Latest releases
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4,745 releases
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Unionism has been failed by its MPs
TUV Strangford candidate Ron McDowell says DUP MPs failed unionism in the 2019-2024 Parliament by not speaking or opposing the November 2020 legislation removing Cross Community Consent from Stormont decision making, and calls on voters to consider this before 4 July.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Removal of Cross Community Consent from Stormont decision making legislation 2020 Original release: Unionism has been failed by its MPs (opens in a new tab)
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UUP reaffirm position against ‘below needs’ budget
UUP leader Doug Beattie MLA says the party opposed the second stage of the Budget Bill because the budget is not fit for purpose and puts Health first. He says the party will call on the incoming UK Government for urgent extra funding to cover in-year deficits across all Executive departments.
Public finance and taxation Health Issue: Northern Ireland Budget Bill second stage vote 2024 Original release: UUP reaffirm position against ‘below needs’ budget (opens in a new tab)
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Sheerin welcomes publication of Sinn Féin Easy Read Manifesto
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin says the party has published an easy read version of its Westminster election manifesto, making it accessible to people with disabilities and learning difficulties. She says it was produced with disabled people.
Disability and equality Issue: Sinn Féin easy read Westminster election manifesto publication Original release: Sheerin welcomes publication of Sinn Féin Easy Read Manifesto (opens in a new tab)
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Cynical abuse of process by DUP and Sinn Fein on verge of election
TUV West Tyrone Westminster candidate Stevan Patterson accuses the DUP and Sinn Féin of timing a monitoring round funding announcement to win votes days before polling. He says the money should have been allocated earlier, and questions the DUP's stance on Casement funding.
Public finance and taxation Constitutional affairs Issue: Monitoring round funding announcement ahead of the 2024 general election Original release: Cynical abuse of process by DUP and Sinn Fein on verge of election (opens in a new tab)
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New poll shows 85% of people in Great Britain oppose foreign laws for any part of the UK – a core element of Windsor Framework
TUV leader Jim Alister welcomes a Whitestone Insight poll finding that 85% of GB adults, excluding don't knows, view foreign-made laws for part of the UK as unacceptable. He accuses the DUP of weak tactics over Stormont and urges voters to back TUV.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Whitestone Insight poll on Windsor Framework opposition in Great Britain Original release: New poll shows 85% of people in Great Britain oppose foreign laws for any part of the UK – a core element of Windsor Framework (opens in a new tab)
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TUV challenges Tesco on exclusion of Northern Ireland from Armed Forces Day offer
TUV candidate for Lagan Valley Lorna Smyth, an RAF veteran, writes to Tesco's Chief Executive urging it to reverse its decision to exclude Northern Ireland from its free breakfast offer for armed forces members on Armed Forces Day. She questions the decision and asks Tesco to revisit it.
Disability and equality Issue: Tesco Armed Forces Day free breakfast excludes Northern Ireland Original release: TUV challenges Tesco on exclusion of Northern Ireland from Armed Forces Day offer (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionist Party offer guarded welcome to additional Health funding.
UUP leader Doug Beattie MC MLA welcomes the Executive's allocation of an extra £121.9 million to health from the June Monitoring round, but says it is not sufficient to avert catastrophic cuts. He says the party will keep challenging at Stormont and Westminster for full health funding.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Monitoring round funding announcement ahead of the 2024 general election Original release: Ulster Unionist Party offer guarded welcome to additional Health funding. (opens in a new tab)
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Additional £20 Million for Social Housing welcome but Insufficient - Allen
East Belfast UUP MLA and Housing spokesperson Andy Allen MBE welcomes an extra £20 million for social housing starts in the June monitoring round but says it is far from enough, estimating around 600 homes. He calls on the Executive to make a strong appeal to Westminster for a UK-wide strategy and…
Housing Public finance and taxation Issue: Monitoring round funding announcement ahead of the 2024 general election Original release: Additional £20 Million for Social Housing welcome but Insufficient - Allen (opens in a new tab)
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Local institutions remain in pressing need of reform, says Long
Alliance General Election candidate Naomi Long says Northern Ireland's local institutions still need reform despite the Assembly and Executive's return, and urges voters to back parties such as Alliance. She calls for the UK and Irish Governments to lead reform, including abolishing the…
Constitutional affairs Issue: Return of Assembly and Executive ahead of 2024 General Election Original release: Local institutions remain in pressing need of reform, says Long (opens in a new tab)
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People Before Profit Contests Westminster Election
People Before Profit announces three Westminster candidates for the 4 July election: Shaun Harkin in Foyle, Gerry Carroll MLA in West Belfast and Fiona Ferguson in North Belfast. It says Labour would keep most Tory policies and calls for Palestine to be a key election issue.
