HIDING | Michelle O’Neill says serving under a Sinn Féin First Minister is the real reason behind DUP boycott

She accused Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s party of trying to “hide behind the issues of the protocol”

        Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle                               O'Neill - ©PA

               October 30th, 2022. 

Michelle O’Neill has claimed the DUP’s reluctance to serve under a Sinn Fein First Minister is behind the party’s Stormont boycott.

She accused Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s party of trying to “hide behind the issues of the protocol” in not returning to the Assembly.

The DUP's boycott is part of a campaign of opposition to the post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The party says it will not return to powersharing until decisive action is taken to remove economic barriers on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

It means the Assembly has not functioned since May’s election, when Sinn Fein emerged as the largest party for the first time.

Ms O’Neill, who is designate First Minister, appeared on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday show.

Asked if she believed the DUP was uncomfortable sharing power with a Sinn Fein First Minister, Ms O’Neill said: “Yes, I don’t think it’s lost on the wider public out there that the DUP don’t like the May election result.

         Part of the statement from the                Loyalist Communities Council (LCC)               regarding the post of first and                            deputy first ministers 

“I don’t think it’s lost on the wider public that they have difficulty in forming a government to be a deputy first minister to my mandate which is to be the First Minister, given the recent election results.

“So I think it’s not lost on people that that’s actually the real motivation here.

“But the DUP hide behind the issues of the protocol, they hide behind all of that.”

Ms O’Neill said she wanted “very mature, sensible political discussion between the British Government and the EU side” on the protocol.

She also urged for efforts to be ramped up to find an agreed way forward, saying that will provide certainty and stability as well as "remove any pretence by the DUP in terms of forming an Executive" with Sinn Fein.

Earlier on the programme, Sir Jeffrey denied the DUP is reluctant to enter a new Executive with a Sinn Fein first minister.

He told Sky: "This is not to do with who is the first or deputy first minister... this is about the union. It is about unionists feeling they have been made second-class citizens as a result of a protocol that diminishes and undermines our place in the United Kingdom.”

Ms O'Neill indicated that she does not want to see another election but it is necessary because the result of the last poll in May has not been respected.

She blamed the DUP, telling Sky: "They have failed to accept the outcome of that election, they have failed to form a government, and they failed to work with the rest of us to get people through these times.

"We shouldn't have to have an election... but unfortunately that election result is being disrespected.

"What we have at this current moment in time is six months post that election, we have a state of limbo, we have no government in place, we have no ministers in post, we have nobody taking decisions in the interests of the people and it's just not acceptable. It's just not good enough.

With many thanks to the: Sunday World for the original publication. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: EXCLUSIVE: Suella Braverman was investigated over claims she leaked sensitive details about the NI Protocol earlier this year. It's the third leak inquiry into the Home Secretary this year.....

Michelle O’Neill says serving under a Sinn Féin First Minister is the real reason behind DUP boycott

Royal Navy investigates after numerous women come forward with abuse claims

The head of the Royal Navy has ordered an investigation into allegations of bullying and sexual harassment against women in the Submarine Service.

            IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA 

Several whistleblowers who served in the fleet told the Daily Fail they faced mistreatment from all ranks.

Adm Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord, called the claims "abhorrent", adding "sexual harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated".

"Anyone who is found culpable will be held accountable," he said.

The allegations, revealed in detail by the Mail, include male crew members compiling a list setting out the order in which women would be assaulted in the event of a catastrophic event.

One woman told the Mail she was sexually assaulted by a man of a higher rank as she slept. She claimed one senior officer punched her in the kidney.

READ MORE: 

▪️Female RAF officer resigns over diversity targets 

▪️What is going wrong at the RAF? 

▪️RAF staff concerns a priority, says chief

She alleged that another left naked pictures of models for her and posted 50p coins into her cabin, suggesting she would perform a sexual act in return.

Other women alleged they were frequently asked to perform sex acts and were often screamed at and hit with clipboards and pens.

It is claimed the abuse has been happening for more than a decade, after a ban on female recruits was lifted in 2011.

Louise - not her real name - spent several months at sea on board Royal Navy warships and says sexual harassment is rife in the navy because it is "normalised".

"It's like they're all living in a parallel universe out there," she tells the BBC.

"The night before they hit shore - unless they are on duty - they drink ridiculous amounts."

