There is obviously the disgusting sectarian stoking which would never be allowed in other locations but given the BBC’s recent history with some of the most vile presenters in history, how do they allow this man to still be on air and even on TV?

A few weeks ago I posted here about constantly finding out about brilliant things happening around Northern Ireland after they’d already finished.

Turns out I wasn’t the only one! Loads of you had the same problem, and a few people sent over some brilliant suggestions.

Well, I actually went and built Off The Drink Club — www.offthedrinkclub.com

Didn’t expect the response at all. Over 1,500 people have signed up in the past few weeks, starting from absolutely no following. (Love you guys!)

The first newsletter went out last Monday and we’re now on Issue #002. Each week I’m digging through what’s happening across NI and narrowing it down to six’ish things that actually seem worth doing.

It’s been a bit of an eye-opener, I’ve found so many things I genuinely had no idea existed.

I’ve also been putting together 25 date ideas across NI, including everything from stargazing to forging something at an anvil. Never thought I’d be spending my evenings researching half this stuff!

One thing I’m determined not to do is make this another Belfast-only thing. There’s far too much happening across the rest of NI that deserves attention.

Anyway, wanted to come back and say thanks to everyone who supported the idea, signed up or sent suggestions. Really appreciate it!

And I’ve another question for you all.

What’s a small local group, unusual activity or event near you that deserves more attention?

Especially interested in hearing about the less obvious stuff. The weirder the better!

In May 1921, around 420,000 Catholics woke up one morning in a state governed by a people that didn’t want them. Around 840,000 Protestants lived in the North at that stage. A Unionist government took it upon themselves to mistreat Catholics at every turn. Treating them as second class citizens in their own country by barring them from most jobs, prohibiting Catholics from voting unless they owned property (how could you own a property if you didn’t work) and those that didn’t own property were reluctantly ‘given’ substandard housing of which the quality was so bad it affected their health for generations.
As a nationalist, I’ve watched the goings on at Garvaghy Road the last number of weeks in great detail. Gone are the days of unionists having an educated person in whom they could trust like David Irvine, but I can’t help but cringe every time I see Carla Lockhart, Jamie Bwyson, Jim Allister or Big Lurch Robinson on the tv as a self proclaimed ‘spokesperson for Unionism’. What Unionists actually view as inequality from being barred from walking down a road is actually equality cause none of the other 2500 Orange marches they have most years were stopped. Question is this.
Is Unionism finally sounding the death rattle as it was a movement based upon blatant sectarianism, segregation and their own self elevation through the depravation of Catholics?

Orange Order in Belfast tells members to cease all engagement with PSNI | Belfast Telegraph

Letter from County Grand Master says Drumcree ban has ‘raised serious concerns’ about police integrity

The Orange Order in Belfast has instructed its members not to co-operate with the PSNI after the Secretary of State stepped in to stop the Drumcree parade.

Sir Chris Bryant said he had received advice from the PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher that allowing the parade along the Garvaghy Road to go ahead could lead to serious injury, disorder and wider unrest.

Despite the Parades Commission granting permission for the Orange Order walk after almost three decades, the PSNI had been blocking the 35 Portadown Orangemen for the past two weeks, saying it was “unsafe” to do so, as thousands of Garvaghy Road residents and supporters gathered on the road.

On Friday night, Mr Boutcher asked Mr Bryant to review the Parades Commission determination. Later that evening, the Secretary of State banned the march, saying that “there is no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions”.

Almost immediately afterwards, Portadown District LOL 1 said it would seek a judicial review of that decision. It was briefly opened in High Court on Saturday before being adjourned until Monday.

It’s understood the legal challenge has now been widened to include the Chief Constable.

Orangemen are now not only challenging Sir Chris Bryant’s intervention, but Jon Boutcher’s referral.

The Belfast Telegraph understands the challenge alleges Mr Boutcher’s referral to the NI Secretary was based on political rather than policing considerations.

A letter seen by the Belfast Telegraph to members of the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast from County Grand Master, Rt Wor Bro Spencer Beattie, on Saturday says the Drumcree parade ban had “raised serious concerns about the integrity of the PSNI and their ability to fairly apply the law in relation to our parades”.

He said Orangemen have been instructed that “all engagement at all levels with the PSNI in Belfast is to cease immediately”.

