u/vague_intentionally_

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026/07/06/alex-kane-was-jeffrey-donaldson-blackmailed-by-the-british-government/

Was Jeffrey Donaldson being blackmailed by the British government?

A theory among unionists is that knowledge of Donaldson’s Mr Hyde nature was used to push him down a path that suited Westminster

What we now know for certain about former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is that he is a paedophile, presently in prison awaiting what is likely to be a lengthy sentence for the abuse of two very young girls; a drunk, who wandered around Westminster slugging from bottles of wine and who “projectile vomited” over the mayor of Beijing during a visit to China; a sex pest – at least one case was brought to the attention of senior members of the DUP while, on another occasion, and in a drunken state, he sat on the knee of a woman MLA and tried to kiss her; a thoroughgoing hypocrite who, while cloaked in evangelical Christianity, condemned homosexuality, frequented gay saunas, added the purchase of porn films to his parliamentary expenses claim form, and had a number of extramarital affairs (one of which led to his wife bugging his car).

Two questions come to mind. How did this tsunami of depravity, deception, dishonesty and horror manage to remain under the radar for so long, particularly when Donaldson appeared to be both reckless and very public in his behaviour? He had been an MP since 1997 and yet there hadn’t been any red flags about his behaviour.

Fair enough, most of it wasn’t criminal in nature, yet regular drunkenness and hypocrisy is the sort of stuff that tends to be noted and tucked away by party colleagues. A more worrying question, though: is it possible that there were people who were aware of the Mr Hyde side of his nature and who used that knowledge to push him down a path that suited the particular interests of the British government?

Jim Allister, an MP and leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), a party that opposes powersharing with Sinn Féin and also the Northern Ireland Protocol, which keeps Northern Ireland partly within the EU, raised the question in his initial statement after Donaldson’s guilty verdict. “However, for unionism, a very chilling and troubling issue arises, namely how far did his troubles give rise to his sell-out on the protocol? To me it is inconceivable that the government was unaware of his proclivities and the idea of such being used as leverage is far from fanciful. Was he on a mission of attempted self-preservation in the hope, no matter how deluded, he could stave off the fate that has now befallen him?”

The PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher has dismissed the speculation as “wild” and “ridiculous”. He said there was “no surveillance” on Donaldson and there was no “blackmail against him by the government”.

But I can understand why Allister thinks that way. In September 2021, the four main parties of unionism – the DUP, UUP, TUV and PUP – agreed in an anti-protocol pact that they would not “facilitate” the working of the Assembly until the protocol had either been removed altogether or changed to their satisfaction. Five months later the DUP withdrew the first minister from the Executive, triggering the collapse of the institutions.

An election three months later, under the leadership of Donaldson, was catastrophic for the DUP. Its vote fell by 7 per cent and it was eclipsed by Sinn Féin as the largest party, which was now entitled to the post of first minister. The DUP refused to nominate a deputy first minister, leaving the institutions in limbo. For the next 18 months the DUP seemed determined not to budge until the protocol issue was resolved and Donaldson’s speeches, along with DUP policy statements, were viewed by the British government as cemented into position.

Which is why it came as such a shock when Donaldson, in return for guarantees contained in the government’s Safeguarding the Union command paper, published in January 2024, led the campaign to return the DUP to the Assembly and reboot the Executive. Elements within the DUP, along with the TUV and most of loyalism, accused him of betrayal and being just another “rollover unionist”. The paper left the protocol in place, while offering what I described at the time as “very flimsy” promises that the union would be prioritised and protected.

[ How the duplicitous double life of Jeffrey Donaldson threatens the future of unionismOpens in new window ]

At the time, Allister wondered what had changed Donaldson’s mind. Now he thinks he has his answer. Donaldson was blackmailed. I’m not convinced. In March 2023, the British government and the EU agreed the Windsor Framework, which passed through parliament with a majority of 515-29. In essence the Protocol remained much as it was, meaning that NI still remained partly in the EU. The choice then for unionism was to reject it or boycott the Assembly permanently. I wrote that the DUP did not want permanent direct rule rather than devolution and would “find a path back to the Assembly and Executive”. Which is precisely what it did in January 2024.

But what if, despite the denials, Allister’s analysis is the correct one and Donaldson had been monitored by the intelligence services and then blackmailed by the British government? If true, then it is a very uncomfortable truth for unionism generally, for it means that there are no ends to which a British government would not go to get its way and safeguard the Belfast Agreement and the assorted institutions – even if that meant undermining all of political/electoral unionism.

It might also mean that if Donaldson had become an intelligence/government “asset” he would have deployed others, albeit unknown to them, to play a part. He was certainly authorising some close to him (not always in the party) to push a much harder line to other audiences while he was preparing his allies in the DUP to back the Safeguarding the Union paper. Until the last few days there were still people on his side who were insisting that he would not be returning the DUP to Stormont.

We may never know the full truth about Donaldson. But the DUP is likely to be badly damaged in Assembly and council elections due next May. If the TUV – the most obvious beneficiary of a DUP collapse – continues to play the blackmail card it could have a significant impact on the already growing numbers within unionism who have long been unsettled by powersharing, the protocol and a Sinn Féin First Minister.

Allister may have no specific answer to those problems, yet that doesn’t mean that a lot more unionists than expected may now be prepared to reward him for his purist and consistent approach since he resigned from the DUP in 2007.

