, which marks the final resting place of Northern Ireland’s first Prime Minister, has suffered years of visible neglect despite its architectural and historic significance and its pro

Multi-agency preparations are underway across Northern Ireland ahead of Storm Bram, with a Met Office yellow warning in place for strong winds on Tuesday 9 December from 9am to 9pm. Forecasters warn that gusts of 50–60mph are expected widely, with the potential to exceed 70mph in the most exposed western areas. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has activated emergency response measures, as teams continue clearing road gullies, checking drainage systems and placing addit

Northern Ireland’s primary care system is “in crisis” and requires “urgent intervention” , according to a major new report from the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The Report on Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland outlines serious shortcomings in how patients access GP services and calls for radical reform of the system. The PAC report, based on evidence from health organisations, the Department of Health (DoH), and an unprecedented p

Revised draft byelaws aimed at tackling long-running concerns over loud buskers and street preachers in Belfast city centre have been agreed by councillors — with a proposed 70-decibel noise limit and fines of up to £500 for anyone who breaches the rules. The new regulations, years in development and shaped by extensive public consultation, are designed to address amplified noise that has been a growing issue in the city centre for more than a decade. For context, 70dB is rou

Ulster Unionist Party Economy Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA has criticised the Finance Minister’s latest update on Northern Ireland’s business rates review, warning that the proposals offer “yet more reviews rather than delivering tangible support now” for firms already under intense financial strain. Her comments follow a statement in the Assembly from Finance Minister John O’Dowd , who outlined plans to accelerate the strategic review of business rates, enhance Small B

TUV MP Jim Allister has sharply criticised a recent Supreme Court judgment on Religious Education (RE) in Northern Ireland, describing the ruling as a threat to the long-established Christian ethos within the region’s school system. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Allister said he was “deeply disturbed” by aspects of the judgment, particularly the court’s reference to the potential for “indoctrination” within current RE provision. “As someone who has consistently defended

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced new legislation that will ban the sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic in Northern Ireland, as part of a coordinated UK-wide approach to tackling plastic pollution. The regulations — which include limited exemptions for business-to-business supply and medical use — will take effect in May 2027, following an 18-month transition period. This will allow retailers time to clear existing

Northern Ireland is being prevented from participating in the UK-wide rollout of a bovine tuberculosis (bTB) cattle vaccine due to a combination of EU regulations applied under the Windsor Framework and Northern Ireland’s own domestic legislation, South Antrim MP Robin Swann has warned. Mr Swann raised the issue directly with the UK Government, receiving confirmation that Northern Ireland cannot currently be included in the marketing authorisation for the vaccine. Responding