Louise, who is in her 40s, sees alcohol as a key trigger to the unacceptable behaviour she experienced during her stints on board two ships in 2019 and 2020.

She told the BBC about one occasion, in 2019, when an officer stuck his hand up her skirt while they were drinking in the Officer's Mess.

When she protested and put a stop to things by announcing she was returning to her cabin, the officer followed her to her room.

"He thought me going to bed was an invitation," she says.

"He hammered on my door, condom in hand. He wouldn't take no for an answer."

Even the morning after - having eventually given up his pursuit - there was no apology forthcoming: "He thought it was totally normal behaviour."

The Ministry of Defence has been contacted about Louise's allegations, but is yet to respond. The incident was not reported at the time.

"I worry about these boys," says Louise. "It's not their fault if they are told this is normal. It's a culture. No one above them is setting an example."

"The Navy needs to wake up and realise this is not the way the world operates."

Former Navy Rear Adm Chris Parry told the BBC's Today programme he believed the issue was also a reflection of wider society.

"I'm afraid some of the sexualised behaviour that we see in the normal working place is transferred to submarines, as you would expect, and of course in a compressed environment everything becomes exaggerated," he said.

He said the issue requires leadership, including "zero tolerance from the top down and the bottom up" when it comes to accusations of sexual harassment.

He added that when he commanded ships with a mix of genders he took "very seriously" accusations of assault.

Emma Norton, from charity the Centre for Military Justice, said any investigation would still involve "the Royal Navy investigating the Royal Navy".

"What a lot of campaigners and service women have been calling for many, many years, is for those responsible for investigating serious complaints like this to be taken away from the single services and handed to an independent body," she said.

The Submarine Service is "unseen and unhindered," according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) website, which says it has "built an enduring reputation for professionalism and courage".

The service includes the Vanguard Class submarines that provide the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Figures revealed in a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that, as of 2019, just 1% of Submarine Service personnel was female.

Responding to the allegations, Adm Sir Ben said: "I want to reassure our people, and anyone who is reading this, that any activity which falls short of the highest of standards the Royal Navy sets itself is totally unacceptable and not a true reflection of what service life should be.

"These allegations are abhorrent. Sexual assault and harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated."

The MoD said that while most navy staff enjoy rewarding careers, some personnel, predominantly women, have been affected by inappropriate sexualised behaviour.

It said it accepted more needs to be done to improve the experience of all personnel and mechanisms for reporting sexual offences were being improved.

The whistleblower who told the Mail she was sexually assaulted by a man of a higher rank as she slept no longer serves in the navy. She was dismissed from service over a separate incident and given a suspended prison sentence for disclosing classified information that compromised security.

In 2019, the Ministry of Defence published a detailed report on inappropriate behaviour that included dozens of recommendations on how to tackle the issue. This included improving the complaints system and processes, encouraging more complaints, and dealing with them better when they occur.

"Ultimately, however, the challenge of inappropriate behaviour can only be addressed through a determined effort across the whole force to change the culture, driven persistently from the top," the report said.

Earlier this year, media reports emerged detailing allegations of bullying, drinking, misogyny and sexual harassment in the Red Arrows. 

A series of incidents within the flagship aerial display team prompted the Chief of the Air Staff to order an inquiry, which has yet to report.

Last year, Diane Allen, a retired lieutenant colonel from the British Army, said the military needed its own Me Too moment, referring to the movement which saw people share their experiences of sexual harassment.

With many thanks to: BBC UK News (Twitter) and Aoife Walsh and Victoria Lindrea for the original story. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: 'They'll always be the RUC to me'! pictures believed to have been taken of a suicide victim by PSNI/RUC officers, which were later shared contained graphic and sectarian content

PSNI/RUC officers exchange sexist, pornographic and sectarian and racist messages, Spotlight reveals

British Government tried to prevent BBC News exposing MI5 Agent who used his secret status to terrorise and sexually abuse his partner.

MULTIPLE CHARGES | PSNI/RUC officer facing trial over child prostitution, indecent images and sexual communication charges

Royal Navy investigates after women come forward with abuse claim.

RUTHLESS | Dublin mobsters cruise loyalist Shankill in search of UFF drug boss Mo Courtney

The appearance of a Dublin-based gang in the heart of the loyalist stronghold has sparked alarm

    Denis 'Dopey' Cunningham, left, with

   UDA boss Mo Courtney 

                  October 27th, 2022. 