In that case, the blackmail, if that’s what it was, will have failed. What does the British government do then?

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/jamie-bryson-no-legal-right-34206597

Jamie Bryson has no legal right to challenge council over bonfire removal, judge rules

Even though the bonfire ultimately was lit, the high-profile campaigner sought a judicial review of how the Council’s standing orders were applied.

Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson has no legal right to challenge Belfast City Council over its decision to remove a contentious bonfire, a High Court judge has ruled.

Mr Bryson took legal action against the local authority for refusing to reconsider the plans last summer under its call-in procedures.

Even though the bonfire ultimately was lit, the high-profile campaigner sought a judicial review of how the Council’s standing orders were applied.

Mr Justice O’Hara dismissed the case on the ground that he lacks the required legal standing to mount a challenge.

“Quite apart from the fact that he does not even live within the area of Belfast City Council, it seems to me this is not an issue on which the unhappy councillors who had their application for a call-in rejected can delegate or assign their interest to others,” the judge said.

In July last year, a Council committee voted in favour of sending in contractors to remove the Eleventh Night bonfire just days before it was due to be set alight in the Village area.

Concerns centred on the presence of asbestos at the Meridi Street site and any risk to a nearby power station, which provides electricity to two hospitals.

When Mr Bryson learned of the decision, he contacted a number of councillors and urged them to submit a “call-in” for the vote to be reconsidered, the court heard.

The mechanism, under Section 41 of the Local Government (NI) Act 2014, enables local authorities to scrutinise and review its decisions.

A call-in of the bonfire determination was refused based on standing orders and advice from the Chief Executive.

Denying any unlawfulness, the Council stressed it was not possible to carry out the procedure in circumstances involving an “unacceptable level of risk to public health and major healthcare facilities”.

Mr Bryson commenced judicial review proceedings at the time over the handling of standing orders.

During an emergency hearing on July 10, it emerged that the PSNI had declined to provide assistance for council contractors set to dismantle the bonfire.

The plan to remove the construction was then abandoned and it was lit the following evening.

Returning to deal with the merits of the legal challenge, Mr Justice O’Hara held that the legal power to challenge the refused call-in lay with elected councillors who requested the redetermination.

Instead, however, they publicly supported Mr Bryson’s bid for a judicial review.

The court heard he is a unionist activist who has campaigned in support of bonfires for many years.

Mr Bryson stated he has worked with those involved in building the pyre in the Village area, delivering courses on human rights and their cultural expression.

According to the judge, the issue to be determined centred entirely on an assessment of the standing orders.

“It is not the Village bonfire, because that has long since burned,” Mr Justice O’Hara observed.

“In my judgment, the applicant does not have standing to apply for review.

"For this reason alone, I conclude that the application for leave to apply for judicial review must fail on the basis of standing.”

Responding to the ruling, Mr Bryson insisted no view was expressed on the merits of the legal point about standing orders.

He added: “A fresh challenge from a citizen of Belfast is now underway.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/29/dup-members-knew-allegations-jeffrey-donaldson-party-says

Current and ex-DUP members knew of allegations about Jeffrey Donaldson, party says

Information not reported through ‘appropriate channels’ and left DUP unable to formally respond, leader says

Former and current members of the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) knew of allegations about the former leader Jeffrey Donaldson but did not share them, the party has said.

Information about Donaldson was not reported through “appropriate channels” and left the party unable to formally respond, the DUP leader, Gavin Robinson, said on Monday.

The admission came as new claims about Donaldson’s conduct engulfed the party in crisis a week after he was convicted of sexual abuse against children in a case that shocked Northern Ireland.

It is alleged that the former Lagan Valley MP sexually pestered women, visited a gay sauna while denouncing homosexuality and got drunk on foreign trips – and vomited over the mayor of Beijing – while professing to be a teetotaller.

The claims came after a jury at Newry crown court on 22 June unanimously found the 63-year-old guilty of 18 sexual offences, including one count of rape, against two women when they were children. He is to be sentenced in September. The Belfast Telegraph reported that he is expected to appeal.

The DUP joined other parties in welcoming the verdict and stressed that it had suspended Donaldson when he was first charged in 2024. However its hopes of containing the political damage have dissolved amid a clamour over what the party knew – and when – about other misconduct by Donaldson.

The DUP announced an independent review into its handling of information about Donaldson, but other parties at Stormont questioned the investigation’s credibility and transparency. “It is not tenable for the DUP to be hiring those who will be investigating extremely grave allegations against their former party leader,” said Sorcha Eastwood, an Alliance MP who won Donaldson’s seat after he stepped down in 2024.

Some commentators called it the biggest crisis in the DUP’s history. Wallace Thompson, a founding member, said the party’s traditional emphasis on moral rectitude amplified the fallout. “It is almost like a nuclear explosion in political terms,” he told the BBC. The party’s late founder, Ian Paisley, would be turning in his grave, said Thompson.

BBC Spotlight reported that that five years ago, two senior DUP members were made aware of allegations against Donaldson – unrelated to the recent criminal case – made by a young woman who said she had been “exploited” by him.

The former North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jr told the programme that the woman did not want to make a formal complaint but that he had relayed her claim to Edwin Poots, who was then the DUP leader. Poots, who is now the speaker of Stormont, told the programme: “We observed at all times the wishes of the young woman.”

