NEWS

North Antrim MP Jim Allister and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Men in Northern Ireland with prostate cancer are being denied access to a life-extending drug already available to patients across the rest of the UK — prompting warnings of a “postcode lottery” that could cost lives. The drug, abiraterone, is prescribed across the UK for men with advanced prostate cancer that has spread. But while patients in England, Scotland and Wales can now also receive it for certain high-ri

North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston has warned that proposed changes to special educational needs (SEN) support could place classroom assistant jobs at risk and increase pressure inside classrooms. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Gaston paid tribute to the “vital role classroom assistants play” in supporting pupils but said staff and families are increasingly worried about how the proposed reforms may work in practice. The Tr

A special event at Stormont will bring together survivors and families affected by terrorism to mark European Day for Victims of Terrorism, with powerful personal testimonies set to highlight the lasting human cost of violence. The annual commemoration, organised by Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), will take place in the Senate Chamber at Parliament Buildings at 11am on Monday 9 March, with refreshments available from 10:30am. Announcing the event, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston sa

TUV Bannside councillor Anne Henry Thousands of women across Northern Ireland are enduring years of debilitating pain before they even see a specialist, a Mid and East Antrim councillor has warned, as new figures expose the scale of waiting lists in gynaecology services. Data released by the Department of Health in June 2025 shows tens of thousands of women are currently waiting for their first outpatient appointment with a gynaecology consultant across the region. The figure

North Antrim MP Jim Allister with Ballymoney man James McVicker A Ballymoney man is travelling thousands of miles to the Falkland Islands to help transform the daily life of the islands’ only deaf child — by teaching sign language not just to him, but to his classmates and community. James McVicker , an accomplished British Sign Language interpreter, is visiting the Falklands to assist young resident Thomas, who is currently the only deaf child living on the islands. During h

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) farm in Hillsborough, and (inset) TUV Agriculture spokesperson Cllr Allister Kyle A political storm is intensifying around the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute  (AFBI) after verified whistleblower footage and mounting claims of “two-tier” enforcement prompted a senior TUV councillor to declare the Agriculture Minister’s position “untenable”. TUV Agriculture spokesperson Cllr Allister Kyle issued a scathing response following rep

TUV agriculture spokesman Councillor Allister Kyle Northern Ireland’s farming community is being “failed” by Stormont, according to TUV agriculture spokesman Councillor Allister Kyle , who used a West Tyrone fundraising breakfast to launch a sweeping critique of agricultural policy, bovine TB controls and the Windsor Framework. Addressing party members on Saturday (February 21), Cllr Kyle painted a picture of mounting pressure on farmers — from disease outbreaks and slurry st

TUV MLA for North Antrim Timothy Gaston Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) MLA Timothy Gaston has strongly criticised a £14,000 pay rise for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), after a determination increased Stormont salaries by 27% from £53,000 to £67,200. In a statement, Mr Gaston said the decision by the Independent Remuneration Board would result in a substantial uplift in pay at a time when many households across Northern Ireland are facing ongoing financial press

Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomes the confirmation of resurfacing works on Sand Road, Galgorm Resurfacing works on Sand Road, Galgorm are expected to commence soon after confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), with short-term disruption anticipated while the improvement scheme is carried out. TUV Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomed the update, describing the long-awaited road maintenance as necessary and beneficial for the area. “I welcome confirmation fro

Young Ballymena woman Chloe Mitchell who was brutally murdered in the town. The Chloe Mitchell trial will proceed after Justice Minister Naomi Long and representatives of the Criminal Bar Association reached agreement following talks aimed at resolving the current impasse within the criminal justice system. In a joint statement issued on Sunday (15 February), the Minister and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) confirmed that an accelerated review of the fees structure will co

21-year-old Chloe Mitchell who was murdered in June 2023 in Ballymena North Antrim elected representatives have called on the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) to grant a dispensation in its ongoing strike action to allow the trial of the individual charged with the murder of Chloe Mitchell to proceed as planned. The appeal comes as a deadline to prevent further delays in the Chloe Mitchell trial is fast approaching. Six representatives — Sian Mullholland MLA, Timothy Gaston MLA

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly after serving a two-day suspension, using his first day back in the Stormont chamber to defend his conduct and challenge the handling of the so-called ‘breathegate’ controversy. Speaking during Assembly business, Mr Gaston said the sanction imposed on him had now been “served” and set out a detailed response to the circumstances surrounding his removal from the Chamber.

Elected members of the TUV party group serving on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) group on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed it opposed the district rate increase approved at Monday night’s council meeting, arguing that greater steps could and should have been taken to reduce the financial burden on households and businesses across the borough. The TUV group includes Councillor Matthew Armstrong (Ballymena), Councillo

North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC The closure of McKillen’s on Church Street has been described as a devastating blow to Ballymena town centre, with North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC warning that rising overheads and business rates are “strangling” local retailers and accelerating the decline of the high street. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Allister said the loss of the century-old family business, coming shortly after the closure of Wyse Byse, marked a critical moment fo

(L-R) Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Jon Burrows and fellow North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston (TUV) Jon Burrows MLA has raised serious concerns in the Northern Ireland Assembly over the proportionality of a sanction recommended against his North Antrim colleague, Timothy Gaston MLA , warning that the response risks undermining fairness, free expression and public confidence in political accountability. Speaking during an Assembly debate this week, Mr Burrows questioned whether

Concerns over the handling of the PSNI data breach have intensified after the names of 41 serving police officers were published on publicly accessible online court lists, sparking political criticism and renewed calls for urgent action from the Justice Minister. The Department of Justice confirmed that the names appeared on the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service website in connection with civil actions linked to the PSNI data breach scandal. The department has sin

Kilrea Bridge, and (inset) North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston Businesses on both sides of the River Bann are facing severe financial pressure following the prolonged closure of Kilrea Bridge, with some traders reporting losses of hundreds of pounds per day and warning that their long-term viability is now at risk. The issue was raised in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday by North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston , who used an Adjournment Debate to highlight the economic and

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston with farmer David Irwin, Redhouse Holsteins (far left) and other members of the farming community who supported Saturday night’s protest at Tesco . Farmers blocked the entrance to one of Tesco’s main Northern Ireland distribution centres on Boucher Road in Belfast on Saturday night, January 30, in a protest highlighting growing frustration across the agri-food sector. Tractors and other agricultural vehicles were used to obstruct access to

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