Boutcher apologises to family of IRA victim after Glenanne book launch

JESSICA RICE, Belfast Telegraph, January 30th, 2026

RELATIVES UPSET BY CLAIM FATHER OF LATE CAMPAIGNER WILLIE FRAZER PLAYED A ROLE IN THE 1975 KILLINGS

The family of a Co Armagh man murdered by the IRA say they have received an apology from the chief constable linked to his attendance at a book launch.

Jon Boutcher met with relatives of Bertie Frazer, a 49-year-old father of nine killed by the IRA in 1975, after they raised concerns about his presence last November at the launch of the publication about killings by the Glenanne Gang.

A PSNI source said Mr Boutcher had apologised if the Frazer family had taken any offence — not for attending the event itself.

Eugene Reavey's book, 'The Killing of the Reavey Brothers: British Murder and Cover-Up in Northern Ireland', examines the murder of his three brothers by the Glenanne Gang 50 years ago.

The attack happened at the Reavey family home at Whitecross on January 4 1976.

Gunmen shot John Martin (24), Brian (22) and Anthony (17). The youngest victim died days afterwards, while the others were killed outright.

The book details Mr Reavey's belief that his brothers' killers were operating under state protection.

However, one of the allegations in the book is that Mr Frazer — the father of the late victims' campaigner Willie Frazer — had been involved in the killings of Colm McCartney and John Farmer on August 24 1975. Mr Reavey wrote that he had a document from the Historical Enquiries Team which stated this.

No record of document

The Frazer family stated there is no record of this document. Mr Frazer, a council worker and part-time member of the UDR, had been reversing his car out of a farm near Whitecross when he was shot by the IRA.

The Frazer family said they were disappointed that Mr Boutcher had attended Mr Reavey's book launch.

However, they added they had held a constructive meeting with the police chief earlier this month.

The family said: “Mr Boutcher apologised to the Frazer family for any offence caused, and was able to confirm that his participation at the book launch should in no way be taken as an endorsement of this book or its contents, and specifically the allegations contained within the book that their father, Bertie Frazer, was involved in terrorist activity.”

Jonathan Larner, head of the Ulster Human Rights Watch, attended the meeting alongside the family.

The family had previously written to the Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB) in 2018 asking them for a search of all records and intelligence about Bertie Frazer. The LIB responded with a letter confirming that no evidence or intelligence had been found to suggest that Mr Frazer was involved in any terrorist activity.

After the publication of Mr Reavey's book, Mr Larner wrote to the LIB on behalf of the Frazer family to confirm this.

He received a response stating “there is also no evidence available in any HET report to substantiate Mr Reavey's assertion”.

Mr Larner said the family was disappointed with the publication of the claims in Mr Reavey's book, adding that allegations that Mr Frazer had link to the murders were “hurtful and untrue”.

He said the family were satisfied that Mr Boutcher's attendance at the book launch was not an endorsement of the book itself.

Mr Boutcher had spoken at the event, at the Belfast Waterstones branch, on November 6.

“The Frazer family recognise that the Chief Constable has clarified his role in the event and distanced himself from these allegations, and from any inference that he endorsed Mr Reavey's book,” he said.

“He also acknowledged the considerable pain that the allegations have caused the Frazer family, and that it is vital that the perception of impartiality is maintained by those in his office.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “The Chief Constable Jon Boutcher held a meeting with the family of Bertie Frazer and their legal representatives earlier this month.

“This was a constructive meeting and the Chief Constable addressed any concerns the family had directly with them.

“This was a private meeting and we will not be making any further comment.”

Mr Reavey declined to comment when contacted.

Shortly after the shooting of the Reavey brothers, the UVF shot Joe, Barry and Declan O'Dowd near Gilford.

The next day, the IRA murdered 10 Protestant workmen at Kingsmill.

Tories will scrap Labour’s Legacy law and protect veterans

By Alex Burghart MP, Belfast News Letter, January 30th, 2026

Last week the House of Commons debated the latest phase of the Labour government’s Legacy reforms.

This was a so-called Remedial Order which, if passed, allows the government to strike down the parts of the Conservative’s Legacy Act which created conditional immunity and ended civil cases.

Our reason for introducing these measures was two-fold. First, to extend the peace process policy of offering immunity in return for information, Second, to help draw a line under the litigation of the Troubles which, now, at this distance, so rarely gives closure but which regularly drags veterans through the courts for years at a time. Late last year we saw the collapse of the case of Soldier B, a former special forces soldier. The judge in the High Court described the case against him as “ludicrous”, “unmeritorious”, and “utterly divorced from reality”, but not before the veteran in question had been investigated for four long years.

It was time, we believed, to let wounds heal. To accept that that could not be done through an adversarial system that was one-sided and which was the continuation of the Troubles by other means – and that this itself was a barrier to reconciliation.

Tory Shadow Secretary of State Alex Burghart speaking in the Commons, where he criticised the government's approach on legacy

The Labour Party is currently seeking to dissolve this settlement agreed by the last government – but, as I emphasised to the Secretary of State in the Commons, its reasoning is heavily flawed. The government claims that it finds conditional immunity abhorrent. And yet conditional immunity underpinned much of the peace process legislation which, in power, Labour passed.

The laws that underpinned the decommissioning of weapons allowed for the destruction of huge amounts of forensic evidence which could have led to convictions. The legislation around victims remains granted immunity to those who disclosed the location of murder people – and prevented the use of forensics from their bodies being used in court. And then there were the Letters of Comfort, the use of the Royal Prerogatives of Mercy, and so on. Each of these uses of conditional immunity effectively created protections for paramilitaries. But when the Conservatives sought to deploy conditional immunity for the protection of veterans, the Labour Party objected.

The government also claims that it had no choice but to repeal our legislation because the courts had found it incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. But the government dropped our appeal to the Supreme Court which stood a very high chance of success. Not least because conditional immunity has already been used and accepted in Northern Ireland. But ultimately it also has the choice, which Conservatives would take, of leaving the convention which was created in a different age and whose jurisprudence has warped it out of recognition and good sense.

No consensus on Legacy issues

Likewise, Labour have asserted that our legislation had no political backing in Northern Ireland. But by that logic, they would not proceed with their own which has commanded no support. In any case, legacy is not a devolved issue. Had there been a solution which commanded cross-party support Stormont would have found it. As it is, there are many in Northern Ireland who, in private, fully respect the decision to draw a line and move on, just as they did in 1998.