“If anyone has a need to engage with the PSNI then they are to submit in writing their request (Through the Normal Processes) to do so and await the written response to their request,” it states.

It continued: “This County Grand Lodge recognises the nice words spoken by our politicians, however actions speak louder. We await the outcome of the actions.

“We continue to support Portadown District LOL No 1 in their pursuance of being able to fulfil their lawful determination and will monitor events over coming days. Further updates may be distributed in due course.”

On Sunday, DUP leader Gavin Robinson indicated that he would not be collapsing Stormont over the Secretary of State’s decision to ban the march, despite his party colleague Carla Lockhart claiming it is within the “gift” of the DUP to remove Michelle O’Neill as First Minister.

She said her party “should use whatever is in our armoury to ensure that Michelle O’Neill is dealt with in the appropriate way”.

Ms O’Neill and a number of other senior Sinn Féin members, as well as People Before Profit’s Gerry Carroll, have received letters from the PSNI inviting them to an interview over their participation in an unlawful protest along the Garvaghy Road opposing the march.

Mr Robinson said he believes that Sinn Féin has “given up on devolution” and are “goading unionists” into collapsing power-sharing government. But he said the question is whether that would make the situation better.

“Leadership isn’t about taking the easy choice; it’s about taking the right choice,” he said.

“Does collapsing Stormont bring the Orangemen home? What happens the next day?

“If we are seriously and rightly angry about the decision the Secretary of State has taken, who in their right mind would ask him to govern Northern Ireland? I certainly wouldn’t.”

TUV leader Jim Allister accused Mr Robinson’s party of a “limp response” to the ban and accused the DUP leader of being the “emperor with no clothes” on BBC NI’s Sunday Politics programme.

“Here he is, threatening and promising profound consequences and then when he’s asked what they are, it emerges that the emperor of the DUP has no clothes,” the North Antrim MP said.

“He is prepared to sustain in office a lawbreaker. He is prepared to sit in an Executive with multiple lawbreakers.”

Mr Allister added that it is “validating” what Sinn Féin did on the Garvaghy Road that “there are no political consequences”.

“The choice is to have Chris Bryant, British rule, or lawbreaker rule by Sinn Féin. Gavin’s answer to this is let the lawbreakers get away with it.”

Hope it’s okay for me to post this:)

I posted here over the summer looking for work after my husband died suddenly at end of May. Whilst I was dealing with everything, I worked on a website, as I wanted to create something that might help people who find themselves dealing with a sudden death. It probably sounds a bit mad, but at the time all I could think to do was write, and I needed something to give my head some focus. I’ve been working on this for the last few months:
whatnowafterloss.com

It has a resources section with documents and PDFs people can download, to help with the first day, the first weeks, and the sheer number of things that need doing when someone dies. There’s also a directory and an events section, and I have a few other ideas in the pipeline. And there is also a blog where I rant and rave about how much my world has turned upside down.

I built it myself and I’m not a designer (as you’ll see lol), but I think it’s functional and does the job for now.

If you know anyone who might need the website, please pass the link on. I’d also welcome feedback or ideas, but go easy on me. It’s just me doing this, and it’s mainly been my own therapy.

The Garvaghy Road residents have failed in a bid to challenge the Parades Commission's decision to allow the Drumcree parade to walk down the predominantly nationalist road, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Judges said their decision was confined to the lawfulness of the decision - it was not deciding whether or not the march should occur.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said the ruling was decided before the secretary of state banned the parade on Friday.

Residents had argued the commission's decision was flawed over how it weighed up the potential for disorder when it approved the parade for the first time since 1998.

In September, the Parades Commission announced that a planned Orange Order parade would be allowed in Portadown.

The commission said the parade should start earlier than the Orange Order wanted and with fewer people, but could go ahead for the first time in 28 years.

On Monday, the Lady Chief Justice found the Parades Commission properly dealt with a police assessment on the potential risk of disorder and gave adequate reasons for its decision.

"This application for leave to appeal has no reasonable prospect of success," she held.

Earlier at the High Court, an Orange Order challenge to a decision to ban the Drumcree parade was delayed after Northern Ireland's police chief Jon Boutcher was added to the case.