International affairs Housing Issue: 2024 Westminster election Original release: People Before Profit Contests Westminster Election (opens in a new tab)
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Political Parties should end towering hypocrisy on waiting lists - Beattie
UUP leader Doug Beattie MC MLA calls on other parties and candidates to stop making what he calls baseless claims about tackling Northern Ireland's waiting lists. He says their votes against a £135m health budget bid, which included outpatient mega-clinics and a reimbursement scheme, show hypocrisy.
Health Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive rejection of UUP health budget bid on waiting lists Original release: Political Parties should end towering hypocrisy on waiting lists - Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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SEN school placements must be suitable and appropriate – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker says many children with special educational needs still lack suitable school places for September and urges the Education Minister to adopt a ‘SEN first’ strategy that embeds SEN pupils in schools’ planned enrolments, giving families assurance and schools clarity.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Shortfall of SEN school places for September 2024 Original release: SEN school placements must be suitable and appropriate – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Election is a question of trust
TUV leader Jim Allister says Unionist voters should back his party ahead of the 4 July election, arguing it alone has a consistent record of truthfulness and integrity. He criticises unnamed rivals over a shifting platform and says border posts are being built at the ports.
Constitutional affairs Original release: Election is a question of trust (opens in a new tab)
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'Beyond belief’ that the deputy First Minister doesn’t appear to have been aware of key waiting list document - Beattie
UUP Leader Doug Beattie calls on deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to explain how she was unaware of the Elective Care Framework, which he says was endorsed by the Executive and proposes a £700m multi-year investment to tackle waiting lists. He says she appears not to have read the…
Health Issue: Little-Pengelly's awareness of Elective Care Framework waiting lists plan Original release: 'Beyond belief’ that the deputy First Minister doesn’t appear to have been aware of key waiting list document - Beattie (opens in a new tab)
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Jim Allister Speaks Out Following Traders’ Concerns
TUV leader Jim Allister says the Green Lane Customs Border, due to start on 1 October, will entrench the Irish Sea border rather than remove it, rebutting DUP leader Gavin Robinson's claims that the border would be removed in the autumn. He cites traders' concerns about the complexity of the new…
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Green Lane Customs Border introduction on 1 October Original release: Jim Allister Speaks Out Following Traders’ Concerns (opens in a new tab)
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UUP should withdraw misleading ‘poll’ advert – Lyons
DUP director of elections Gordon Lyons MLA urges UUP Lagan Valley candidate Robbie Butler to pull a social media advert he calls misleading, arguing its polling figures ignore the DUP's decision not to stand in North Down. He says the campaign is desperate and backs Jonathan Buckley as the…
Constitutional affairs Issue: UUP Lagan Valley social media poll advert Original release: UUP should withdraw misleading ‘poll’ advert – Lyons (opens in a new tab)
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BBC and UTV aren’t interested in real debate as they create echo chamber for Protocol implementors
TUV leader Jim Allister accuses the BBC and UTV of bias after both broadcasters excluded TUV from their leaders' debates, citing a late change to TUV's broadcast allocation and polling he says shows the party level with the SDLP. He says the broadcasters are creating echo chambers.
Constitutional affairs Issue: BBC and UTV exclusion of TUV from leaders' debates Original release: BBC and UTV aren’t interested in real debate as they create echo chamber for Protocol implementors (opens in a new tab)
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DUP position on their deal changing on a daily basis
TUV Lagan Valley candidate Lorna Smyth accuses the DUP of shifting positions on the Windsor Framework, citing claims about "zero checks, zero paperwork" and calls for mutual enforcement. She says the DUP's position on the deal that returned it to Stormont changes daily and cites Queen's polling on…
Constitutional affairs Issue: DUP responses to Press Association questions on Windsor Framework checks Original release: DUP position on their deal changing on a daily basis (opens in a new tab)
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DUP Leader addresses Manifesto Launch
The DUP, launching its General Election manifesto in East Belfast, says it will press the next Government to ensure Northern Ireland funding cannot fall below assessed need, citing a £124 for every £100 spent in England benchmark. It also lists its record on energy support, sub-postmasters…
Constitutional affairs Public finance and taxation Original release: DUP Leader addresses Manifesto Launch (opens in a new tab)
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Ms Mulholland welcomes introduction of hybrid working for Council groups
Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland welcomes Assembly approval of remote meetings regulations for councils, saying they give councillors with disabilities, caring duties or rural constituencies more flexible participation. She voices concern that each council will set its own hybrid working rules, which…
Local government Disability and equality Issue: Assembly approval of local government remote meetings regulations 2024 Original release: Ms Mulholland welcomes introduction of hybrid working for Council groups (opens in a new tab)