Paisley told Spotlight that Donaldson was often drunk on overseas trips, including an occasion in New York when he tried to kiss a female DUP assembly member. “On a trade mission, on the other side of the world [he was] getting so blindingly drunk that he actually projectile vomited over the mayor of Beijing,” said Paisley Jr.

Spotlight has reported that two senior police officers observed Donaldson entering a sauna in London that marketed itself as a meeting place for gay men in 2006 despite his denunciations of homosexuality as “sinful”.

Neither Donaldson nor his lawyers have responded to the claims.

Robinson said the DUP, which faces an assembly election next year, was not formally notified of the claims but that evidently some individual members had information they did not share.

The review would establish if members still held information that they had not yet shared, he said. “It is my job to set our standards and what we have heard over the last number of days falls well below the standards that I hold and my colleagues hold for our party. It is our job to make sure we are not turning a blind eye.”

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/utterly-depressing-south-belfast-bonfire-organisers-sell-asbestos-bonfire-badges-MYMLVCJJGNDPXJ2R3C6NKGHAWQ/

‘Utterly depressing’ - South Belfast bonfire organisers sell ‘asbestos bonfire’ badges

Environment minister says move is ‘grossly irresponsible’ as fragments of dangerous material confirmed still present at contaminated Meridi Street site

The builders of a controversial south Belfast bonfire have begun selling “asbestos bonfire” branded badges, prompting accusations of gross irresponsibility from the environment minister.

The Village Bonfire South Belfast committee announced the merchandise on social media, saying: “Since some people can’t stop talking about the ‘asbestos bonfire’, we thought we’d give them something else to talk about.”

The badges, which have been branded “utterly depressing”, have been put on sale as the controversy over holding a bonfire at the Meridi Street site which is home to asbestos-containing material.

Fragments of asbestos remain at a south Belfast bonfire site despite remediation work, with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency warning the public to stay off the land for health reasons.

Despite this, more than 1,000 pallets have already been stacked at the site also sits adjacent to an electricity substation providing power to the Royal Victoria Hospital and Belfast City Hospital.

Environment minister Andrew Muir said the sale of the merchandise was “grossly irresponsible”.

“I would again encourage local elected representatives to prioritise public safety and provide the leadership needed to ensure everyone obeys the law and heeds the warnings issued to keep people safe and off the site,” he said.

SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite described the move as “utterly depressing”.

“This isn’t something to make mirth or light of. The potential risk is still there, and the place that we’ve always come at this from is to say this is about trying to tackle the issue of the risk that’s posed to people who are going to be on the site and people nearby.

“To turn it into something different than that is depressing.”

The asbestos found at the Meridi Street site was first reported to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in 2010.

Enforcement notices were served on the landowner the following year, but the material was never fully removed.

Loyalist campaigner Jamie Bryson was granted High Court permission in recent days to intervene in a separate judicial review taken by a local resident against the PSNI and DAERA, alleging failures to prevent the bonfire being built.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/costs-for-dup-departments-involvement-in-irish-language-policy-legal-challenge-more-than-60k-NOY5TWGU65EWVJFYKVPNY7EUY4/

Costs for DUP department’s involvement in Irish language policy legal challenge more than £60K

Gordon Lyons’ department was a notice party in the unssuccessful challenge against Belfast City Council’s call-in procedure

DUP minister Gordon Lyons’ department’s involvement in the legal challenge against Belfast City Council’s draft Irish language policy has so far cost more than £60,000, The Irish News can reveal.

The case brought by TUV member Ann McClure was dismissed by the High Court in April.

An appeal against Justice McLaughlin’s ruling is expected to be heard on Friday.

Ms McClure’s legal team, which included Jamie Bryson and former attorney general John Larkin KC, argued that the city council’s call-in scheme for voting on controversial issues had not been used correctly.

The judge threw out the complaint on a number of grounds.

The Department of Communities was a notice party in the proceedings and was represented by Tony McGleenan KC.

A freedom of information request has revealed that the costs charged to the department relating to the case are currently £62,674.

The judge did partially uphold the litigant’s associated complaint over the flying of the Palestinian flag at City Hall last December, citing “procedural confusion” around the council’s decision.

But campaigners claim the level of court costs incurred by the Department of Communities to date suggests greater resources are dedicated to opposing the Irish language than promoting it.

After Ms McClure launched her legal action, Mr Lyons wrote to the north’s 11 councils offering advice on the call-in process.

In his capacity as minister with responsibility for local government matters, he said previous departmental advice and provisions in relation to the call-in procedure “remain in effect”.

But in his subsequent ruling, Justice McLaughlin criticised the minister’s correspondence, describing it as containing “deficiencies” and being “deeply unsatisfactory”.

Belfast City Council has said it does not yet have the full costs for defending the case but will share them when available.

Conchúr Ó Muadaigh, advocacy manager with Conradh na Gaeilge said the Irish language group is concerned that the minister with responsibility for promoting the Irish language was involved in a series of a series of legal challenges which opposed it.

“Decisions to spend more than £60,000 – and potentially much more – to legally challenge the promotion of Irish, be that directly or indirectly, only deepen the perception held by many within the Irish language community that more effort, attention, priority and departmental resource is given to opposing the language than taking bespoke measures to fulfil outstanding duties to develop Irish,” he said.

A statement from the Department for Communities said it remained a notice party in the forthcoming appeal.

