Gavin Robinson has invited new UUP leader Jon Burrows for talks on unionist co-operation. In a letter to DUP members, he said he “looks forward to working with Jon Burrows to see how our parties could co-operate and work together”.
The Alliance Party has seen their support drop to it’s lowest in five years, they’ve been overtaken by the Ulster Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Voice remain ahead of them, leaving them in fifth place.
Reform UK are considering setting up branches and contesting elections in Northern Ireland, according to reports from the Belfast Telegraph. Nigel Farage’s party have ended their electoral pact with the TUV.
Sinn Fein have seen a drop in support by two points in a recent poll by LucidTalk, but they are still maintaining their lead over the DUP, who are also down one point. The UUP and TUV are the only two parties from the main five to see a rise in support.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP has confirmed that his party intend to pull the Stormont Brake mechanism for the first time, after being introduced as part of the Windsor Framework. It is expected to pass with support from all unionist parties in the Assembly.
Colum Eastwood has said he will vote in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Commons on Friday – he is the only MP from Northern Ireland who will vote in favour, with every other party voting against.
The Electoral Commission has published the financial accounts for the political parties in Northern Ireland for the accounting period ending on 31 December 2023. Sinn Féin had the largest income followed by the DUP.
Politicians from a range of parties across Northern Ireland have been reacting to and condemning the violence and attacks in Belfast over the past week. The Assembly will meet on Thursday to discuss the violence following a recall petition.
The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party has announced that Councillor Timothy Gaston has been co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly to replace Jim Allister, who was elected to Westminster in the general election.