NEWS

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows, with his much-loved companions Cassie and Maggie. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows has voiced strong support for reforming Northern Ireland’s fireworks legislation, describing the current situation as “deeply distressing” for families, pet owners, and communities affected by irresponsible use. The North Antrim MLA, who is a well-known dog lover, said his own pet suffers panic attacks during fireworks seaso

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has issued a stark warning that Northern Ireland could face a serious animal welfare crisis unless urgent action is taken to secure the supply of vital veterinary medicines. The former Health Minister has written to both the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), urging them to make the issue a priority. His intervention follows contact from a local animal

Inset: North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has voiced serious concern over reports that Sinn Féin representatives allegedly asked PSNI officers to remove their personal protection weapons before entering party offices or attending community meetings. Mr Burrows — a retired senior police officer — described the alleged actions as a “dangerous abuse of political power” that could undermine both officer safety and the independence of policing in Northern

Two senior Northern Ireland politicians have backed the Ulster Farmers’ Union’s (UFU) unprecedented vote of no confidence in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), describing it as a “seismic moment” and “wholly understandable”. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Agriculture spokesperson and Chair of the Assembly’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, Robbie Butler MLA , said the move represents a damning indictment of a department an

Robin with Celine McStravick, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), and David Babington, Chief Executive of Action Mental Health South Antrim MP Robin Swann has met with leading figures from Northern Ireland’s voluntary and community sector to discuss growing concerns about the future of funding once the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) ends in March 2026. The meeting brought together Celine McStravick, Chief Executive of the Northern

Dr Katy Radford MBE, Director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression (OICE), Lee Reynolds (left), Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and the Ulster British tradition, Pól Deeds (right), Irish Language Commissioner The First Minister and deputy First Minister have confirmed a series of high-profile appointments to key cultural and linguistic posts in Northern Ireland, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland

Councillor Alan Barr during a site visit to Carnlough Road, Broughshane, where there are community concerns over the speed of vehicles. Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr has called for urgent action to address serious road safety concerns on the Carnlough Road, Broughshane, following repeated complaints from residents about speeding vehicles and unsafe conditions for pedestrians. The stretch of road, located just outside the 30mph zone, currently carries a 60mph spee

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has welcomed confirmation from Environment Minister Mary Creagh MP that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are now assisting Northern Ireland officials following the first confirmed sighting of an Asian Hornet. Minister Creagh confirmed to Mr Swann that DEFRA and APHA had “worked closely with officials from Northern Ireland to help them prepare and publish a contingency pl

Robin Swann MP during his Crumlin constituency surgery South Antrim MP Robin Swann has welcomed decisive action by local police to tackle dangerous driving across Crumlin and Nutts Corner. Concerns about reckless driving in the area were raised with Mr Swann by a local resident who attended his recent constituency surgery in Crumlin. The MP said he was encouraged by the prompt response from the police following these reports. Mr Swann stated: “I want to thank the Antrim and

Farmers Margaret little & Delene Shannon alongside Diana Armstrong MLA and UFU President William Irvine Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Diana Armstrong has urged the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to act on key recommendations from the Breaking the Grass Ceiling report, calling for faster progress in achieving gender equality across Northern Ireland’s agricultural sector. Speaking after attending the Women in Agriculture Conference at Loughry

South Antrim MP Robin Swann South Antrim MP Robin Swann has called on the UK Government to urgently provide clarity on the future of charity funding in Northern Ireland, warning that uncertainty over the new Local Growth Fund risks leaving vital community programmes without support. Mr Swann raised the issue with the Cabinet Office in the House of Commons, highlighting growing concern among charities and disability organisations who depend on UK Government funding to deliver

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has welcomed the UK Government’s £271 million annual defence investment in Northern Ireland, while urging closer coordination between the Northern Ireland Executive and Westminster to ensure maximum economic and strategic benefit. The Ulster Unionist MP described the announcement as “a positive step for Northern Ireland’s economy” and a recognition of the region’s “innovative aerospace and manufacturing industries.” Mr Swann said: “This investmen

North Antrim UUP MLA Jon Burrows North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has expressed “serious concern” after a local drummer was issued with a Noise Abatement Notice by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for practising the traditional Lambeg drum. The Ulster Unionist representative said the situation highlighted a worrying trend of councils using environmental enforcement powers in ways that could, in his view, restrict cultural expression and heritage traditions. Mr Burrows explain

Jon Burrows MLA and Neil McCullough Principal of Harryville Primary School More than 20 children were initially reported missing from a primary school in Ballymena, prompting an urgent effort by education officials to trace their whereabouts. The Education Authority (EA) distributed a list of more than 50 missing pupils from various schools to principals across Northern Ireland earlier this term, seeking help to identify children who had stopped attending school without expla

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows (right) and Independent Councillor Rodney Quigley . Streetlights in a residential area of Ballymena have been restored following local action by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows and Independent Councillor Rodney Quigley. Mr Burrows took joint action with Ballymena Independent councillor, Rodney Quigley, after becoming aware of the removal of street lighting in several communities across Northern Ireland, often with no imm

South Antrim MP Robin Swann, Ms Antoniazzi, and UFU President William Irvine Ulster Unionist MP Robin Swann has hosted a high-level meeting in Westminster with representatives from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, to discuss the major challenges facing the farming sector. The meeting followed a presentation by the UFU to the Committee earlier the same day, with discussions focusing on the pres

Invasive species: The Asian hornet, otherwise known as a yellow-legged hornet was discovered for the first time in Northern Ireland. South Antrim MP Robin Swann has written to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir seeking urgent clarification on Northern Ireland’s response to the confirmed presence of an Asian hornet, warning that the invasive species poses a serious threat to local honeybees, pollinators, and biodiversity. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) confirmed last w

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Mike Nesbitt MLA Ulster Unionist Party Leader Mike Nesbitt MLA has called for a “radical reconciliation”...

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ulster...

Ulster Unionist Party MP Robin Swann (South Antrim) Ulster Unionist Party MP Robin Swann has told party members that “the Ulster Unionist...