Other News In Brief

UUP Vote Against Proposed Executive Budget

The Ulster Unionist Party has voted against the proposed Executive Budget.

Explaining their reasoning for voting against the budget, party leader, Doug Beattie, said: "My party are voting against this budget because we are committed to standing up for our health service. We will not voluntarily exit the Executive because, as a party, we are committed to our patients, services and staff.

"We will continue to put health first, we will continue to call for other parties to stop paying lip service and start honouring their commitments.

"The Ulster Unionist Party have never shied away from putting the people of Northern Ireland first, quitting is simply not in out DNA.

"There can be no denying that the challenges facing the Health Service in coming years will be the most demanding in our lifetime. It will not be possible to ‘quick fix’ the impact of recent boycotts of government by both Sinn Fein and the DUP.

"Delivering the health service Northern Ireland deserves will take decades and require the unwavering and continued commitment of every party to recognise and prioritise this work.

"We understand the importance of good government and know that it is only with an Ulster Unionist Health Minister that the challenges our health service face can be given the support and leadership it needs."

Alliance MLA 'Appalled' At East Belfast GAA Security Alert

Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds has said he is "appalled" at those behind "yet another" security alert at the training ground of East Belfast GAA.

Speaking after the security, which was declared an elaborate hoax, Mr McReynolds said: "I'm absolutely appalled at those behind this alert, they have no regard for anyone in the community, nor do they represent the people of East Belfast.

"East Belfast GAA has garnered immense praise from our community, and rightly so. Their efforts to unite people through sports, fostering a better future in East Belfast, so everyone can live, work and play together in peace, is something to be celebrated and promoted.

"Yet the club has received a never-ending slew of threats and security alerts. Those behind security alerts like this are not interested in anything positive; instead, they are focused on creating division and destruction. They are unwanted in East Belfast or anywhere else, and I would urge anyone with information on this alert to contact police immediately."

Gregory Campbell Hits Back At Reform UK Over 'Bloody Nose' Comments

DUP East Londonderry MP, Gregory Campbell, has hit back at Reform UK, after Ben Habib said he wants to "dispose of the DUP and give us a bloody nose".

Mr Campbell said that as one who has survived much worse than this verbal assault from Irish republicans his response is that his vitriol for fellow Unionists is contemptible.

The DUP MP said: "Elections are the essence of our democratic process, and they offer people a choice as to who will represent them. In Northern Ireland there is a clear choice between those who will take up their seats in our national Parliament and seek to make Northern Ireland work within the United Kingdom, and those who sit outside Parliament and work to weaken Northern Ireland.

"Ben Habib will regularly point out the need to strengthen and secure Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom. That damage was inflicted by the Northern Ireland Protocol which we warned Mr Habib about, despite that he was in favour of it and voted for it. However, he is right that we should work to repair that damage. We are doing that while Ben complains about it. Such a task however is pointless if you are simultaneously working to weaken and degrade unionism from within.

"His comments implicitly seek to remove pro-Union representation in Parliament. That is the very definition of a self-inflicted wound and one which can only benefit those who wish to see unionism divided and diminished.

"As he offers to be the paymaster for unionist division in the TUV, we remain focused on moving Northern Ireland forward. Such attempts to deflect only highlight the absence of any strategy from those who pour such venom on the Democratic Unionist Party."