“The department’s involvement in the judicial review and the appeal is confined to matters concerning local government policy and legislation, specifically the functions and responsibilities of a council concerning the operation of the call-in provisions,” a spokesperson said

“It would not be appropriate to comment any further until the legal process has concluded.”

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41863029.html

'Fk Fine Gael Fk Sinn Féin' - FF members angry at losing spotlight on united Ireland

Fianna Fáil members have taken to a private WhatsApp group to vent anger that Fine Gael has been allowed to steal the spotlight on the message of a united Ireland.

TDs and senators have aired their frustration after Simon Harris announced that Fine Gael will develop a “blueprint for a unified island” by November.

"F*<k Fine Gael F*<k Sinn Fein we are Fianna Fáil we are the Republican Party. There would not be peace on this island without us and the leaders we had," wrote Erin McGreehan.

She was among those who expressed annoyance that the work Fianna Fáil is doing on Northern Ireland is not getting the publicity it deserves.

The Louth TD wrote: "We are terrible at harnessing these goals and the passions of our party and the members. It’s up to all of us to sell that. However, there has been a definite curtailment of the raw passionate and compassionate ambitions of our members. Like it’s been unfashionable or something to be true to ourselves."

Donegal senator Niall Blaney reiterated this, claiming that everyone in the party needs to "own" the issue.

He said "being true to and passionate about" a united Ireland is what the party was built on.

The conversation began on Sunday when TD James O'Connor posted a link to coverage of remarks made by the Tánaiste.

Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher then responded by highlighting the fact that he had put down a motion on Irish unity, which was "unanimously approved" and that he had received "great feedback" from members on it.

"Sadly, after many inquires over the years I have yet to receive an acknowledgment or update regarding same. I will try again and let you know if I receive any correspondence."

Clare TD Cathal Crowe said he had been attracted to the party by its Republican emphasis, adding that "without Republicanism we are hollow".

Minister James Lawless, highlighted the work that he had done previously on updating the party's aims and objectives, which reflects the aim of a united Ireland.

One party member suggested that the comments had been made by the Fine Gael leader to deflect from the positive attention Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has received over the weekend on the issue of maternity services.

https://www.thejournal.ie/politicians-in-the-north-criticise-dup-mp-for-appearing-alongside-masked-men-at-co-down-protest-7063165-Jun2026/

Politicians in the North criticise DUP MP for appearing alongside masked men at Co Down protest

POLITICIANS IN THE North have strongly condemned DUP MP Carla Lockhart for appearing alongside masked men at a protest in Co Down on Saturday.

The Great March for Gaza, organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Lurgan, set off from the Co Armagh town towards Newry, to represent the 40-kilometre length of the Gaza Strip.

It’s the second year running that the march has taken place, which raises money for Palestine Aid Ireland and Children Not Numbers.

However, the Co Down village of Scarva became a flashpoint along the parade route last year and local residents raised objections ahead of yesterday’s march.

Northern Ireland’s Parades Commission granted permission for the march, but placed a number of conditions on it, including that no participant should enter Scarva.

Meanwhile, a group called Scarva Concerned Residents had permission for a demonstration on Scarva Bridge, with conditions including refraining from “provocative behaviour”.

Hundreds of protesters with Israel flags, as well as Union flags, turned out to oppose the march.

Lockhart appeared with the counter-protesters on Scarva bridge and was pictured alongside masked men.

Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood remarked that MPs “have an important role” in showing a “good example”.

“Standing in a crowd with people covering faces with masks or scarves whilst the crowd shout obscenities and abuse is not something we should be anywhere near, never mind in the middle of.”

Lockhart, in a response on X, accused Eastwood of “click bait” and of “playing to the crowd”.

She added in a post to Facebook that the local community representatives “worked tirelessly to help calm the situation and prevent further escalation”.

Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard meanwhile remarked that “South Down is a welcoming place defined by beautiful forests, mountains, and beaches – not masked intimidation”.

“Next time you visit, you should look into what our constituency actually has to offer, rather than standing with masked men intimidating women and children.”

Hazzard is the MP for South Down, and Lockhart said: “In the absence of their own MP I had to step in and ensure calm heads prevailed.”

Meanwhile, deputy leader of Alliance Eóin Tennyson said that “MPs should be challenging intimidation and sectarianism wherever it appears”, in reference to her appearance at the protest yesterday.

The SDLP leader Claire Hanna described the images from Scarva as “bleak and disturbing”.

“Taunts at peaceful marchers, an MP surrounded by masked men in 2026,” said Hanna.

And while the parade passed off without incident, Lockhart claimed that the “policing operation started badly, and deteriorated, only serving to inflame tensions”.

There was a heavy police presence yesterday, with a line of police Land Rovers blocking off the bridge which connects the towpath and the village.

Lockhart said she was “jostled by the police in their haste to engage” and added that she will “be speaking with senior officers in the coming days and to understand why these decisions were made”.

She said she was “thankful for the presence of colleagues and other Unionist representatives who deescalated what was an unnecessarily volatile situation”.

The PSNI defended its actions and a spokesperson said: “An appropriate and proportionate policing operation was implemented in Scarva to maintain public safety during a notified parade and protest.

“Evidence-gathering was deployed as part of the operation and footage captured will be reviewed in due course.”

In a statement to The Journal, the DUP said Lockhart was in Scarva alongside several DUP MLAs and local councillors.