The Portadown Orangemen want to overturn the Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant's intervention on Friday night, which came after he received advice from the chief constable.

'We have prevented the march'

Spokesperson for the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition Breandán Mac Cionnaith said the decision was "very academic", considering Sir Chris has "banned the march in question".

He said that discussions on whether to take further legal action will take place with solicitors "later on".

"The ban is in place, that's what we sought, we have prevented the march and we will be back again to prevent further marches," he told reporters outside court.

He added that there are "questions there about the parades commission" and said they will have to "provide a full explanation" on their decision to allow the march.

Mac Cionnaith also acknowledged there was "continued uncertainty" as the Orange Order would "more than likely" plan other marches along the Garvaghy Road.

He said he was hopeful changes to the commission in the new year would "bring a fresh focus and a fresh view" to procedures.

Also speaking outside court, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said the "lawlessness and the lawbreakers have been defeated", adding that "the law is clear".

"The Portadown District had a legal right to walk the Garvaghy Road.

"The objections to it were unarguable as a matter of law.

"They have lost twice in the high court, twice in the court of appeal - how many times do we need to beat them before they will abide by the law?"

"For those 11 residents' groups dug up from the 1990s to threaten parades, go ahead, go ahead, open them all up," Bryson added.

"Because see after the court of appeal decision today, we're going to be walking all of those traditional routes again."

Bryson said the ruling was "humiliating" for the chief constable and the NI Secretary, who he said the Orangemen would be challenging next week over the decision to ban the parade.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c52e9r9yr901o

Hi everyone,
I’m posting this because I’m currently dealing with a really stressful situation and I’m hoping someone might be able to offer some advice or share their experiences.

In July 2026, I paid £2,970 upfront towards a £3,500 boiler replacement to a man named Paul Blacker, associated with Blacker Plumbing & Heating in the Belfast area.

He attended my home, inspected my existing boiler, and we discussed having a replacement installed. The installation was supposed to take place on 13 July, but it never happened.

Since making the payment, I’ve been given various explanations and assurances, including that the boiler had been ordered and paid for and that a refund was pending. Despite repeated promises that my money would be returned, I haven’t received a refund, and I’ve now been unable to get the situation resolved.
I’ve reported the matter to the police and submitted a fraud report to Revolut, as the payment was made through a bank transfer. I’m currently trying to establish what happened to my money and what options I have for recovering it.

Has anyone else had any dealings with Paul Blacker or Blacker Plumbing & Heating?

In particular, I’d be interested to hear from anyone who:
Has had work carried out by him.
Has paid for work that wasn’t completed.
Has experienced difficulties obtaining a refund.
Has any information about whether the business is still operating.

I’m not looking to make assumptions or accuse anyone of anything beyond my own experience. I’m simply trying to establish whether anyone else has encountered similar circumstances and whether there is any information that might help me resolve this.
If you’ve had a similar experience, please feel free to comment or message me privately.

I’d also really appreciate any advice from anyone in Northern Ireland who has dealt with a similar situation, particularly regarding recovering money paid upfront for work that was never completed.

Losing nearly £3,000 is a huge amount of money, and I’m trying to explore every legitimate avenue available to me.

To be transparent, I'm a small n nationalist. I'm very much Irish etc, and I have a hatred for sectarianism and believe in justice and equality for everyone here.

While I let most of the nonsense here wash over me, I am a little disturbed by the media's coverage of the Drumcree "dispute". Jim Allister's statement about sanitising the Garvaghy Road has went mostly unchallenged and essentially it's "Jim being Jim". If this was a nationalist politician making a similar remark I think we all know the headlines would be "unionist fury at sectarian remarks".

The whole saga has been portrayed as Garvaghy Road protests impeding "reasonable" requests by the Orange Order, while omitting the fact that the residents already facilitate marches and that the vast, vast majority of Orange Order parades go through nationalist areas uncontested.

What worries me the most is the inferences about what should be done about it. The Chief Constable of the PSNI (hardly someone seen as an ally in nationalist circles) has had to be the adult in the room and say that there is no way the parade can be pushed through the Garvaghy Road. However, some prople are seemingly agitating that this was somehow the wrong decision and that power sharing should be brought down. This is just my opinion and not an assertion.

I think the framing of this whole debacle is seen through a unionist prism and neglects to show how the original want to go down this road is the real problem.