Dublin mobsters cruised Belfast's Shankill in search of UFF drug boss Mo Courtney, the Sunday World can reveal.

A carload of men pulled up outside the offices of the Lower Shankill Community Association on Thursday evening just as UDA mouthpiece Denis ‘Dopey’ Cunningham was locking up for the day, a source has claimed.

     UDA/UFF West Belfast Brigade, 'A'-                               Company 

He was so startled he dropped the shutter keys before denying any knowledge of the guns incident or Courtney’s whereabouts and then scuttling away.

Former jailbird Cunningham reportedly remains a commander in the terror group but continues to work for the publicly-funded community group.

He gained notoriety for reading statements on behalf of the UDA while wearing his tell-tale specs outside his balaclava.

READ MORE: 

▪️UDA chief Mo Courtney hires new dealer to head-up his drugs operations 

▪️BATTLE LINES | Dublin cartel threaten UDA boss with ‘holocaust’ war after claims loyalist robbed gun stash.

The appearance of a Dublin-based gang in the heart of the loyalist stronghold has sparked alarm.

The Shankill has long been a UDA/UVF stronghold where the rival groups dominated and controlled criminal rackets such as extortion, loan sharking and drugs.

The influence of south-based drug gangs in the North has been on the increase in recent years with a number of outfits relying on the likes of the Kinahan cartel to supply their drugs.

Southern crime bosses have shown no hesitation in the very heart of Belfast with a series of gangland murders in recent years.

Sources have told us paramilitary chiefs have no desire to be caught up in a conflict with cut-throat gangs from the south.

The Dubliners have brought a new level of ruthlessness to the criminal underworld where the rule is shoot first and ask questions later.

The Sunday World understands it may already be too late for Courtney to save his skin and now finds himself in a near impossible position.

Threatening messages and videos have been shared on social media including one purporting to be from Los Pepes in which the senders allege certain people have installed drops bars in their home, accusing them of “hiding under their beds”.

Los Pepes, comes from the Spanish phrase “Perseguidos por Pablo Escobar” which translates as “Persecuted by Pablo Escobar”, and was a vigilante group composed of enemies of the Columbian drug tsar.

They waged a small-scale war against his cartel which ended after Escobar was shot by police in 1993.

Sources have indicated those hunting Courtney and his right-hand man will not rest until they get satisfaction.

With many thanks to the: Sunday World and Richard Sullivan for the original story. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: Leading loyalist 'changed his floor after stabbing man and slashing his face to the bone'

IF Carlsberg done the protocol protests they probably wouldn't ask the PSNI if loyalist paramilitaries had been involved

BATTLE LINES | Dublin cartel threaten UDA boss with ‘holocaust’ war after claims loyalist robbed gun stash.

Dublin mobsters cruise loyalist Shankill in search of UFF drug boss Mo Courtney

CRIME WORLD | How the Troubles hid history of collusion between loyalists and the security forces.

                  WORLD CRIME 

Nicola Tallant talks with Hugh Jordan about some of the historical murder cases which show concerning links to security forces

   Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair along with his       government (state agents) in UFF's 'C'                       Coy, 2nd Battalion 

                   October 27th, 2022. 

Suggestions of collusion between security forces and loyalist paramilitaries has long been denied when it comes to the North of Ireland’s Troubles, but it seems that the passage of time has a way of unearthing deeply-hidden secrets.

READ MORE: 

▪️EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | Woman who passed information to terror gang before murder says 'I didn't do anything wrong'

▪️MAJOR COLLUSION | How ex British Army major who leaked information to UDA terrorists leading to murder rose through army ranks

Nicola Tallant talks with Sunday World Sunday World journalist Hugh Jordan about some of the historical murder cases which show concerning links to security forces.

Johnny Adair along with fellow members                       of his UDA brigade 

He recalls the Ulster major and his female sidekick who passed information to Protestant paramilitary killers who went on to target an innocent Catholic man, about the elite commando who fed information to Johnny 'Mad Dog' Johnny Adair and about the violent 'C' Company and their belief they could ethnically cleanse the North of Ireland of Catholics. 

Crime Word Podcast can be found on Spotify, Google Podcasts,and Soundcloud.