The question then becomes, what is the real reason for the government’s desire to override our legislation? One suspects – but cannot know – that this is a misjudged attempt to curry favour with Dublin which has been always opposed to immunities for veterans in any form. Labour, it must be assumed, believes that the support of Dublin is essential for its so-called EU Reset (a code for accepting EU laws whilst having no say over their construction and paying for the privilege). Even on its own terms this is mistaken. The EU Commission’s position is rarely swayed by democratically elected governments.

The painful truth is that the collateral damage of this miscalculation will be that inquests, and civil and criminal cases will reopen. These will, for the large part, afford victims false hope of resolution, and pull aging veterans back into court to hopelessly chew over events anywhere between 28 and 60 years ago.

Nor is it in anyway clear that the government is willing to acknowledge the financial cost of this reform. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the cost of legacy to PSNI could spiral to a billion pounds over the next 10 years – numbers supported by the independent thinktank Policy Exchange. Without additional support from Westminster – and it is clear from the Secretary of State’s responses to my questions that none is forthcoming – that funding will come out of frontline policing. Equally, one must ask where the money will come from to pay for the considerably increased case load that the new Legacy Commission will face. The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was funded generously – but the legacy commission will have the same budget and much more work. This can only mean long, long delays and all of the disappointment and disillusionment that goes with them.

The government still has time to see sense. The basis of its Remedial Order may be undermined by the Supreme Court’s forthcoming judgement in a major legacy case (re Dillon). And the rebellious Labour backbench in the Commons may yet force another u-turn on this beleaguered prime minister. But if not, the wounds of the past will be reopened and the risk of infection will be high. Should that happen, the next Conservative government will have no qualms about scrapping their legislation and restoring the protections we previously introduced.

 • Alex Burghart MP is Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman

SF Finance Minister climb down on Tax reforms 

Claire Williamson and Abdullah Sabri, Belfast Telegraph, January 30th, 2026

RELIEF AT O'DOWD U-TURN, BUT EXECUTIVE BRANDED 'ASLEEP AT WHEEL'

Hospitality bosses have described their relief after Finance Minister John O'Dowd halted a controversial rates revaluation process after a backlash from the industry.

In a major U-turn yesterday, Mr O'Dowd said pausing the Reval2026 scheme was “the right decision to make”.

A draft list of revaluations for commercial properties was released by Land & Property Services (LPS) last week.

But there was a public outcry as some hotels and pubs would see their rates bills doubling or even tripling.

Mr O'Dowd said yesterday: “I want our local businesses to thrive; they are the backbone of our communities.

“I have listened carefully and I am very aware of the concerns raised by businesses — particularly hotels, pubs and other hospitality businesses. I remain in listening mode, I will now consider the next steps. My focus remains on supporting our public services, our local businesses and growing our economy.”

He added: “I think it's the right decision to make. I might take some flak over it, but that's OK. Businesses will receive rates bills based off of October 2023 for the next incoming year.”

The Finance Minister confirmed a cost will be incurred to public finances as a result of the U-turn but was unable to confirm what that bill might be.

He said: “There's obviously a cost involved in preparing and gathering the data and the information to publish a draft list. I believe the information gathered for that draft list will still be a benefit for whatever next step we take.

“So I think it's too early to say what the actual cost has been to date. But I believe that the work that has been carried out will be a benefit as we move forward.”

Ciaran Smyth, owner of Voodoo, Orisha and the Phoenix Bar in Belfast, said he is “next to overjoyed” at the pause. He told the BBC: “I didn't realise how tense I was about the whole thing. I am incredibly relieved.”

Eamon McCusker, owner of AM PM and the Chubby Cherub in Belfast, thanked Mr O'Dowd for listening to the industry.

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said the news was a boost to a sector which had reached “crisis point”.

Mr Neill is seeking the engagement of an “independent body” to ensure a repeat does not occur. “It is proof that local politicians, having a local Minister, makes things easier,” he said.

“It'll be a huge relief for our industry, a huge relief for those businesses, because behind every business is a family, and the families were worried. So we now want to engage and move forward positively with the Minister and find a solution so this doesn't happen again.

“I've had people basically saying they'll have to shut, they'll have to lay off staff. This was a huge increase, something in the degree of an extra 16.5 million from the hospitality sector.

“That's over 600 jobs if you took it on living wage. This is huge, I think it's good for the Minister, good for us, good for the economy.”

However, there was criticism of the Finance Minister's handling of the matter from political opponents.

DUP finance spokesperson Diane Forsythe said: “While pausing the process is welcome, it also raises serious questions about the Minister's judgement in allowing things to progress to this stage. Any future proposals must be fair, transparent and not place unjustified additional burdens on businesses already struggling to stay afloat.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said Mr O'Dowd's U-turn demonstrates “how detached Stormont has become from the real economy”. “It took a public backlash to force the Minister into 'listening mode'. That is not good governance; it is reactive politics,” the North Antrim MP added.

Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole welcomed the temporary freeze, but slammed the “farcical” attempt to shift blame on to the UK government. The SDLP MLA added: “I hope that businesses will soon have the clarity they need, but there is nothing to stop something else coming down the tracks in the next few weeks that will paralyse this place, waved through ambivalently by an Executive that is asleep at the wheel.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong said Mr O'Dowd's “climbdown” showed Sinn Fein's “tone-deaf approach to the economy”. “The Minister must now explain why he failed to intervene at an earlier stage to recognise the devastating impact these punishing rate increases would have on core hospitality providers, including hotels, pubs, and food outlets,” she added.

“We also need clarity on whether the Minister received a briefing from Land & Property Services in advance of their findings on the Reval 2026 exercise. If so, why did he not foresee how damaging this would be to the cornerstone of hospitality in Northern Ireland?

“I hold this Minister wholly responsible for the widespread alarm he has caused across the industry.”

Alliance MLA Eóin Tennyson said the U-turn highlighted a “cack-handed” approach to the economy from Sinn Fein, which he said has left businesses here anxious and frustrated. He said: “This will offer some much-needed relief for businesses, but also lays bare how cack-handed and muddled the Minister's approach has been from the beginning.

“Many hospitality businesses were left contemplating their future because Sinn Féin ploughed ahead with a move that was clearly unworkable. The overwhelming public outcry, from businesses and people right across our society, has now forced them to listen.”

Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of the NI Chamber, said: “In light of today's decision, we will now write to the Minister to seek clarity on next steps and request a meeting to discuss the urgent issue of the cost of doing business.”