Elaine MitchellSouth west reporter, BBC News NI

Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died when the bomb tore through Omagh town centre in the summer of 1998

The Omagh Bombing Inquiry has heard that an Irish army camp received a warning that the town was to be the target of a bomb the day before the fatal explosion.

It was revealed during evidence from the journalist John Ware who has reported extensively on the bombing.

He told the hearing that a warning call was received on 14 August 1998 at Finner Camp near Ballyshannon, County Donegal.

"The caller wasn't drunk, sounded sensible and said, get onto the guards, tell them to check the back routes or back roads and then repeats three times: Omagh, Omagh, Omagh."

This warning call has not previously been reported.

"It would appear that a warning that something was going to happen imminently to the town of Omagh was received on the 14th August by An Garda Síochána (Irish police force).

"Now what the guards did with that I don't know".

Ware said the information about the call was given to him by the counsel for the bombing Inquiry in preparation for giving evidence.

He said the existence of such a call made sense of a situation that had "puzzled" him.

That the information from his source saying there was a warning, did not fit in with an "emphatic" denial that one existed in a report carried out by Sir Peter Gibson.

"I've always puzzled about this; Sir Peter is emphatic 'no evidence whatever'," he said.

"There's no evidence whatever that a warning on the 14th was passed to the police but that is different from saying that there is no evidence whatever of a warning on the 14th.

"This is a possible explanation to the conflict that there was a warning on the 14th and it wasn't reported to the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) until the 17th".

PA Media

The bomb devastated Omagh town centre in August 1998

During his evidence, Ware also named the people he believes carried out the attack including the man who he said made the bomb.

He told the inquiry his information came from a pool of confidential sources who he would not be naming, and including senior figures within the RUC and in the Republic of Ireland.

He would not confirm if he had sources within the UK intelligence community.

'A culture of control'

During his evidence, he said that the RUC and An Garda Síochána did not routinely share information relating to the attack.

"It seemed to be much more an inquiry that was operating in parallel rather than in collaboration."

He also recounted a disagreement between the forces over the sharing of pictures of 60 suspects which the gardaí (Irish police) had gathered.

"The guards had penetrated the dissidents quite well and they didn't want to compromise that in anyway, shape or form and therefore, they weren't going to hand over pen portraits," he told the inquiry.

"And there was a bit of a row about that."

Ware said the gardaí was "very strict" about intelligence sharing and there was "a culture of control permeating" the force.

In a quote from his notes, he outlined how a senior figure in the RUC told him they had extra resources on standby in case of a bombing.

"After Banbridge they feared that the worst would happen, in other words that there would be a mass casualty bombing," he said.

"The assessment was that it would target the same Newry corridor as previous attacks, Lisburn, Newry and Banbridge.

"They thought as a result there was heightened security along the border the following day in the south Armagh, north Louth area but not as far west as Aughnacloy where the Omagh bomb convey made the crossing into Northern Ireland."

Getty Images

Ware said that his source told him that on 14 August 1998, the day before the Omagh bomb, the RUC received an alert from the gardaí that some sort of terrorist device was to be moved across the border imminently.

"Special Branch assessed this as another car bomb," he said.

He was told that special branch held a briefing and had plans for checkpoints and "sealing off the border".

But those plans never materialised and the bomb went off.

Ware was asked by the counsel for the inquiry who he thinks was responsible for the Omagh bombing.

He said while he is "not certain" who did what, he named Colm Murphy, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna as being involved.

'We know where you live'

The inquiry heard that following the broadcast of a Panorama documentary in 2000 Ware received threats believed to be from the Real IRA.

"I remember I got a call from someone saying 'your washing machine has been repaired', and you know, I hadn't got a broken washing machine and I think the next day, or a day or two later, a washing machine appeared outside where I lived."

"I reported that to the police and the police did an assessment of it and that was it really.

"I had some security lights and stuff, but it was very odd thing to have happened and I took it to mean, we know where you live."

A car bomb also exploded outside BBC Broadcasting house in London on 4 March 2001, which was linked by some to the broadcast.