“Working alongside the local community, they played an important role in helping reduce tensions,” said the DUP.

“Despite issues which caused some increase of tension during the day, ultimately the work of elected representatives and the community ensured that no major incidents occurred,” added the party spokesperson.

Elsewhere, some people partaking in the Great March for Gaza reported that slurry had been spread along the march route.

The SDLP leader Claire Hanna described this as “weaponised slurry”.

In a statement to The Journal, the PSNI confirmed that it had received a report of slurry on the road surface along part of the route and that the Department for Infrastructure was tasked to clear the road.

-With additional reporting from Press Association

https://www.derryjournal.com/news/people/56-of-respondents-believe-irish-language-adds-to-the-richness-and-diversity-in-the-north-8658261

56% of respondents believe Irish language adds to the richness and diversity in the North

A new survey has found 56 per cent of respondents believe the Irish language, and 45 per cent believe that Ulster-Scots, add to the richness and diversity of the North. The 2025 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey suggests public attitudes towards language and identity may be less polarised than political debate often implies.

The NILT survey from ARK, a joint Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University initiative, is an annual survey recording public attitudes to key social issues.

Support for language learning in schools was evident, with 45 per cent of respondents saying that learning Irish in school benefits children, while 31 per cent said the same about Ulster-Scots.

The survey also identified notable differences across age groups and gender.

Respondents aged 18-44 were generally the most supportive of Irish language initiatives, while support for Ulster-Scots was strongest among those aged 25-44. Women were more supportive than men of the inclusion in the school curriculum of Irish (48 per cent, compared with 42 per cent among men) and Ulster-Scots (34 per cent, compared with 29 per cent among men) and increased promotion from the Northern Ireland Executive.

This research update was conducted by Dr Aisling O’Boyle from Queen’s and Professor Lorna Carson from Trinity College Dublin. The questions on languages were supported by the Department for Communities.

Dr. O’Boyle from Queen’s commented: “The results of the NILT 2025 Survey have given us a really interesting picture of attitudes to the Irish language and to Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture. It reveals that there is robust positive public support for the Irish language and Ulster-Scots as a way of enriching life in Northern Ireland.”

Dr. Devine, Director of the NILT survey and from Queen’s noted: “For over 25 years, the Northern Ireland Life and Times survey has been recording public attitudes to key social issues affecting our lives. Given the appointment of the two language Commissioners, as well as an Office for Identity and Cultural Expression, the data provides timely information on language and identity in Northern Ireland.”

The survey also identified the top five most popular ways of learning more about Ulster-Scots and Irish including: visiting hairtlains (areas where Ulster-Scots has particular significance/provenance) and Gaeltacht areas (where Irish is the main language spoken); TV and radio; online courses; apps; and informal education.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0515/1573447-brexit-northern-ireland/

Large majority in NI see Brexit as failure, poll suggests

More than 70% of people, including a majority of Leave voters, agree that Brexit has been more of a failure than a success in Northern Ireland, an opinion poll has suggested.

The results of the research from Queen's University Belfast also indicate two-thirds of people in the region believe Brexit has made the break-up of the UK more likely.

The polling, carried out for Queen's by LucidTalk, suggests that close to half of voters (48%) do not agree that the 2016 Brexit referendum was based on a "fair democratic process", while 40% agree.

The report is the 15th in the 'Testing the Temperature' series on Northern Ireland voters' views on Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol/Windsor Framework, led by Professor David Phinnemore and Professor Katy Hayward.

Previous reports were produced as part of a four-year project led by Queen's and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

This latest poll was conducted between 17-20 April, using a weighted sample of 1,050 respondents from across Northern Ireland.

The survey found declining public understanding among respondents of the Windsor Framework, the post-Brexit deal between the UK and the EU aimed at reducing trading frictions between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Poll findings included that 72% of respondents agree that "Brexit has been more of a failure than a success for Northern Ireland". This includes 60% of Leave respondents.

66% agree that Brexit has made the break-up of the UK more likely, while 19% disagree.

More than twice as many agree (52%) than disagree (23%) that their Brexit-related identity, Leaver or Remainer, is "very important" to them.

46% of respondents now regard the Windsor Framework as "on balance a good thing for Northern Ireland", the lowest level since June 2021, while 38% disagree.

Confidence in the NI Protocol/Windsor Framework as a tool for managing Brexit's effects has declined, with only 46% now viewing it as an appropriate means of addressing Brexit in Northern Ireland, down from 61% in summer 2024 and equal to its previous low recorded in spring 2021.

Views among respondents of the framework's effects on Northern Ireland's relationship with the rest of the UK remain negative, including on its place in the UK internal market (44% negative vs 28% positive).

Perceptions of the Windsor Framework's economic impact are more positive than negative, 45% believe it has had a positive effect on the economy, while 37% believe its impact has been negative.

A majority of respondents (57%) believe the Windsor Framework offers unique economic opportunities, down from 68% in summer 2024.

A majority distrust either a Conservative-led (76%) or Reform-led UK government (70%) to protect Northern Ireland's interests in EU-UK relations.

The SDLP is the most trusted party among respondents on the Windsor Framework (38%).

The TUV is the most trusted unionist party (30%) on the issue, though it is also the most strongly distrusted (50%).

Prof Phinnemore said: "The poll provides further evidence that understanding of the Windsor Framework is declining.

