Alliance Party

History maker: Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill will be the first nationalist to hold the role of First Minister. Credit: Jonathan Porter / Press Eye

Premium

Jon Tonge Opinion It’s surely time to rip up the political rulebook

It is nearly a month since an Assembly election that resolved the sum of nothing. The Executive has been absent for nearly 40% of the time in over two decades of supposed existence. The Good Friday Agreement deserves a first-class honours award as a peace deal, but in terms of producing political stability, we are talking a lower second — and that could be grade inflation.

DUP MLA accuses Alliance and SDLP of ‘British intolerance’ after veto of Union flag for previously postponed NI centenary march

A DUP politician has claimed that “there is zero tolerance for any semblance of British identity within Stormont” after plans to fly the Union flag for a previously postponed NI centenary march were vetoed on Wednesday.

Success: Former First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson congratulates Naomi Long after she won the East Belfast seat in 2010. Credit: Julien Behal

Premium

Sam McBride Opinion Alliance could topple Sinn Féin and DUP as rivals still fail to understand party’s growing success

No party has grown more in the 24 years since the Good Friday Agreement than Alliance — and yet it was the Agreement which almost killed the party.

The Lisburn Road in Belfast. Credit: Google

Premium

Belfast road tops table for parking fines with 2,508 in two years as traffic wardens accused of being ‘over-zealous’

Our most notorious street for parking fines can be revealed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Managing Director of Thales Belfast, Philip McBride, on Monday. Credit: Liam McBurney/PA

No Stormont? No full wages for MLAs then, says Prime Minister

The Prime Minister has fired a missile across the bows of Northern Ireland’s MLAs by insisting he sees no reason why they should receive full wages as long as the Stormont stalemate continues.

Prime Minster Boris Johnson arrives at Hillsborough Castle ahead of meeting local political parties to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol. Credit: Jonathan Porter/PressEye

What they said: Politicians react to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Belfast Telegraph protocol article

In a lengthy article in the Belfast Telegraph, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his stall on the current issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol. He stressed that it needs to be fixed – not ditched entirely. Here's how politicians reacted:

Mary Lou McDonald, Vice-president Michelle O'Neill, John Finucane and Conor Murphy pictured during a press conference at Parliament Buildings in Belfast last Monday. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald accuses UK government of ‘choreography’ with DUP over lack of Stormont Assembly

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald has accused the UK government of choreography with the DUP over the latest crisis at Stormont.

Return: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is approached by a visitor at Stormont yesterday. Credit: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Premium

Donaldson defiant over DUP’s ‘shameful’ block on Stormont

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has insisted there is strong support among unionist grassroots for the DUP’s position on not nominating a Stormont Speaker, leaving the Assembly unable to function.

Way forward: Our politicians could learn something from Conversations with Friends

Premium

Gail Walker Opinion What my Conversations with Friends reveal about NI politics and why Stormont doesn’t work

The eagerly anticipated BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends starts tomorrow. It might seem unlikely but this novel by a thirtysomething bestselling writer has much to teach the crusty veterans of political conflict in Northern Ireland.

DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson with party colleagues. Credit: PA

Premium

Viewpoint Opinion Electorate don’t want to hear old same record

It was all so sadly predictable. But just because something is expected doesn't lessen the impact when it arrives.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 13th May 2022 - MLAs pictured in the Assembly Chamber, at Parliament Buildings, Stormont Estate at the first sitting of the new mandate.

Northern Ireland Assembly meets: Boris Johnson to visit Belfast – as parties slam DUP over failure to nominate Speaker

Boris Johnson will visit Northern Ireland on Monday in the wake of the ongoing row after the DUP failed to nominate a new Stormont Speaker on Friday.

Emma Little-Pengelly pictured on Friday morning as she arrives at Stormont (Presseye).

DUP leader accused of treating voters with ‘contempt’ as Emma Little-Pengelly returns to fill Donaldson’s seat at Stormont

The DUP’s Emma Little-Pengelly has made a dramatic return to frontline politics after departing from Stormont last year to focus on her legal career.

Premium

How much do Stormont MLAs and ministers get paid? Taxpayers will fork out almost £100k a week even if Assembly not sitting

Taxpayers face paying out more than £94,000 a week in wages to MLAs and ministers even if the Assembly is not sitting.

DUP's Emma Little Pengelly arrives at Stormont on Friday where she has been co-opted into Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's seat. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Premium

Suzanne Breen Opinion Emma Little-Pengelly is going places, maybe even Westminster

A co-option into Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s Stormont seat surprised no one, but the DUP’s choice as its latest MLA certainly did.