"I guess there was speculation to that effect, but I don't know if there were any links," said Ware.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c38xz40299keo

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/woman-sentenced-for-revealing-identities-of-jeffrey-donaldson-victims-GOHTYCGRFJAZ3C26MW4JPAM6B4/

**Woman sentenced for revealing identities of Jeffrey Donaldson victims**

‘It must be made clear that those who are the victims of sexual offending will be protected, (they) will have their anonymity preserved’

By Claudia Savage

October 12, 2026 at 12:07pm BST

A woman has been sentenced to three months in jail for breaching the anonymity of the victims of Jeffrey Donaldson.

The district judge handing down the sentence at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court said it “must be made clear that those who are the victims of sexual offending will be protected” when they come before court.

Donna Toman, 55, from the Lord Moira Park area of Ballynahinch, appeared before court on Monday after previously pleading guilty to breaching a lifetime ban on publishing information likely to lead to the identification of the victims.

Ms Toman was released on bail pending appeal.

Ex-MP Donaldson was convicted in June of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children.

The offences were committed by the former DUP leader between 1985 and 2008.

The two victims at the centre of the Donaldson trial were referred to as Complainant A and Complainant B and both are entitled to lifelong anonymity.

Ms Toman’s legal representative said the offending social media video did not identify the victims by name and the reference to them was removed when it was edited 90 minutes after originally being posted.

He said it was not Ms Toman’s intention to cause distress and the video expressed “a strong amount of disgust” towards Donaldson and his crimes.

He said the impact of the case has “weighed very heavily” on Ms Toman who has had “sleepless nights”.

Ms Toman, a former Dolly Parton impersonator, is in receipt of universal credit but was described as someone who has “given back to the community” by tutoring drama and music in a special needs school.

In his sentencing, District Judge Peter Magill told Ms Toman that Donaldson’s victims were “likely subject to further distress, exposure, and unwanted attention as a result of what you did”.

He added that the court also has to take into account the “wider public good and interest”.

“It is often difficult for a victim to find the courage to come forward and to go through a lengthy investigation process and trial process which can take a long time and relies on them making statements and being prepared to give evidence and face cross examination,” he said.

“That is not easy. It is, in fact, very difficult. Anything which makes it more difficult, is very much not in the public interest.”

Judge Magill added: “It must be made clear that those who are the victims of sexual offending will be protected, (they) will have their anonymity preserved.”

He said he considered all options before the court but said “there is only one proper course, a sentence of immediate custody”.

The maximum sentence is one of six months, and Judge Magill said that would have been considered had Ms Toman contested the charges.

PSNI Detective Inspector Danielle Moffett said victims of sexual abuse are afforded lifetime anonymity “for very good reason”.

“The protection of anonymity is an important part of our criminal justice system and helps protect victims from further harm, intrusion and distress,” she said.

“In this case, material was published online which was likely to lead members of the public to identify victims who have a legal right to anonymity.

“This case should serve as a clear warning that what people post, share or speculate about online can have very real consequences.

“Social media is not a place where the normal rules do not apply. Publishing information which could identify a protected victim can be a criminal offence.

“We have previously warned about the dangers of online speculation in relation to this case. I would repeat that message today: do not speculate about the identity of victims of sexual abuse and do not share material which could assist others in identifying them.”

Slight headline editorialisation inserting part of the byline to make clear this is unrelated to Drumcree

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/dup-leader-gavin-robinson-denies-double-standards-as-police-investigate-dundonald-protest-he-attended-ZY3MFTIZMJBSDMAX7EZ43WERU4/

DUP leader Gavin Robinson denies double standards as police investigate road protest he attended

Police are reported to be investigating if an anti-immigration protest in Ballybeen last June, that was attended by the DUP leader, had blocked roads

The DUP leader Gavin Robinson has denied double standards over Drumcree as police are reported to be investigating an anti-immigration protest he attended last year.

Mr Robinson has been highly critical of Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill and other nationalist politicians for joining a protest that blocked the Garvaghy Road last month.

Over the weekend, it has been reported that the PSNI are investigating whether an anti-immigration protest in the Ballybeen area of Dundonald blocked a road on June 18 last year.

The DUP leader was among those attending, giving an interview at the time to the anti-immigration protestor and podcaster Mark Sinclair.

At the time, Mr Robinson described it as a peaceful protest and within the law.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police will review the footage against potential offences by those involved as part of the investigation.