"In part, this is no doubt due to the complexity of some of its arrangements.

"Yet the poll findings also show fewer voters believing reliable information is available.

"With the UK and EU negotiating new agreements that are expected to reduce trade frictions arising from the Windsor Framework, it will be important that the new arrangements are clearly and reliably explained.

"If they are not, then this will only further damage trust levels in the UK Government and the EU."

Prof Hayward said: "Ten years after the Brexit referendum, one in two voters in Northern Ireland still see their Leave/Remain identity as very important - across both camps and the political spectrum.

"This constitutes an additional layer of division broadly on top of existing ones.

"The need to manage this with compromise on both sides explains the region's unique post-Brexit arrangements, ie the Windsor Framework.

"It also helps explain why the majority of both Leavers and Remainers here believe - albeit for different reasons - that Brexit has been a failure for Northern Ireland."

The survey also suggested a preference among voters for closer ties with the EU - 59% of respondents oppose further loosening of UK-EU ties and 57% support the UK rejoining the EU, with strong gender and Remain/Leave divides.

Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents support Ireland using its EU Council Presidency to improve EU-UK relations.

More than half of respondents (58%) oppose leaving the European Convention on Human Rights while 36% support such an exit.

The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.3%.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2026/0430/1570952-springhill-inquest/

Inquest into 1972 Springhill shootings finds British soldiers 'lost control'

British soldiers who shot dead a number of people, including a Catholic priest, in Belfast more than 50 years ago "lost control", a coroner has said.

The five people were killed by soldiers in the Ballymurphy area in July 1972.

It took Mr Justice Schofield most of the day to deliver his 640-page ruling.

He said that the shootings had happened at a volatile period during the breakdown of an IRA ceasefire in the city.

The British Army's position was that the killings happened during a sustained gun battle.

The coroner said there may have been some "sporadic" firing by the IRA but the soldiers had not opened fire in response to a "co-ordinated" attack on their position.

The victims were a 13-year-old girl, two other teenagers, a father of six and a Catholic priest

The killings of 16-year-old John Dougal, David McCafferty (15), Margaret Gargan (13), Paddy Butler (38) and Fr Noel Fitzpatrick (42), all happened in the Springhill/Westrock area of Ballymurphy.

Two other people were injured.

They were fired on by members of the 1 Kings Regiment stationed in a timber yard close to Ballymurphy in west Belfast on 9 July 1972.

The incident began when something "triggered" soldiers to open fire on two cars in the locality.

He said the soldiers may have overreacted during the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire; the murder of two members of the Kings Regiment earlier that evening; and the call for IRA units to recommence attacks.

The coroner said one of the victims, John Dougal, was an acknowledged member of Na Fianna - the juvenile wing of the Provisional IRA.

While the coroner found there was suspicious activity happening in the vicinity that evening he said he was unable to determine whether John Dougal had been armed when he was killed.

But he said the 16-year-old had been shot in the back while running away and as a result the force used by the soldier responsible had not been reasonable and had been outside the rules of engagement under the British Army's Yellow Card rule.

The teenager should not have been shot dead in those circumstances, the coroner said.

Mr Justice Schofield said Fr Noel Fitzpatrick had gone to tend to the dead and dying in the area.

He was shot at the same time as Patrick Butler who was assisting him.

Ballistics suggested both were killed by the same bullet.

Neither had been armed and the coroner discounted an army suggestion that Fr Fitzpatrick might have been seeking to retrieve a weapon when he was shot.

The coroner suggested that may have been proffered as an excuse for killing a priest.

Both were "wholly innocent victims", the coroner found.

15-year-old David McCafferty was also in the same area. The coroner found that he had been hit potentially as he went to help retrieve Fr Fitzpatrick's body.

While he had been a member of the junior wing of the Official IRA, the coroner found he had not been armed and was not posing a threat when he was shot by the same soldier who killed Fr Fitzpatrick and Paddy Butler.

The teenager had been unarmed and was not involved in any offensive action, the coroner found.

The coroner said the soldier had opened fire from a position around 100m away and would have had a clear view.

The coroner concluded that the soldier must have known that no weapon was present and that he had "lost control" and opened fire on the group "without a proper assessment" of whether any threat was being offered.

The coroner said the case of Margaret Gargan was the one he found "least difficult" to resolve.

He said the 13-year-old had been hit by a direct, aimed shot as she talked to her friends .

She died immediately.

The coroner said it was difficult to second guess what had been in the soldier's mind.

He ruled that the soldier "had opened fire prematurely having lost control" following the first episode of shooting in the area and without having made a proper assessment of any risk posed.

The coroner said if he had reached such a conclusion it had been unreasonable.

He said the soldier's suggestion that he had opened fire on a gunman had been "self-serving".

Margaret Gargan had also been "wholly innocent", the coroner said.

The coroner said that soldiers who'd been interviewed at the time by the Royal Military Police had been given a cipher.

The cipher list which identified them by name had since been lost along with other military documents.

The coroner said it was "unclear how this came to be".

He said this lack of documentation made it difficult to identify the soldiers who fired the fatal shots.

He said none of the soldiers who gave evidence had been prepared to identify themselves as one of the ciphered soldiers.

He also said the IRA had failed to engage with the inquest in order to provide "clarity".

The coroner said he would take submissions on whether his ruling should be referred to the public prosecution service.