Listen to this audio: Episode 174: How the Troubles hid a history of collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and security forces

M. Sunday World 

MORE EPISODES - 

- READ MORE ↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️

▪️Episode 173: The murder trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch - The 'kill team' caught on camera

▪️Episode 172: The murder trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch - the movements of the gangland hit team

▪️Episode 171: George 'The Penguin' Mitchell, the underworld bagman and the mystery godfather of crime

▪️Episode 170: The dramatic opening to the murder trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch

▪️Episode 169: The sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall for his role in the Regency Hotel murder

▪️Episode 168: The undercover customs officer who infiltrated the world's most-feared drug cartels

▪️Episode 167: The secrets behind Ireland's witness protection programme

↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️↔️

With many thanks to the: Sunday World and Nicola Tallant for the original publication. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: The Political wing of the UVF the PUP statement the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Good Friday Agreement which they have stated they it longer supports

IF Carlsberg done the protocol protests they probably wouldn't ask the PSNI if loyalist paramilitaries had been involved

How the Troubles hid history of collusion between loyalists and the security forces.

The TUV (Party of Hate) accuse BBCNI of Sectarianism over New GAA Broadcast Deal

A prominent Unionist group in Northern Ireland has slammed the BBC's involvement in the new GAA broadcasting deal, and has suggested that their choice to continue showing GAA is an example of their "bias" against the Unionist side in Northern Ireland.

                 October 27th, 2022.

As part of the new GAA TV deal, BBC NI will continue to carry the Ulster SFC, as well as adding coverage of crucial All-Ireland series games, and a simulcast of both All-Ireland finals across the wider BBC network. Their increased broadcast of the sport comes indirectly as a result of Sky Sports' departure from their deal with the GAA earlier this week.

              TUV leader Jim Alistair 

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) has spoken out about the BBC's new commitment to the GAA, and have pointed out their unwillingness to display the Orange Order marches earlier this year in contrast.

Earlier this year, the BBC announced that they would take no part in broadcasting the July 12 marches in Northern Ireland, citing audience reasons, in a move that did not go down well with many of Northern Ireland's Unionist population.

With the Beeb now committing to the GAA's five-year broadcasting plan, some Unionists have spoken up again.

In a statement, the TUV's Norman Boyd slammed the BBC's decision to commit to an expanded GAA package, given their decision not to broadcast this year's July 12. Boyd claimed that these decisions confirmed the BBC's "anti-unionist bias" and said that the broadcaster was "incapable" of reflecting Unionist experiences in Northern Ireland:

In response to Boyd's statement, the BBC said: "This latest sport agreement adds to the long-term contracts that BBC Sport NI already has in place for football, rugby and the North-West 200."

The BBC's expanded 2023 coverage of GAA is likely to get underway in mid-April next year, when the Ulster senior football championship gets underway.

With many thanks to: Balls and Eoin Harrington for the original publication. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: Twelfth: Orange Order welcomes live GB News live coverage

Different story now for sectarianism and sport in the North of Ireland

Dungannon councillor who wrongly claimed Gaelic football tournament was linked to IRA hunger striker ‘will not apologise to the GAA’

Unionist Group Unhappy with BBC 'Bias' In New GAA Broadcast Deal

DUP leader downplays relationship with Jamie Bryson

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has downplayed his relationship with UVF mouthpiece Jamie Bryson, saying his party makes its own decisions.

   DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson MP and            UVF mouthpiece Jamie Bryson                          #VoteJeffreyGetJamie 

             26 October, 2022 03:00

Speaking to BBC Good Morning Ulster, Sir Jeffrey was asked if he considered Mr Bryson an adviser or even a friend.

"The only advisers I have are within the Democratic Unionist Party....I wouldn't call Jamie Bryson anything other than what Jamie Bryson is," he said.

"He runs a blog, he runs an online pro-union website and he takes a similar position as we do in opposition to the protocol."

Asked if he had regular conversations or meetings with him, he said: "I think I've had two meetings with Jamie Bryson in the last year."

He added: "The BBC is consistently pushing this line that I don't make my own mind up and that the DUP doesn't have its own strategy. so let me nail that once and for all. 

"The history is there to prove this. Last September, I set out the actions of the DUP would take. Those actions were decided by my party collectively and we have followed through on those actions.