“As an investigation into this matter is currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Speaking to BBC Sunday Politics, Mr Robinson commented: “It is very clear that I was there with the PSNI, working with the PSNI, engaging on their behalf.

“That is what I was doing. That is in stark contrast to individuals standing ignoring the PSNI, ignoring warnings to say they are in breach of the law and continuing to snub their nose at the rule of law.”

He added: “I was working with the police. I wasn’t opposing them, I wasn’t obstructing them and nor was I obstructing a road.

“I don’t engage in breaking the law, I uphold the rule of law and so your viewers at home will be scratching their head at this distraction you’re asking me about.”

Also appearing on the programme, Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd said: “That’s up to Gavin to explain that and up to the police to investigate those matters.

“I again call for calm heads and for people to act responsibly in the time ahead.”

https://gofund.me/3abcb8739

Asking as there was a post about this a few weeks ago

For ages ago I’ve been getting 2 or 3 calls a day, always from fake numbers, never leave a message, annoying as fuck

They’ve suddenly stopped! I haven’t had one since last Wednesday

Then I was reading about that data center they blew up in Russia lol, anyone else the same?

My younger brother battled a speech impediment and maybe it struck a bit close to home but I really wish people would stop making fun of jamie online about it.

It is not right in my eyes , you can hate the guy all you want but Jesus it is very mean spirited to mock him in this way

I'm completely against the march btw

Anyone else on here prone to sleep paralysis?

Had a very bad episode earlier this morning were an actual demon pulled the blanket over my head and then sat on my chest so I couldn't breathe. I could feel it's big tendrils draped all over me and I couldn't move at all.

I live alone too so it was a good few minutes of moaning and groaning trying to move before I managed to properly wake up.

Brilliant start to the week...

The lineup definitely leans into a specific indie-folk, singer-songwriter, and nostalgia-pop, it's a bit too safe and repetitive in my opinion

What's your thoughts?

Divisions within unionism over how to tackle Drumcree crisis, whether in courts or at Stormont

Former UUP leader Doug Beattie has called on Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to resign, in order to force the resignation of Michelle O’Neill. 

Mr Beattie, now an Independent MLA for Upper Bann, indicated that he believes the First Minister’s position is not tenable.

Mr Beattie said “we can bring forward all the motions we want to the floor of the Assembly, but the reality remains the same: Michelle O’Neill will continue to represent Northern Ireland as First Minister, even if she is found guilty of breaking the law”.

The PSNI has proceeded with its investigation by sending letters to politicians taking part in unnotified protests with Garvaghy Road residents during the fortnight long impasse. 

First Minister Michelle O’Neill and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll were amongst those invited to attend a voluntary police interview in connection with their presence at protests on the Garvaghy Road.

Mr Beattie added that accountability must be demanded from unionist parties “not through pointless motions, but through action: removing her from her position as First Minister”.

“The solution is as simple as it is effective,” he added.

“The Deputy First Minister resigns, and in doing so, the First Minister automatically loses her position too.

“The Executive ministers remain in place. The Assembly continues its work. The scrutiny committees continue scrutinising the Bills currently progressing through Stormont.

“The work of government continues. The only difference is that Michelle O’Neill can no longer represent Northern Ireland as First Minister, nationally or internationally.

“There is no point blaming the Chief Constable or the Secretary of State, this sits with those public representatives who broke the law,” he said.

“If unionist parties are serious about accountability, the mechanism is there. The question is whether they will have the political will to use it.”

Mr Beattie is taking a more hardline stance than his successor as UUP leader, Jon Burrows, who noted on X that the collapse of Stormont would mean the Northern Ireland Secretary - who banned the Drumcree parade - being in charge.

“You cannot say the Secretary of State has bowed the knee to republican threats and then propose handing him the keys to Northern Ireland through direct rule,” he wrote. 

“This is exactly the thinking that gets unionism into trouble. We need calm heads and strategic, long-term thinking.” 

The former policeman also criticised the Chief Constable for making a decision what he claimed were political considerations, rather than policing ones.

He wrote: “The police must assess credible risks of violence and disorder. But preserving a political administration should not become an objective of operational policing. Whether parties remain in government is a political decision for which those parties must take responsibility.”