O’Dowd’s hasty retreat shows appeasing vested interests trumps collective responsibility

JOHN MANLEY, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, Irish News, January 30th, 2026

ANALYSIS

IT’S hard to recall a political climbdown that was so quick and unequivocal. Finance Minister John O’Dowd’s binning of Land & Property Services’ (LPS) revaluation process for non-domestic properties came just one week after the draft list was revealed.

On Monday in the Assembly, the Sinn Féin minister was defending Reval2026, claiming it was the “fairest possible way” to rebalance business rates, but within 72 hours he’d capitulated.

The normally unflappable Mr O’Dowd seemed uncharacteristically chastened as he paused a process that is unlikely to be revived in its current guise.

Perhaps he believed the negative reaction from businesses that greeted last week’s revaluation of around 75,000 offices, factories, shops and bars would dissipate.

Yet, if anything, the anger and dismay only deepened as the full implications of the proposed increases became apparent.

While LPS says the increase in the collective value of the region’s non-domestic properties since the last revaluation in 2021 is 15%, some hospitality businesses were facing rates hikes of more than 300% from April 1, putting pressure on even the most profitable of concerns.

Sinn Fein’s partionist budgetary policies

The answer for most would be to shift the added burden to already cash-strapped customers, while for others the only option would be pulling down the shutters for good.

Hospitality Ulster, the pub owners’ trade body, went on the offensive, warning of all sorts of direct action to thwart the revaluation, while Mr O’Dowd’s political opponents saw an opportunity to damage the Sinn Féin minister and duly piled on.

What on paper should’ve been an ideologically neutral exercise to ensure business rates stay in line with inflation, quickly transformed into a political cudgel.

The finance minister’s executive partners, normally hesitant when it comes to criticising simple housekeeping matters such as this, didn’t hold back, laying the blame firmly at his door rather than that of LPS officials.

While there was an irony in a Sinn Féin minister being undone by the kind of agitation his party excels at, particularly in the south where it leads the official Opposition, the U-turn on Reval2026 is expected to leave another hole in Stormont’s already depleted finances.

Non-domestic rates raise around £720m each year, no small beans in the overall scheme of things.

There is clearly something flawed about the revaluation process and some may take solace from the fact the minister’s has reversed the process. Yet, the at times histrionic politicking the issue has triggered suggests any effort to move away from the status quo, whether it be rates or other revenue raising, is doomed.

When populism and appeasing vested interests trumps collective responsibility, the prospects for change are notably diminished.

Youths from Shankill and Ardoyne clean up notorious flashpoint

PAUL AINSWORTH, Irish News, January 30th, 2026

YOUNG men from both sides of the sectarian divide gathering at a notorious flashpoint in Belfast might normally spell trouble, but this week it left the site in better shape than it was before.

The youths from the Ardoyne and Shankill areas came together at the roundabout where Twaddell Avenue meets the Crumlin Road in the north of the city on Wednesday – the scene in the past of marches, pickets, riots, and even a three-year loyalist protest camp.

Their motive was not confrontation, but instead to give a deep clean of the area around the Ardoyne roundabout, including litter-picking, power-washing, removing debris and brushing surfaces.

However, along with giving an area with a long history of negative press a makeover, the all-male group of 19 got valuable interaction with their peers from the “other” community.

The event precedes a trip for the group in the coming weeks that will take them further than they have been before – to South Africa, where among other activities they will meet and learn from young men whose lives have been blighted by gangs.

My Choice programme

The gathering was organised through the My Choice programme, involving the Shankill-based R-City youth project, and Holy Cross Parish’s Passionist Peace Office.

R-City youth leader Aiden Preston said the event was “hands-on work from start to finish, and you could really see the pride in the group as the area gradually transformed”.

“It wasn’t just about making it look better, it was about taking ownership of a space that’s usually associated with tension and showing that young people from both sides of the community can come together to make a difference,” he said.

“It was a clear example of taking action, challenging perceptions and leaving a shared space better than they found it.”

During their visit to South Africa in March, the group will take part in peace and reconciliation workshops, visit various townships for community projects, and even visit prisons to learn from the experiences of young men who had been involved in gangs

“In such a short time, they have already developed a range of valuable skills – teamwork, communication, and leadership – that will help them make a meaningful impact abroad. It’s a clear example of how young people can grow and take on new challenges when given the opportunity.

“It has been incredible to work with the lads over the past few months. Seeing the changes in them and watching them grow has been a real highlight for me. I’m really looking forward to their trip to South Africa and all the amazing experiences ahead.”

Informer Haddock told he's 'a dead man walking' who can't return to NI

ALLISON MORRIS, Belfast Telegraph, Saturday 30th, 2026

UVF SOURCES WARN LOYALIST POLICE AGENT HE'LL PAY PRICE FOR TURNING SUPERGRASS

Former UVF leader Mark Haddock has been warned he is a “dead man walking” if he returns to Northern Ireland.

The former high-ranking RUC Special Branch agent is expected to adopt a new identity following his release from prison in England.

He was released this week having served a lengthy prison sentence for a knife attack on a former friend.

Haddock was sentenced to 12 years behind bars for stabbing a man from Northern Ireland, who was also living in England at the time.

He was told he would serve a minimum of eight years in jail with another four on licence. However, he served the full 12 years behind bars after being refused release by the parole board.

He must spend a short period under supervised licence before being free to move from his assigned address.

He is then expected to assume a new identity and spend the rest of his life in hiding.

UVF sources say that any return to Northern Ireland would be a “death sentence” for the former Mount Vernon paramilitary leader, who was identified as being involved in multiple murders, while also an agent of the state in a damning Police Ombudsman report.

A senior north Belfast loyalist source said last night: “Haddock can never return to Northern Ireland, he's a dead man walking and he knows it.

“He made too many enemies, double-crossed too many people, told too many lies and trod on far too many toes.

“He also knows secrets that some would prefer went to the grave with him, and when I say to the grave, I mean sooner rather than later.”

Operation Ballast and Raymond McCord

Operation Ballast was initiated after a complaint by campaigner Raymond McCord — whose son, Raymond Jnr (22) was murdered by the UVF — and linked Haddock to numerous killings.

The Police Ombudsman later confirmed that a police informant was a key suspect in the 1997 murder of Mr McCord's son.

In 2007 Dame Nuala O'Loan published her report into the Mount Vernon UVF, led by Haddock, whose special branch codename was Agent Roxy.

The investigation found he was directly involved in at least 10 murders and linked to five others, along with numerous attempted murders.

They included John Flynn from Bawnmore in Newtownabbey, who Haddock tried to murder in 1992.