"We cooperate with others who are in opposition to the Protocol including the other unionist parties...I was meeting some of the other unionist representatives yesterday.

"So, let's be absolutely clear. I take my own counsel, my party has its own decision making processes and that's what determines our strategy, and our approach to all of these things."

In August, Sir Jeffrey penned a foreward for Mr Bryson's book about the Northern Ireland Protocol.

He has also appeared alongside Mr Bryson as well as other unionist leaders at anti-protocol rally events.

On the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Mr Bryson had commented on Twitter that: "No unionist will ever trust a Conservative."

Sir Jeffrey did not confirm that he trusted Mr Sunak, commenting: "We trust ourselves....as far as trust, we trust the actions that we have taken because we believe this is what is necessary to bring this matter to a head and to get an outcome on the protocol.

"I will work with the prime minister, I will do so in a pragmatic way. It will not be based solely on trust, it will be based on the need to get this done. The sooner the better.

"We've had delay after delay. We've had prevarication, we've had promises that have not been delivered and in all the mean time, political stability in Northern Ireland is not there."

With many thanks to the: Irish News and Allan Preston for the original story. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: IF Carlsberg done the protocol protests they probably wouldn't ask the PSNI if loyalist paramilitaries had been involved

DUP Antrim and Newtownabbey councillors approved council scheme and then seconded the motion in the chamber meaning full approval of the NI Protocol scheme but are now trying to overturn the decision that they approved.

DUP leader downplays relationship with Jamie Bryson

More DUP lies and hypocrisy by Jeffrey Donaldson MP on Good Morning Ulster 25th October, 2022

Good Friday Agreement bodies should be used to increase UK/Irish contacts

The untapped potential of political bodies created by the Good Friday Agreement should be used to increase UK/Irish relations post-Brexit, parliamentarians have urged.

                 25th October, 2022.

The British Irish Parliament Assembly, which brings together lawmakers from Westminster and the Oireachtas parliament in Dublin, said a reduction of contact between officials and politicians following Brexit has negatively affected the UK-Irish relationship.

A new report by the Assembly’s Sovereign Affairs Committee highlighted that, before Brexit, UK and Irish representatives met regularly at official and ministerial levels during EU proceedings.

It noted that the offices of their respective delegations were located next door to each other in Brussels.

These regular contacts offered opportunities to build informal relationships which helped mutual understanding and cooperation, the committee said.

It has now called on both governments to maximise the potential of other structures, established under the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement, to find new ways to increase informal relations.

It said formal meetings of both parties through the British Irish Council and the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference should be “less episodic” and not only focused on crisis events.

  The British Irish Parliamentary Assembly    (BIPA) was established under the terms                             of the GFA

The lawmakers said their own body – the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly – could also be further developed as a forum to address bilateral issues.

Committee chair Senator Emer Currie said: “Regular contact, formal and informal, have been the bedrock of the relationship between our two countries, and it was strongest when they were most regular.

“It took Brexit to realise just how important it had been.

“We don’t think new bodies or institutions are necessary to recreate the contact we had.

“Instead, regularising and prioritising meetings of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, as well as widening their scope, should go a long way to further deepening our close and historical ties.

“The very nature of Brexit means a potential divergence in law and regulation.

“We need a plan to build understanding and cooperation even if we choose different paths.”

With many thanks to: Derry Now and the Staff Reporter for the original story. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: The Political wing of the UVF the PUP statement the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Good Friday Agreement which they have stated they it longer supports

Good Friday Agreement bodies should be used to increase UK/Irish contacts

The Political wing of the UVF the PUP statement the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Good Friday Agreement which they have stated they it longer supports

WE CAN only ask, is the introduction of such language into the discussion around the collapse of Stormont (according to the PUP as a direct result of of the NI Protocol) incentive of an intended, coordinated change of position from these parties? Do they disregard the validity of the Belfast Agreement? 

       Progressive Unionist Party (PUP)              political wing of the UVF and Red                           Hand Commando.                           PICTURE/EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITY,                          Copyright©2022. 

      The following statement issued             through Twitter by the Progressive                      Unionist Party (PUP) 

▪️Part (1)

▪️Part (2)

▪️Part (3)

▪️Part (4)

     A screenshot of the PUP statement