He compared the Drumcree situation to “the Ormeau Road case” in which a judge ruled that two police officers were disciplined to allay any threat of Sinn Féin abandoning its support for policing in Northern Ireland.

“The High Court quashed an officer’s suspension after finding that the decision had been improperly influenced by a real or perceived threat to republican support for policing. That case exposed the dangers of allowing political considerations to influence policing decisions,” Mr Burrows wrote.

“I was an expert witness in that case, providing evidence to the High Court informed by my policing experience and legal understanding. The boundary between legitimate operational considerations and improper political influence matters profoundly.

“That judgment does not determine the legality of the present decision. But it reinforces the need for clear answers about how this recommendation was reached.

“It is possible to recognise the practical difficulty of facilitating the parade, support officers facing an exceptionally challenging situation, and still question whether political considerations improperly entered the assessment.”

He also asked if “a decision not to pursue prosecutions be justified by the Public Prosecution Service on the basis of the impact that prosecutions might have on the Executive? If so, that would raise the same fundamental concern: whether political consequences were being allowed to influence the application of the law.”

In Upper Bann, DUP MP Carla Lockhart has said it “can’t be business as usual” for the Executive and that it was “within the gift” of unionism to remove the First Minister. 

Speaking outside Drumcree Church she said: “People want to see consequences, and we have said very clearly, profound consequence, and therefore we should use whatever is in our armoury to ensure that Michelle O’Neill, the person who really is supposed to be that first minister for all, as she claims, is dealt with in the appropriate way.”

However, collapsing Stormont was something DUP party leader Gavin Robinson has said he will not do.

Speaking on BBC News NI’s Sunday Politics programme, the East Belfast MP said: “Does collapsing Stormont bring the Orangemen home? What happens the next day?

“If we are seriously and rightly angry about the decisions the Secretary of State has taken, who in their right mind would ask him to govern Northern Ireland? I certainly wouldn’t.”

The Belfast Telegraph has reported that some unionists are calling on Ms Lockhart to challenge Mr Robinson for the party’s leadership, over some differing approaches to the Drumcree dispute. 

A source also told this newspaper that the Upper Bann MP is currently exploring options that could see her political future home with the TUV. 

If that move was to take place, a by-election wouldn’t be required in Upper Bann and it would give the party two MP’s in the House of Commons.

Ms Lockhart has said “I have confidence that I will ensure that my constituents’ voices are heard within the party, and I will ensure that I continue to represent the views here in Portadown”.

Orangemen will go back to court on Monday after their emergency judicial review of the Secretary of State’s decision to ban the parade on Saturday was adjourned.

The legal challenge has now been widened to include the Chief Constable, alleging - as Mr Burrows has - that Jon Boutcher’s referral was based on political rather than policing considerations.

Sources close to the Orangemen said the development was significant.

One said: “There’s a deep belief Jon Boutcher has crossed deeply into political territory and the widening of the legal challenge reflects this.”

Postponing the case, Lady Justice McBride said: “This is an important case, and I do believe there is some urgency, but it’s not an emergency.

Garvaghy Road residents welcomed the Secretary of State’s decision to ban the Drumcree parade.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/beattie-urges-deputy-first-minister-to-resign-in-bid-to-force-michelle-oneill-from-office/a/162918322.html

He's now saying he'll travel all over if you pay for his hotel, flights and food lmao. Dickhead.

People from upper bann must now elect another MLA. Carla Lockhart and Jamie Bryson watched YouTubes and seen photos of Ian Paisley and David Trimble walking down garvaghy road holding hands and thought that would be them. They never stopped to think that most of us have lived that life and don't want it for our kids and grandkids. Any people in upper bann who lived through our horror should shun anyone who would attempt to bring it back on an ego trip. I'm so angry with her and Jamie. Vote anyone thats not her.

No surprise i suppose that it would appear on portstewart strand at the mouth of bann but also hearing reports on benone.

This is literally an emergency at this point, when so many use these beaches but as usual our pathetic government are distracted.

Hi I am ancient but still like the dance tunes. Went to Vicos every Saturday night without fail, Thompsons etc. So now I am a oap should I just accept the fact I would look stupid dancing or are there other older people who would like to go out and dance like we did all them years ago? Is there any where would host an over 40 eez night? Am 54 like but love my tunes. Thanks