The police agent pointed a gun at his target's head and pulled the trigger. However, the gun jammed and Mr Flynn wrestled with Haddock for control of the weapon, before the loyalist fled.

Five years later Mr Flynn survived a second attempt to kill him in a failed car bomb attack.

In 2009 Haddock was arrested and questioned about the murders of John Harbinson in May 1997 and Catholic workmen Gary Convie and Eamon Fox in May 1994, as well as the sectarian murder of Good Samaritan Sharon McKenna who was shot dead as she visited an elderly man in January 1993.

His enemies are not just among his former loyalist associates. They also include armed republicans, who he targeted during his time as head of the Mount Vernon UVF.

The 56-year-old previously shunned the idea of entering the witness protection programme and continued to live under his own name, albeit in England.

In 2006 he escaped a murder bid at the hands of his former associates. At the time Haddock had been ousted from his position of paramilitary power, but during the 1990s he commanded one of the UVF's most ruthless gangs.

A few years later, during a high-profile trial, he was kept outside the dock due to fears for his safety and instead spent his time in the body of the court flanked by two armed protection officers.

Supergrass Trial

Fourteen alleged members of the UVF stood trial in 2011 in what was the first so-called “supergrass” trial to be held in Northern Ireland for 26 years.

Those charged were accused of the murder of leading UDA member Tommy English on Halloween night 2000, during a loyalist feud.

Brothers Ian and Robert Stewart got greatly reduced sentences in return for testifying against their former associates.

Robert Stewart told Belfast Crown Court that on the night of the English murder, “Haddock — he was running the whole thing”.

“Mark Haddock said try to miss the kids … he had a smirk on his face.”

The 72-day trial, which cost around £20 million, resulted in 12 of the 13 — including Haddock — being acquitted of all charges. The judge ruled there was no case to answer against the 14th accused.

Haddock returned to England. Three years later he was arrested again and jailed in connection with the stabbing of a man, originally from Northern Ireland, but living in England at the time.

Despite his continued reoffending, the state has a duty of care towards him as a long-standing agent.

Gary Haggarty, a fellow Mount Vernon UVF member and former associate of Haddock, is currently living under a new identity.

He gave evidence in the failed prosecution of convicted killer James Stewart Smyth, who stood trial for the sectarian killing of Mr Fox and Mr Convie, who were shot dead as they had lunch in a car in North Queen Street in May 1994.

Smyth was found not guilty by a judge sitting alone in February 2024.

Haddock had offered to turn supergrass in this case but was instead sidelined for Haggarty, who was handpicked to testify against former associates.

Haggarty told police that Smyth — known as Jimmy Shades — was the gunman and had acted on Haddock's orders.

Smyth had a previous conviction for the January 1994 sectarian murder of a Catholic man, Cormac McDermott, in Ballymena and the attempted murder of his victim's wife as she tried to protect her husband.

'I woke up when I heard glass smashing': Friends from India in shock after home is attacked

MARK BAIN, Belfast Telegraph, January 30th, 2026

CO ANTRIM PROPERTY DESTROYED IN RACIALLY MOTIVATED HATE CRIME, SAY PSNI

Two young friends, originally from India, have said they can't understand why the Co Antrim home they share was targeted on Wednesday night.

All the front windows of the house on Main Street in Broughshane were smashed and the front door was broken in the attack, which police are treating as a racially motivated hate crime.

The men, who have both been living and working in Northern Ireland for the last few years, said they moved to the village to work six months ago and had experienced no trouble during their time here.

One of the men (27), who did not wish to be named, told the Belfast Telegraph he had managed to pull bed covers over himself as the window of his bedroom exploded in around him.

He said he had been in the house with his girlfriend, the friend he shares the property with and his friend's brother at the time of the attack, which happened around 11.45pm.

“We'd been watching football and I'd gone off to bed happy, as Liverpool had won,” he said. “But I woke up when I heard glass smashing. At first, I thought it was outside in the street, but there was another smash quickly afterwards and I realised it was our windows.

“I managed to pull the covers over my head just before the window of my room came in over me. Whoever did this then started attacking the door and destroyed it as well.

“I think they must have used a hammer or a bat as there was no sign of bricks or stones coming into the house.

“By the time I realised what was happening, whoever had done this was gone and I didn't see anything more. I was scared they were going to come into the house, but it was all over very quickly.

“The two of us have been living here for the last six months,” he said.

“We get up and start work at 6am and are not usually home until 8pm. We haven't really mixed with any local people yet, as we don't have the time,” he added. “I'm surprised anyone actually knew we were here.

“We're quiet and have always kept to ourselves and never caused anyone any trouble. We came here a few years ago to work, as we knew there was a good number in the Indian community in NI and everyone has always spoken highly of how they have been received.

“For the last three or four years, we have been working, getting on with our lives and we never imagined anything like this would happen to us.

“I'm hoping it's an isolated incident,” he continued. “We want to stay here. We are a bit shaken and shocked by what has happened, but we have loved being here in Broughshane. We were told it was a lovely, quiet village to live in and until now that has been the case.

”We'll clear up,” he added. “And honestly, I can't believe how quickly people have responded. We've had workmen here since early this morning and our landlord has been brilliant in helping pull things back together.

“We will have to go to get new bedding, as the glass has come in over the beds, but no one was hurt. There's a bit of work to do to set things right, but we appreciate all the help we've had so far.”

His friend (24) works for the same local company and had been in the bathroom of the property getting ready for bed when the attack happened.

Still planning to settle permanently in NI

“We're like brothers,” he told the Belfast Telegraph. “We work together, we live together and we'll look out for each other. People we have spoken to today have told us we don't have to run away, and we won't.

“We're a little nervous today,” he added. “It does shake you, but we'll be okay. We'll be back at work tomorrow. That's why we're here. To make a better life for ourselves and our families.”

“I'm not sure why someone would want to target us,” he added. “We didn't see any sign that something like this would happen to us.

“We are aware of what happened in Ballymena last year, when it was mostly families from Romania targeted, but we are from India, we're here to work and live and make this place our home.

“I don't know if people just see the colour of your skin and not who you are as a person.”

He continued: “My wife is still living in India, and I was back home a few weeks ago, and will be going back to see her soon. We have been planning to move here permanently and I've been telling her about the opportunities NI can give us. She's been here before and we still plan to make that happen.”

Police said they are investigating after a number of windows were smashed at a house in the Main Street area of Broughshane around 11.45pm on Wednesday, January 28.

