EXCLUSIVE STORY
COMMUNITY leaders in loyalist stronghold areas including east Belfast and the Shankill Road area of north Belfast are becoming increasingly panicking paramilitary activity around the anti-Protocol violence will see both governments (London and Dublin) pull the plug on loyalist community funding. 
PHOTO Credits: Pacemaker
The decision last week by the Irish government to order an audit on all grant aid paid out to so-called community groups since the signing in 1998 of the Good Friday Agreement has set alarm bells ringing in the community group sector. The overwhelming number of organisations working at ground level in the community are beyond reproach but there is concern that the presence of senior paramilitary figures in some of the anti-Protocol/anti-Good-Friday-Agreement groups could put the community funding in jeopardy.
North Down UDA commander Dee Stitt, flanked by two UDA volunteers in full paramilitary uniform reading out a paramilitary statement standing beneath a UDA mural.
People such as 'Harmless' Harry Stockman, according to sources served as the UVF's second in command, who took an early retirement package from Shorts to take up a £300,000-a-year post with a (legal paramilitary post) community initiative. Other senior figures such as North Down UDA commander Dee Stitt and alleged East Belfast Brigadier Jimmy 'Millions' Birch (pictured below) are among a raft of loyalist paramilitaries overseeing the spending of public money at a time when their organisations are both involved in civic disruption and organised crime. Stitt has previously claimed he is no longer a member of the UDA.
Alleged UDA East Belfast Brigadier Jimmy 'Millions' Birch
A spokesperson for the *orthern Ireland Office said said there was no indication that the British government was planning an audit but warned community founding was kept under constant review. "The UK government provides the *orthern Ireland Executive with founding to deliver public services, including support for community groups in *orthern Ireland. "Devolved administrations are fully accountable for the proper control and management of their public expenditure allocation. "For all UK government funding provided directly the appropriate oversight and governance arrangements are in place to ensure value for money."
With the Irish government demanding every cent sent north is accounted for, there are fears a huge question mark hangs over community funding. Political sources in Dublin point that one of the mainstays of community funding in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement was to aid in the rehabilitation of terrorist prisoners released under the terms of the deal. "It (funding) was in part aimed at helping people who otherwise were virtually unemployable whether that was in the form of job training or giving opportunities to those committed to peace to contribute to their communities. "On the whole that is what has been achieved but questions have to be asked about those in public funded jobs who are still at it, active paramilitary activity."
Dee Stitt and Jimmy Birch sat side-by-side.
The Sunday World understands senior loyalist figures including Stockman have held meetings with groups in republican areas over concerns about funding. Political concern is also growing that paramilitary activity around the anti-Protocol/anti-Good-Friday-Agreement campaigns will undermine electoral support for unionist parties.
The hoax bomb attack on Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney carried out the UVF's B Company, and the organisation's threat to escalate their campaign rattled-political parties who are anxious not to be associated with civic disruption.
SCARE
The UVF was also behind a security scare that closed the north-south rail link. The appearance of Doug Beattie's election poster with a noose around his neck ramped tensions up even further.
It sparked rumours that mainstream unionist politicians are now reluctant to share a platform with the likes of PUP leader Billy Hutchinson because of his party's connections with the UVF and his own terrorist history.
It is only a few short months since the four unionist political leaders attempted a show of unity in opposing the Brexit Sea Border.
That show of unity now lies in tatters, with TUV chief Jim Allister constantly attacking the DUP, and Doug Beattie stating his party will no longer attend anti-Protocol rallies because he believes they are stoking civil unrest and community tensions.
Follow these links to find out more on this story: This may be the last hurrah for anti-agreement unionism
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