US President Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

US President Joe Biden calls on Boris Johnson not to rip up protocol agreement

The US President Joe Biden has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to rip up the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long leads out her new MLAs to talk to the press in the Great Hall at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. Credit: Jonathan Porter / Press Eye

Premium

Viewpoint Opinion Time those elected served the people

Day one of a new Assembly and instead of breathing new life into Northern Ireland we have a retreading of old ground which has been trampled so many times before.

‘Derogatory targeting’ of female politicians reported to police after MLA received ‘disturbing images’ during count

Personal attacks on female politicians in the run up to last week’s Assembly election have been reported to police after one MLA received “graphic and disturbing images” during the weekend’s election count.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said DUP will not re-enter Executive without protocol action.

Charities plead for Executive to be formed as nursing chief warns of ‘unimaginable consequences’

Public bodies and charities in Northern Ireland have called for the immediate formation of a Stormont Executive following last week's election.

Party leaders Naomi Long (Alliance), Colum Eastwood (SDLP) and Doug Beattie (UUP).

Premium

Malachi O’Doherty Opinion A non-sectarian future for Northern Ireland needs political middle grounds to assemble

Throughout the Troubles there was a prevailing theory about how peace and reconciliation might be brought about. That theory was that all government effort, aside from security, should go towards building up a political middle ground. This involved encouraging those who were opposed to the violence and who might be amenable to working across the sectarian divide.

Totting up the votes: Electoral staff check the ballots at the count centre in Magherafelt. Credit: Pacemaker

Premium

Jon Tonge Opinion It’s surely time to rip up the political rulebook

DUP MLA accuses Alliance and SDLP of ‘British intolerance’ after veto of Union flag for previously postponed NI centenary march

Sam McBride Opinion Alliance could topple Sinn Féin and DUP as rivals still fail to understand party’s growing success

Belfast road tops table for parking fines with 2,508 in two years as traffic wardens accused of being ‘over-zealous’

No Stormont? No full wages for MLAs then, says Prime Minister

What they said: Politicians react to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Belfast Telegraph protocol article

Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald accuses UK government of ‘choreography’ with DUP over lack of Stormont Assembly

Donaldson defiant over DUP’s ‘shameful’ block on Stormont

Gail Walker Opinion What my Conversations with Friends reveal about NI politics and why Stormont doesn’t work

Viewpoint Opinion Electorate don’t want to hear old same record

Northern Ireland Assembly meets: Boris Johnson to visit Belfast – as parties slam DUP over failure to nominate Speaker

DUP leader accused of treating voters with ‘contempt’ as Emma Little-Pengelly returns to fill Donaldson’s seat at Stormont

How much do Stormont MLAs and ministers get paid? Taxpayers will fork out almost £100k a week even if Assembly not sitting

Suzanne Breen Opinion Emma Little-Pengelly is going places, maybe even Westminster

US President Joe Biden calls on Boris Johnson not to rip up protocol agreement

Viewpoint Opinion Time those elected served the people

‘Derogatory targeting’ of female politicians reported to police after MLA received ‘disturbing images’ during count

Charities plead for Executive to be formed as nursing chief warns of ‘unimaginable consequences’

Malachi O’Doherty Opinion A non-sectarian future for Northern Ireland needs political middle grounds to assemble

Bill White Opinion Our opinion poll was not far wrong ... now can the politicians prove as effective?

Mark Bain Opinion Passengers arrive at Stormont for five-year voyage, but Assembly is going nowhere fast

Alliance Party’s Naomi and Michael Long to make history as first couple to hold Belfast lord mayor office

Brandon Lewis says Government is ‘ready to take further steps’ in Protocol row after meeting with Stormont leaders

Rosalind Skillen Opinion Green Party forged a path for others to follow, now the conversation must go on

Allison Morris Opinion Sinn Fein leads the way with women as lessons are to be learned for UUP

Alex Kane Opinion We have changes, yes, but the dynamics remain the same at Stormont after the election

Sam McBride Opinion How did Alliance get 17 MLAs with 116,000 votes and TUV get just one with 66,000?

Suzanne Breen Opinion Vibrant newcomers prove days of NI being a backwater are long gone

Sinn Fein largest party as all 90 MLAs confirmed after watershed election which redraws NI’s political landscape

At a glance: Winners and losers of historic Northern Ireland Assembly election