“Enquiries are ongoing and the matter is being treated as a racially-motivated hate crime,” the PSNI added. “Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 31 of 29/01/26.”

Co Antrim mum educates sons at home due to racism

ALAN ERWIN, Irish News, January 30th, 2026

AN alleged victim of racist abuse is taking legal action over Stormont’s failure to advance an anti-discrimination strategy so her children may one day return to school without fear, she has disclosed.

Maureen Hamblin, 37, said she now educates her sons at home due to the impact of slurs they suffered.

The Kenyan-born mother of three is challenging the Executive Office for not fully implementing reforms at the centre of a Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Her application for leave to seek a judicial review has been listed for a hearing later this year.

Following a preliminary review at the High Court in Belfast, Ms Hamblin said: “People choose to be racist and feel empowered to not be better because they know nothing is going to happen.

“Our kids should be able to go to school without any issues.”

Announced back in 2015, the strategy aimed to establish a framework for tackling racial inequalities along with eradicating racism and hate crime.

Reforms to the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 were also said to be a key feature of the proposed blueprint.

Lawyers representing Ms Hamblin, who now lives in Co Antrim, claim the Stormont administration has failed to deliver on the plans for protecting ethnic minorities.

They are alleging breaches of the Section 75 duty to promote equality of opportunity under the Northern Ireland Act, and of the post-Brexit Windsor Framework.

On Wednesday, Mr Justice McLaughlin was told that both the Equality Commission and Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission have been informed about the challenge as potential notice parties in the proceedings.

He confirmed the case will be heard on a date in either late April or early May.

Racist abuse since arrival in 2014

Outside court, Ms Hamblin told of the racism her family has been subjected to since she moved to Northern Ireland in 2014.

The abuse became so bad that one of her sons refused to go back to school.

“My kids were being called all sorts of names… (they) would come home and use words like ‘blacky’, ‘monkey’ and the N word,” she said.

Eventually she decided to educate her children at home.

“I don’t know if I will ever allow my kids to go back to school, but if I do I would like to leave them at the school gates without worrying about them,” Ms Hamblin stressed.

In a separate alleged incident, she told how a group of youths on bikes subjected her to a racist abuse while she was pregnant and out walking.

“They were making monkey noises and calling me the N word, I almost fell into a stream because they cycled so close to me,” she added.

“I just want a better and more inclusive Northern Ireland, a Northern Ireland where a black woman can give birth without feeling discriminated against.”

Ms Hamblin’s solicitor, John McGrath, claimed the public order unrest which scarred parts of Northern Ireland last year highlighted the need for a fully implemented Racial Equality Strategy.

He insisted: “It has never been more vital.”

Stormont scrutiny 'lacking' says Lyons after MLAs accuse him of 'Trumpian' deflection

CLAUDIA SAVAGE, Belfast Telegraph and Irish News, January 31st, 2026

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has claimed the body overseeing his department “isn't a proper scrutiny committee” as MLAs clashed during a Stormont meeting.

In heated exchanges yesterday, Sinn Fein MLA and chairman of the Communities Committee, Colm Gildernew, said Mr Lyons had committed a “failure of leadership” and has tried to “deflect and distract” criticism of his performance.

Mr Lyons was investigated over a Facebook post he published in June 2025 after immigrant families were forced to flee their homes during racially motivated riots.

In a report published last week former independent Assembly commissioner for standards Melissa McCullough found that Mr Lyons' actions had the potential of “heightening tensions and exacerbating an already contentious situation”.

The DUP minister has rejected the report, and his party leader Gavin Robinson insisted the findings were “totally irrational”.

In a fiery exchange yesterday, Mr Gildernew opened his remarks to the minister by highlighting that the committee has previously taken a vote of no confidence in him. “You minister have, it would appear, in Trumpian fashion, decided rather than engage with the substance of that report you sought to deflect and distract,” he said.

“What I would like to know, minister, is do you simply not care whether the public have confidence in you to discharge your role?”

On the Wrong Road

Mr Lyons replied: “You've jumped in here on this and this is your hour, you have an hour with me and if you want to go down that route I'm happy to, I have nothing to hide.”

He added: “We can go over this time and time again but I think that your statement highlights yet again, just how often you get it wrong.

“You say that I have not engaged in the content of this. Of course I have. You clearly have not read the report.

“You clearly have not read my response to it, because if you had done that you would recognise that I have engaged with all of the points.”

Mr Gildernew said My Lyons had “failed to address the central point of a failure of leadership” and failed “to stand with victims in their time of need”.

“You're right, this is our hour, and I am hoping to get to many other things, but I'll say this, minister, is certainly not your finest hour,” he said. The Communities Minister then offered to “go through the report” and Mr Gildernew raised that the committee “has to go through a range of issues”.

Mr Lyons said: “You criticise me for not going through point by point, not addressing them, and then whenever I offer to do that, you say, 'Oh no, no, let's move on' and use your silly language about Trumpian tactics.”

He added: “You're saying you want to talk about my performance as a minister, it's a bit rich, I have asked you a question as chair of this committee and your failure in this role.

“This has not been, under your leadership, a proper scrutiny committee.”

Sinn Fein MLA and deputy chairwoman of the committee Cathy Mason claimed that when the group tries to scrutinise the minister they get “bluster and deflection”, before raising the Irish language.

She said: “You have removed bilingual signage from your department, a clear attempt to try and make Irish language invisible.

“There's consistent funding for bands for Ulster-Scots' agency through the USA 250, all vanity projects in my eyes, and you're blatantly blocking new funding for Irish language.” She added: “You failed to publish an Irish language strategy, maybe that is your strategy.

“Minister, at what point does this stop being a coincidence and start being sectarian?”

USA 250 provides funding to organisations to recognise contributions made by people of Ulster-Scots heritage to the founding of the United States of America on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Mr Lyons said: “I wish that we did have effective scrutiny but this isn't a proper scrutiny committee.”

He added: “I think that you have been outrageously offensive by speaking about the USA 250 and the Ulster Scots as vanity projects.”

When Ms Mason asked “where the balance” is in the USA 250 scheme, Mr Lyons said “you tell me about the balance you'd like to see”, and Ms Mason responded: “I'm asking the questions, not you.”

Mr Lyons then said: “You come here and you think you're part of the scrutiny committee, but you ask questions, but you never bring an alternative. It's actually part of your job, Deputy Chairperson.”

Ms Mason concluded: “My view is you're a minister who doesn't do GAA, doesn't do housing, doesn't do Irish language and doesn't do LGBTQ equality.”