He said it seemed that such a referral would be necessary.

But he cautioned the relatives that due to the passage of time and the difficulty of identifying those responsible for the fatal shots, there was little prospect of prosecutions.

Relatives applauded as the coroner left the court.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/ireland-set-to-surpass-luxembourg-and-become-richest-country-in-europe-by-2030-imf-says-1892990.html

Ireland set to surpass Luxembourg and become richest country in Europe by 2030, IMF says

Ireland is set to displace Luxembourg and become the richest country in Europe by 2030, according to the latest economic projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The rankings in the IMF World Economic Outlook are based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita with purchasing power parity (PPP), which adjusts for price differences between countries.

They predict that Ireland will become the richest country in Europe in the next four years, with a GDP per capita PPP of around €168,000 compared to Luxembourg’s €154,000.

They are followed by Norway, Switzerland, and Denmark in the table. Of Europe’s five largest economies, Germany ranks highest in 12th place, with France in 15th, and the United Kingdom in 16th.

There will be a substantial gap between the top five countries and the rest of Europe, according to the forecast. Germany’s GDP per capita PPP is expected to hit €79,000, while the UK’s is predicted to reach €66,000.

Ireland’s GDP is distorted by the presence of large multinational companies, and some economists argue that Gross National Income (GNI) would be a better gauge of the country’s actual economic output.

Ireland would not feature in the top four countries in Europe by this metric, based on World Bank figures for 2024.

In separate rankings based on GDP in nominal terms without taking PPP into account, Luxembourg will still be the wealthiest country in Europe in 2030 with around €152,400 per capita compared to €137,800 in Ireland.

Other countries expected to do well in the coming years include the Netherlands and Malta, which are ranked sixth and seventh, respectively. Italy is forecast to be in 18th place, with Spain in 22nd.

The nations towards the bottom of the table include several EU candidate states. The poorest three countries are expected to be Ukraine, Kosovo, and Moldova.

The IMF has predicted real GDP growth of 2.5 per cent in Ireland this year. Its long-term projections are based on current growth trajectories and corporate investment patterns.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/kincora-resident-awarded-significant-six-figure-sum-in-damages-after-suing-over-sex-abuse-he-suffered-4IRJKOR7JVGGVON52R7RS36L74/

Kincora resident awarded ‘significant six-figure sum’ in damages after suing over sex abuse he suffered

Case centred role played by senior member of staff William McGrath, who became known as the ‘Beast of Kincora’

A former resident targeted by a paedophile housemaster at the notorious Kincora Boys’ Home has obtained a “significant six-figure sum” in damages, it was announced today.

The man, who is not being named, sued over the sexual and physical abuse he suffered after being sent to the facilities in east Belfast during the 1970s.

His legal action against the PSNI, Home Office and the Department of Health was resolved at the High Court without admission of liability or disclosing the level of payout.

But the man’s solicitor, Claire McKeegan, confirmed later: “My client is to receive a significant six-figure sum to settle his claim.”

The plaintiff sought damages for the ordeal he endured during the two years he spent as a teenager living at the now demolished children’s home.

At the centre of the action was the role played by senior member of staff William McGrath, who became known as the ‘Beast of Kincora’.

McGrath was jailed in 1981 for abusing boys as part of a paedophile ring operated within the care facilities. The former housemaster, who died in the early 1990s, also held a leading position in the far-right loyalist movement Tara.

McGrath was allegedly allowed to target vulnerable young victims as a suspected MI5 agent so that more information about the grouping could be obtained.

Claims for negligence, misfeasance in public office, breach of statutory duty, assault and battery were advanced as part of the action.

Lawyers for the plaintiff claimed the RUC exposed him and other residents at Kincora to further risk by failing to properly investigate or prevent the physical and sexual abuse.

Following the settlement Ms McKeegan, of Belfast firm Phoenix Law, stressed how her client was targeted at a particularly vulnerable stage in his life.

“The abuse from William McGrath has had a severe impact on this man and his family,” she said.

“This settlement provides a welcome vindication for him, who has endured a lifetime of trauma over what went on in Kincora.”

The solicitor added: “State-sponsored abuse of teenagers was systemic in Kincora, and suppressed to protect those in positions of power and authority.”

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/former-ulster-unionist-candidate-and-british-army-officer-linked-to-security-firm-asked-to-monitor-students-QMUCODFLGJA3LMZV427TGKPN5A/

Former Ulster Unionist candidate and British Army officer linked to security firm asked to monitor students

Tim Collins part of senior leadership of security consultancy company tasked with monitoring student groups involved in Palestine protests and animal rights

A security company linked to a former British Army officer and one-time Ulster Unionist election candidate was tasked with gathering intelligence on university students, it has emerged.

Former Colonel Tim Collins, who first came to prominence as a Royal Irish Regiment battalion commander in Iraq, is a shareholder and part of the senior leadership of the Horus Security Consultancy Group.

Twelve universities paid the company a total of more than £440,000 to open source monitor and provide information both on individuals and groups over three years to the end of March 2025, an online investigative news site has revealed.

One university provided the consultancy firm with a list of student protest groups it asked to be alerted about, including pro-Palestinian and animal rights activists, Liberty Investigates reported.

The investigation into the monitoring of protest activity and speakers was carried out in partnership with Al Jazeera.

