DUP welcomes the Prime Minister to Northern Ireland
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DUP Leader Arlene Foster pictured with Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP, meeting Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday evening.
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On Tuesday evening DUP Leader Arlene Foster MLA met Boris Johnson on his first trip to Northern Ireland as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister then met political parties at Stormont House on Wednesday.
Arlene Foster said, "Our meetings with the Prime Minister were constructive and useful. We discussed our shared objectives of strengthening the Union, delivering Brexit and restoring devolution in Northern Ireland.
The Confidence & Supply Agreement between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party remains. That Agreement included a review between each Parliamentary session. This will take place over the coming weeks and will explore the policy priorities of both parties for the next Parliamentary session.
It is depressing that others complain about our Confidence and Supply Agreement. We will not apologise for delivering an extra £1billion for the people of NI. Our C&S agreement means extra money for education, health, broadband and our roads and infrastructure.
We look forward to continuing to work with the Prime Minister for the good of all in Northern Ireland and throughout the United Kingdom."
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Portrait of The Queen should be reinstated - Robinson
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Gavin Robinson MP speaks to the BBC after it emerged the NIO has removed pictures of Her Majesty The Queen, in Stormont House.
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The DUP’s East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson has called on the Northern Ireland Secretary of State to reinstate photographs of Her Majesty The Queen in Stormont House.
Mr Robinson said,
“Whilst the Secretary of State Julian Smyth has a small photograph of Her Majesty The Queen in his office, this does not address the wider issue. He needs to act.
The Equality Commission has explained how these photographs were not automatically incompatible with the work environment. The Secretary of State should engage with the Equality Commission to understand the parameters.
Sinn Fein should also give leadership on this issue, to show they respect the constitutional reality. When people say they want respect and tolerance, it is important that these very attributes are shown to the position of Northern Ireland where the head of state is The Queen. There should be an acknowledgement that people have an identity, which should be displayed and understood in an appropriate way.
We cannot have a society in which we strip colour and identity out. That will only ruin community relations and will not help society to move forward together.
The DUP has raised this issue with the Prime Minister and the Northern Ireland Secretary of State. There should be a sensible approach to issues like this. The portrait should be reinstated forthwith. The Northern Ireland Office should reflect the reality that it is a branch of the United Kingdom government. There is no shame in that.
I will also be working to understand the full context of how this position came about, how it was resolved in this way and how a similar situation would be handled in the future. The public deserve answers.”
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DUP Leader to meet Fire Brigades Union
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DUP Leader Rt. Hon. Arlene Foster MLA will meet with the Fire Brigades Union on Monday (5 August).
This meeting relates to news that the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service is planning “risk assessed temporary measures” which could lead to five full-time fire stations being reduced to part-time cover.
Speaking ahead of the meeting Mrs Foster said,
“Our Fire and Rescue Service provide a vital service to everyone who lives or works in Northern Ireland. The dedication and bravery of our firefighters saves lives in the most challenging circumstances. They regularly place themselves in danger to save protect life. They must be properly paid and equipped.
I am deeply concerned by plans to reduce cover in five provincial stations. I want to use this meeting to gain a better understanding of the challenges. My core concern is the safety of people living in Northern Ireland.
Budget realities will always exist. There is no infinite supply of resources but this public service crosses all boundaries in Northern Ireland and stands between life and death on a daily basis.
It is far from ideal that we have no Executive nor Ministerial oversight of the NIFRS for the last two and a half years. Whilst a local Minister would still be operating in a fiscally tight environment, they would have been getting to grips with this matter at much earlier stage.”
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Campbell comments on Mary Lou’s border poll somersaults
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Gregory Campbell MP
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The DUP’s East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said,
“Sinn Fein is big on anniversaries but not when they mark Mary Lou’s u-turns.
It is exactly one year ago to the day when Mary Lou said if the UK was to have a no deal Brexit, the climate would NOT be right for a border poll. Now on this ‘first anniversary’ she announces again that there ‘has to be’ a border poll.
Rather than trying to tell unionists they would be accommodated in a United Ireland, Sinn Fein would be better to prove their commitment to a shared future by showing respect to unionists in Northern Ireland today.
Sinn Fein continues to chase fantasies of a ‘new Ireland’ but fail to afford unionists and the British identity any respect. They don’t even pay lip service to it.
Mary Lou McDonald and her party must have their heads in the clouds. They are so blinded by their dreams of a United Ireland, they don’t even see the reality on the ground. Our hospitals and schools need locally elected Ministers in place to deal with mounting issues but Sinn Féin’s focus is on a narrow republican agenda.
Only one party stands in the way of devolution. That’s Sinn Fein. Having collapsed it to seek electoral advantage, they seem incapable of being able to put it back together again.
Having lost tens of thousands of votes at the recent elections, Mary Lou should recognise that people care more about their hospitals and schools than her rhetoric about a United Ireland.
Sinn Fein need to face up to the reality. It’s time for them to start working for all in Northern Ireland and form a functioning Assembly.
The DUP have been ready to do it every day, for over two years.”
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DUP Environmental Policy
Pre-Consultation Paper Released
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Paul Frew MLA today called for interested groups to engage with the DUP as it works to develop new policy on the environment for all levels of our government. He said:
“The DUP wishes to see a long-term approach to the environment that can deliver:
- A healthy, greener and pleasant place, region, country and world.
- Grow and develop economically while passing on an environment as good if not better than our generation received it.
- Gain economic advantage by seeking to be in the forefront of technical innovation to achieve environmental goals that are common across the world.
To this end we are beginning a substantial consultation on the approaches the DUP should support and implement at all levels of government – Westminster, Assembly and Councils. I encourage those organisations and communities interested in this topic to engage with our Policy Unit in the coming weeks and months and ensure their views are heard.”
The purpose of the pre-consultation paper is to ensure the right themes and relevant issues have been identified. It will be followed by a full public consultation paper and then a final report. This will involve policy engagement internally and externally.
Only the final report represents DUP party policy.
The full document can be downloaded at: http://www.mydup.com/publications/view/our-green-and-pleasant-land-pre-consultation-paper
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Dates for your Diary
- Annual Party Conference - 25th & 26th October - Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaws Bridge Belfast.
- Autumn Policy Forum - Saturday 7th September
- New Agriculture Support Policy (Border constituencies) - Tuesday 24th September
For more information or to express interest in events where not otherwise indicated, please email [email protected] |
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