To which the communities minister replied: “Doesn't do housing, are you for real?”

Later in the meeting DUP MLA Maurice Bradley highlighted that “the motion of no confidence is not unanimous within this committee”.

He told Mr Lyons: “You do have support within this committee and that needs to be pointed out.”

North’s crime rate lowest since Good Friday Agreement

CONOR SHEILS, Irish News, January 30th, 2026

REPORTED crime in Northern Ireland has fallen to its lowest level since the Good Friday agreement was signed, according to the latest PSNI figures.

A total of 93,577 crimes were recorded in the 12 months to December 31, 2025, a fall of 3.8 per cent and the lowest annual total since the current data statistics started in April 1998.

According to the latest figures, the crime rate has dropped to 49 offences per 1,000 population, down from 50 in the previous 12 months.

However, the overall decline comes against a backdrop of increases in several serious crime categories.

Sexual offences rose 4.4 per cent to 4,360 incidents, a rise of 182 cases year-on-year.

Stalking and harassment offences also increased with 61 additional cases recorded bringing the total to 9,706.

Robbery increased by 10 per cent, with an additional 44 offences recorded, while possession of weapons offences rose 6.4 per cent, adding 78 cases.

The total number of homicides fell from 20 to 15 year-on-year. Seven of the 15 were recorded to have a domestic abuse motivation.

The data also reveals an increase in knife involvement in homicides with six of the 15 murders recorded between January and December 2025 involving knives or sharp instruments.

This represents 40 per cent of all homicides and the highest in recent years.

Burglary recorded its lowest level on record, falling 13 per cent to 2,618 incidents, while criminal damage dropped 6.2 per cent to its second-lowest quarterly level since data collection began.

Violence with injury decreased by 5.7 per cent, with 885 fewer offences, while violence without injury fell 4.9 per cent.

Theft offences excluding burglary declined by 5.9 per cent, driven primarily by a fall in shoplifting.

Drug offences decreased by 2 per cent, with 163 fewer detections.

Belfast City recorded the highest volume of crime with 31,159 offences, accounting for one-third of all crime in Northern Ireland, although this represented a decrease of 3.9 percent on the previous year.

Derry City and Strabane saw the steepest percentage decline at 8 per cent, with 813 fewer offences recorded, followed by Lisburn and Castlereagh City which fell 7.6 per cent.

Ards and North Down was the only district to see crime rise, with 84 additional offences bringing the total to 5,633.

Support is available for anyone affected by crime. The 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline can be contacted on 0808 802 1414. Rape Crisis NI provides support on 0800 0246 991.

Victim Support NI can be reached on 028 9024 3133.

Those who tout fantasy solutions to Brexit border are wrong

Patrick Mayhew, January 30th, Belfast Telegraph, 2026

It is 10 years since the EU referendum, three years since the Windsor Framework, and two years since the Executive was restored following Safeguarding the Union. So it is right that we take stock of how the post-Brexit arrangements are working for the people of Northern Ireland.

In your newspaper on Saturday, Sam McBride was right to highlight challenges that require care and attention. But it would be wrong to suggest the Framework is fundamentally flawed.

Like a majority of people in Northern Ireland, Labour did not advocate leaving the EU. We lost that argument. And we have always been clear Brexit must never jeopardise Northern Ireland's place in the UK, nor the Good Friday Agreement which has delivered a peace that few once thought possible.

But everyone recognised that, following Brexit, there was a practical problem. Namely that the UK and the EU would have different standards for products, but an open border between them. That necessitated finding a practical solution.

And the reality is that the Windsor Framework is the only viable option — far better than a No Deal outcome, and a huge improvement on the Northern Ireland Protocol. And it is working.

One in a hundred

The vast majority of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland move smoothly. Only around one in a 100 lorries sees a full physical check related to Windsor Framework consignments. Goods from Northern Ireland to GB face no checks whatsoever. And Northern Ireland's economy is today one of the fastest growing of any part of the UK, with the lowest level of unemployment.

Of course, some GB-based businesses and retailers have faced new challenges, particularly smaller traders. That is why we have put in place UK Government funding and support, with a further £16.6m announced at the Budget.

The Trader Support Service, far from being a “waste”, plays a vital role in helping businesses to trade. And where there are challenges we are working hard, with business and with politicians in Stormont, to address them.

I understand pet owners, farmers and others will have felt worried when reading about the prospect of veterinary medicines not being available from the start of this year. That's why we acted, working with vets, farmers and manufacturers, to ensure availability of the medicines they need. To date, no major supply issues have arisen, but we will continue to keep a close eye on it.

This approach, working calmly and creatively, and listening to businesses, experts and Stormont, is yielding results. Scrutiny by the Stormont Committee, far from being “pointless”, is helping to identify issues at an early stage so that we can try to deal with them.

We are not complacent. But it serves nobody when some paint an inaccurate picture of Northern Ireland's trade with GB. This only undermines Northern Ireland's economic potential and its unique access to the UK and EU markets, which is attractive to investors.

Crucially, the Government is now negotiating an SPS agreement with the EU. When this was announced in May last year, it was widely welcomed right across Northern Ireland and, when it takes effect, it will remove checks on food and animal products moving from GB to Northern Ireland. This will bring significant benefits for Northern Ireland business and consumers, as Sam McBride acknowledged. It is, of course, only possible because we are implementing the Windsor Framework.

This Government is taking a wholly different approach to the last one, which at times seemed ideologically wedded to divergence from the EU. We are open to alignment, wherever it serves the UK national interest, as we have already shown in areas including product safety, chemicals regulation and carbon emissions trading.

There were politicians at the time of the Brexit debate who dismissed the potential consequences for Northern Ireland. They touted fantasy solutions that would never have worked. They were wrong then and they are wrong now.

Some politicians advocate implementing something called 'mutual enforcement'. This is simply not workable. We would never agree to it with any other country. And, let's be clear, it would risk a hard border — with all that would entail — and would rip up our agreements with the EU.

That is the politics of the past. We want to move forward.

Nicola Sturgeon: a united Ireland and independent Scotland on cards over next 20 years

KIRSTEN ELDER, Belfast Telegraph, January 30th, 2026

FORMER SNP LEADER SAYS SHE ENVISAGES POLITICAL MAKE-UP OF THE UK BEING VERY DIFFERENT BY 2046

Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon believes she will see a united Ireland in the next 20 years.

She also expects that Scotland will have broken away from the Union in that same timeframe.

The former SNP leader was speaking during a visit to Belfast yesterday.