Mr Collins, who unsuccessfully stood as an Ulster Unionist candidate in the 2024 general election, is listed as a shareholder in Horus Security Consultancy. He is also a directory and the main shareholder in a related company, Horus Global.

Horus Security Consultancy describes itself as a company that delivers “specialist high-quality intelligence and security consultancy, led by one of the most experienced senior leadership teams in the sector”.

The former RIR officer, remembered for his 2003 speech to troops before they went into action and who previously served in the SAS, was contacted for comment on the services provided to the universities. Horus Security was also contacted.

Mr Collins joined the company in 2020. It was established in Oxford in 2006 by Jonathan Whitely, a former lieutenant colonel in military intelligence.

Imperial College London, one of the universities that hired the security firm, denied its activities amounted to surveillance of students.

Horus was used to “help identify potential security risks to its community, which might include protest activity within the vicinity of its campuses. All this information is drawn from the public domain”, the university said.

Another, The University of Sheffield, told Liberty Investigates it used the company to “horizon scan” for issues which may affect the university, such as large-scale upcoming protests.

It added that it “did not share student data with Horus or brief it to monitor individuals and its priority is to maintain a safe environment while supporting lawful protest”, Liberty Investigates reported.

However, another university did ask for a “threat assessment” on a Palestinian-American academic invited to speak in a 2023 lecture series in memory of British student Tom Hurndall, killed by an Israeli sniper in Gaza in 2003.

https://www.irishnews.com/opinion/stephanie-chase-why-the-irish-still-have-to-explain-englands-history-to-the-english-NUVVT5ARIJDRRLEDRK433B3X6Y/

Stephanie Chase: Why the Irish still have to explain England’s history to the English

England’s ignorance of their own history is a much a part of their culture as football hooliganism, pork pies or afternoon tea

KATE Nash walks towards the Houses of Parliament holding a large white duvet with the words ‘The English don’t know their history’ written in big, black letters.

The statement from the English singer, whose mother was born in Dublin, is as bold as it is accurate, and will ring true to any Irish person who has spent significant time across the water.

The striking visual was part of the music video for Nash’s cover of Sinead O’Connor’s ‘Famine,’ a song that, since its release in 1994, has taught more people the truth about An Górta Mór than any British history book.

England’s ignorance of their own history is a much a part of their culture as football hooliganism, pork pies or afternoon tea (see, it’s not nice to be stereotyped).

Indeed, it is so prevalent that the opening verse from O’Connor’s song – “I want to talk about Ireland. Specifically, I want to talk about the famine, about how there wasn’t actually a famine” – went viral on TikTok.

It was used in videos by Irish people discussing their experiences in England, where they were confronted with a very English knowledge gap regarding Ireland and the two countries’ entwined histories.

These experiences ranged from a lack of understanding as to why six counties of Ireland were part of the UK, to believing the famine was caused by our unique love of potatoes. All with a good amount of Hibernophobia thrown in.

During the decade I lived in London, I could fill a book with my experiences, especially as a person from the north of Ireland.

After telling someone I was from Belfast, the question of if I was Irish or British would usually come next.

When I’d answer Irish, I’d wait for the ‘but you’re not really’ rebuttal.

I also often found myself having to answer questions about my religion, my personal experiences of the Troubles, and, of course, having my sentences repeated back to me in a childlike, whimsical voice.

Sometimes I’d bite my tongue and try my hardest to imitate an English stiff upper lip but the longer I found myself inside England, the more I embraced being an outsider, becoming the person who had to explain the who, what, and why of my home country’s situation in the country that caused it.

In a place where it feels like there’s an Irish pub every few miles, many English will tell you, with a smile on their face, how much they “love” Ireland.

They love the pubs and the ‘craic’, they love Paul Mescal’s tiny GAA shorts, and they love singing along to CMAT.

They also love a drunken St Patrick’s night out, dressed in green with oversized leprechaun hats.

What they don’t love is having this ‘appreciation’ called out for the Paddywhackery it is.

Like having a pint of Guinness poured over a ginger wig, it really dampens the party.

When leprechauns or our love of drinking are called out as stereotypes that were created to dehumanise us and justify centuries of oppression and cultural erasure, it either leads to confusion or anger.

Over there, anti-Irish sentiment is seen as a thing of the past, not something that has now been packaged into a ‘good-natured’ celebration of neighbours.

But we can’t blame the average English person for their lack of education.

England has always loved to keep its history a closely guarded secret from its people, pretending that the past is the past and the present is just happenstance.

Far from understanding empire and colonialism, the myth of Merry Old England becomes the good old days that the most ill-informed are fighting to get back to, and Churchill an example of Englishness at its most saintly and heroic.

While the effects of colonialism are still being felt around the world, England marches on in blissful ignorance, wondering why their flag is the one that can’t be celebrated.

They wander blindly through their multi-cultural cities missing every signpost that got them there.

Trying to educate a man tempted to attend a Tommy Robinson rally because he can’t hang a St George’s Cross outside his home about the history of the flag might seem like a waste of time.

But it is this lack of knowledge that leaves the country caught in a culture war where the right rallies the most misguided to fight for a society that never existed.

We shouldn’t have to do it, but Ireland will always be the one holding up a mirror up to England, reflecting how their past continues to impact the present.

Far from just remembering history, we commit to art, through stories and songs that resonate through generations, still battling ignorant questions posed by the very people who hold all the answers.