Ulster Unionist Robin Swann is to step down as Health Minister when his general election campaign starts; He will be standing for the UUP in South Antrim in an attempt to gain the seat from the DUP’s Paul Girvan.
Simon Harris has become the youngest ever Taoiseach at just 37 years old. His appointment comes after Leo Varadkar’s shock announcement last month that he would step down from the position after being re-appointed to the role in December 2022.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said that is is “business as usual as far as the Executive is concerned” following the changes in the DUP’s ranks; Emma Little-Pengelly said that “people demand stability and delivery and that is what I will be focusing on”.
The North-South Ministerial Council is due to meet on Monday 8 April in what will be Leo Varadkar’s last official engagement as Taoiseach; The last meeting of the joint council was in July 2021.
Serving as MP for East Belfast, Robinson has been deputy leader of the DUP since June 2023, he has been an ally of Jeffrey Donaldson and was involved in the negotiations that lead to power-sharing being re-established.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has stepped down as leader of the DUP and has been suspended by the party after being charged with ‘historical sex offences’. Gavin Robinson MP is to serve as interim party leader.
The East-West Council was formed in the agreement that brought the DUP back to power-sharing and aims to improve business and educational links across the United Kingdom.
With Labour expected to come into power later this year, their Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has been meeting with ministers and parties at Stormont.
Blair was co-opted into the South Antrim seat formerly held by David Ford in 2018 and was re-elected in the 2022 Assembly election.
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