But she said it is ultimately a matter for voters on the island to decide.

Ms Sturgeon resigned as First Minister in March 2023 after eight years in the role.

However, she has remained in the public eye and released her autobiography last year.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, she said she expected the UK's political make-up to be very different in the years ahead.

Asked about the issue of Irish reunification, she said: “Instinctively, yes, I am a supporter of a united Ireland.

“But I would quickly follow up that answer with the obvious point that it's not a decision for me.

“I don't like when people from other countries try to opine on whether or not Scotland should be an independent country. Of course, they're entitled to their opinion, but that's a decision for people who live in Scotland.

“The issue of Irish reunification is an issue for people who live on the island of Ireland. Do I think it will happen in my lifetime? Yeah, I do, and time will tell whether I'm right or wrong.

“I think, and I write about this in my book, I think 20 years from now, if we're all sitting down and looking back, by then I think Scotland will be independent and I think Ireland will be reunified. I think Wales will be possibly independent, but certainly more autonomous.

Will still be British-Irish Council

“But we'll all still be part of the British-Irish Council and collaborating and cooperating on that basis.

“We'll all still be there together, but the status of some of us will have changed. The wiring between us will be different. And I think those relationships will be a lot healthier.”

Ms Sturgeon was the keynote speaker at the Belfast Summit at the Harbour Commissioners Office.

The annual event discusses how to make the city one of the standout small cities in Europe to live, work and socialise.

As Scotland's deputy First Minister, she played a key role in the 2014 independence referendum. Then, as First Minister, she led her government's response to Brexit and the pandemic.

She had close dealings with political leaders here, and sees parallels between the two places.

“The Executive in Northern Ireland faces similar challenges to the devolved government in Scotland,” she added.

“We're all working as devolved administrations within a Westminster context, and that has constraints and frustrations.

“I always think Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, when we combine forces, we can assert our interests much more strongly with Westminster than we can often do acting alone.

“There are obviously particular issues in each of the devolved countries in the UK. In Northern Ireland, the structure of the government here is different to either Scotland or Wales, and that has its own challenges, which I think become particularly acute when the overall climate of finance and political debate is as difficult as it is just now.

“But it's the responsibility of politicians, wherever they are and in whatever circumstances, to try to deliver for people.”

She said she had been fortunate to work with “many different personalities” across our politics, and had “incredibly high regard” for late Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

“Sometimes that led to criticism of me from parts of Scotland,” she added.

“But he was somebody that I think had totally committed himself to the peace process, and sacrificed in order to do that. And I admired him. He was also an incredibly kind person to me, and we had a really good personal rapport.

“I think very highly of Michelle O'Neill; it's only my opinion, but I think the country is well served in having her as First Minister.”

Her dealings with Arlene Foster were more challenging.

“I don't think it's any secret, not least because I wrote about it in my book, that I had a more difficult relationship with Arlene Foster,” she said.

“Clearly, politically, we were pretty far apart. A little known fact is we're almost exactly the same age. I think our birthdays are about three days apart or something like that.

“But politically, we were not particularly aligned. And I found it more difficult to establish a good personal rapport with her than I had done with her predecessors. In fairness, she probably would say the same about me.”

Sinn Fein has called for a referendum on Irish unity by 2030.

Unity debate ‘cannot be rushed’

Ms Sturgeon said such a seismic decision cannot be rushed. “It's a difficult balance to strike,” she added.

“I think you have to have some kind of timeframe in mind in order to focus people's minds and and get the momentum and the progress and do the preparation that you need to do. But you also need to leave yourself a bit of flexibility around the precise timing of that.

“What we found, and times have changed since 2014... that very, very quickly, when a referendum is suddenly a reality, you go from the issues that we've all been debating and sort of quite big picture, broad brush terms suddenly become very, very detailed. And it's the granular detail that starts to drive opinion.”

Council’s invite on a paid-for trip to China ‘raises questions’

CONOR SHEILS, Irish News, January 30th, 2026

A SINN Féin-led council has been invited on a ‘fact-finding’ trip to China with all expenses paid for by the Chinese government weeks after the party’s Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald travelled there.

The latest trip would be Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s third such visit to the country in recent years following a twinning agreement with the city of Huangshi.

The development comes just weeks after a visit to the country by Dr Archibald. It is believed to be the first time that the Chinese Consulate has offered to pay for a council trip.

In a letter seen by The Irish News, Chinese General Consul Li Nan describes Sinn Féin’s Barry McElduff, the chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, as possessing “distinguished leadership, expertise, and committed public service” that makes him “an especially valued partner for this initiative”.

The correspondence, dated January 5 2026, extends a formal invitation to six Fermanagh and Omagh District councillors for a one-week fact-finding tour to China during 2026, preferably between late April and June.

The letter goes on to say the visit will feature “a thoughtfully arranged itinerary, including visits to leading enterprises, educational institutions, and cultural sites both in Beijing and your sister-city of Huangshi, as well as meetings with your Chinese counterparts – policymakers, municipal representatives, researchers, business leaders and educators involved in public governance and community development”.

The engagements will “explore China’s advancements in technological innovation, economic development and social progress, which we believe will foster mutual understanding, provide new opportunities for sustained collaboration, and strengthen lasting goodwill between our two sides”, the letter adds.

Should the invitation be accepted, Mr Li writes that his team will provide “comprehensive support regarding the international travel, accommodation”.

The news comes after Sinn Féin’s Economy Minister Dr Archibald travelled to the country in December and met with a Chinese organisation that US authorities have accused of seeking to “directly and malignly influence” local government officials.

Chinese People’s Association for Friendship

Dr Archibald held discussions with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, a group linked to the Chinese Communist Party, which the US State Department in 2020 described as “a Beijing-based organisation tasked with co-opting subnational governments”.

The Economy Minister said she saw “meaningful opportunities for further collaboration” with the organisation.

Speaking to The Irish News, Mr McElduff confirmed that the invitation had been received and would now be considered by the council.

“We have received the invitation from General Consul Li, who has excellent relations, I believe, with all political parties and the matter will be considered at the next council meeting,” he said.

The council’s Ulster Unionist Group leader Victor Warrington told The Irish News that the Chinese offer to cover the trip’s costs raised questions about “undue influence”.

“The council has previously undertaken trips to China at the expense of local ratepayers, yielding little to no tangible benefits for the people of the district,” he said.

“China’s recent offer to cover the costs of councillors’ visits has raised questions among local ratepayers regarding undue influence on local officials, especially amid ongoing geopolitical strains with human rights abuses and its crackdowns on democracy in Hong Kong but also about what real benefit this will deliver to our area, zero jobs or investment.”

Sinn Féin did not reply to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said: “Fermanagh and Omagh District Council approved the signing of a Friendly Cooperative Cities Agreement with Huangshi, China in 2018.

“The decision was taken following consideration of a number of matters including the potential opportunities for the District and equality and good relations implications.

“A Council delegation visited Huangshi in 2025 as part of this agreement.

“The Council has received a further invitation from the Chinese Consulate to consider a visit between April and June 2026. This matter will be considered at next week’s Council meeting.”

Éamon Phoenix Foundation announces new patron

Irish News, January 30th, 2026

THE Éamon Phoenix Foundation has announced the appointment of Diarmaid Ferriter, one of Ireland’s most respected historians and public intellectuals, as its new patron.

Professor Ferriter, Professor of Modern Irish History at University College Dublin, succeeds Dr Martin Mansergh following his death in September last year.

Prof Ferriter will support the foundation’s mission to promote mutual understanding and reconciliation through the professional study of history.

The foundation was established in memory of the late historian Dr Éamon Phoenix and is dedicated to preserving and developing his legacy, including the expansion of its online archive and educational initiatives linked to Ireland’s contested past.

Last year, The Irish News announced an initiative to digitally recreating his voice for a new archive project, at the newspaper where he had contributed the popular On This Day column over three decades.

Welcoming the appointment, Alice Phoenix, Chair of Trustees at the foundationand widow of Dr Phoenix, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Diarmaid has agreed to become patron of the Éamon Phoenix Foundation.

“He is a historian of the highest standing, admired not only for his scholarship but for his ability to communicate complex and sensitive history with clarity, balance and humanity.

“Éamon held Diarmaid’s work in the greatest respect, and there is a deep alignment between their shared belief that history, when rigorously and honestly approached, can foster understanding rather than division. The trustees and I are immensely grateful for his support.”

Professor Ferriter said: “It is an honour to serve as patron of the Éamon Phoenix Foundation, especially at a time when the communication and sharing of evidence-led historical understanding is more vital than ever.

“Éamon’s mission throughout his distinguished career was, in his own words, ‘to challenge, inform and stimulate dialogue about the formative events in the shaping of Ireland today’, and the foundation is deeply committed to honouring that mission and Éamon’s rich legacy.”

Professor Ferriter is widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of modern Irish history, with a substantial body of acclaimed publications and a long-standing role in public debate, broadcasting and education.

Professor Diarmaid Ferriter speaks at the Inaugural Éamon Phoenix History Lecture at St Mary’s University College, Belfast in August last

Watchdog raps Government for its refusal to release documents linked to Kneecap funding row

GARRET HARGAN, Belfast Telegraph, January 30th, 2026

A Government department has been ordered to release documents linked to its decision to block Kneecap from accessing funding.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) claimed disclosing them could impact on ministers' ability to discuss matters candidly.

However, the Information Commissioner ruled against it after a challenge from the Belfast Telegraph, ordering DCMS to release correspondence within 30 days or the matter could be referred to the High Court.

An expert branded DCMS's handling of the request as “thoroughly inadequate”.

In 2024 the Belfast Irish language rap trio were blocked from getting a £15,000 grant as part of the Music Export Growth Scheme.

The scheme is backed by DCMS and the Department for Business and Trade, with investment from the UK recorded music industry.

The band said an independent selection board at the British Phonographic Industry had approved the grant.

Kneecap claimed they were told their 2019 Farewell to the Union tour had angered the Conservative Party.

Then Tory Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the government did not want to hand taxpayers' money “to people that oppose the United Kingdom itself”.

Kneecap challenged the decision, with the court case due to be heard in November 2024, after Labour had taken power.

DBT announced it would not be contesting the case, accepting the decision had been “unlawful and procedurally unfair”.

When the row erupted, this newspaper sought communications under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act between Northern Ireland MPs and DCMS about the Music Export Growth Scheme.

We also requested communications between DCMS officials and other Westminster departments about Kneecap over a specified period.

Initially, DCMS took more than 170 days to respond to questions. The statutory time limit is 20 working days. And almost two years later, it has still not released the material.

DCMS claimed that releasing the information would have a “chilling” effect on cross-departmental issues and would be likely to impact the “safe space” in which officials can discuss matters candidly.

It set out that if officials were concerned that their views and opinions raised in emails will be released, they “may be reluctant to contribute to the wider scheme” in this instance, or “may withhold sensitive but important information”.

The opinion of a qualified person (QP) was sought, in this instance Sir Chris Bryant, then Minister of State at DCMS. He agreed the information should be withheld.

That opinion came long after the initial refusal.

Expressing concern, the watchdog's decision stated: “The Commissioner would remind public authorities that section 36 (regarding the free and frank exchange of advice) cannot be engaged without having obtained the QP's opinion, and would expect an experienced public authority such as DCMS to be cognisant of legislative requirements.”

The information withheld “comprised advice and an exchange of views”, according to the Commissioner.

In his findings, he said the onus was on DCMS to prove that it had properly considered public interest arguments.

The decision said: “The Commissioner is disappointed at the brevity of DCMS's response to his enquiries, and in particular the lack of reference to the content of the withheld information itself.

“DCMS merely repeated the arguments it had put forward to the QP when obtaining his opinion.

“In this case the decision to block funding was controversial and ultimately accepted by DBT to be unlawful (although this had not been settled at the time of the request in February 2024).”

The watchdog “was not persuaded that DCMS has demonstrably given proper, detailed consideration to the public interest in this case”.

Nor was he assured DCMS had taken account of the content of the withheld information itself, which he considers an essential part of the decision making process.

His finding added: “Consequently, the Commissioner can only conclude that in all the circumstances of this particular case DCMS has failed to persuade him that the public interest in maintaining the exemptions outweighs the public interest in disclosing the majority of the requested information.

“The Commissioner finds that there is a clear public interest in informing the public about the way the decision to block funding was made (ie by the Minister) and handled (by officials).”

DCMS said it aimed to respond to all Freedom of Information requests as quickly as possible.

FoI expert Martin Rosenbaum said: “It's clear from the... decision that the DCMS handling of this request was thoroughly inadequate, with persistent failings that included excessive delays and failure to follow proper procedures.

“Government departments must accept the accountability and scrutiny that comes with FoI, and DCMS should abide by a much higher standard of compliance with the law, instead of this sort of dismissive approach.”

DBT declined to comment.