New protections for former soldiers won’t apply to paramilitaries - PM
GRÁINNE NÍ AODHA, Irish News, September 26th, 2025
SIR Keir Starmer has said a deal for former British soldiers published alongside a new legacy framework will not treat former paramilitaries the same way.
The prime minister said he was “pleased” on the progress that had been made after the UK and Irish governments unveiled a new approach to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.
The new framework contains commitments to fundamentally reform the mechanisms established in the 2023 Legacy Act.
Sir Keir was asked by BBC Northern Ireland if new protections being offered to ex-British soldiers engaging with legacy processes would also be available to other participants, including former paramilitaries.
“It was one of the issues that didn’t get resolved under the Good Friday Agreement,” he said.
“And now we’ve got the Irish government and the UK government in agreement on this. We have made a provision for veterans in relation to it, the protections that have been put in place. They are for veterans, in this.”
He was then asked to clarify whether the approach for ex-soldiers would also include paramilitaries, after comments from the Irish government.
Sir Keir said: “No, it’s for veterans, and obviously we need to make all of the arrangements workable in practice. But the next thing that needs to happen is the necessary legislation to take this forward.”
Victims to get ‘accountability, truth and justice’ they deserve
He said Northern Ireland was “very, very important personally to me” and that the last government had “failed” on providing “accountability and truth and justice” for all victims.
He added: “I want it to work, and I have in my mind’s eye the victims who’ve waited a very, very long time for…the accountability that they deserve.”
Asked about the possibility of the government engaging with paramilitary groups, he said “it is our job to do whatever we can to alleviate” the “intolerable” effect they are having on communities.
The Labour leader spoke to regional broadcasters before the party’s annual conference in Liverpool this weekend, amid speculation his premiership could be under threat.
The prime minister also dismissed “the personal ambitions” of his potential future leadership challenger Andy Burnham, and appeared to attack the Manchester mayor’s economic agenda by drawing parallels with Liz Truss.
“I’m not going to get drawn into the personal ambitions of the mayor of Manchester. What I will say is that our fiscal rules are ironclad because they protect working people and economic stability is fundamental,” he told BBC NI.
“Three years ago this week, we had Liz Truss show us what happens if you abandon fiscal rules.”
He declined to be drawn on whether people in Northern Ireland should be able to vote in an Irish presidential election, ahead of the poll on October 24.
He said: “Well I think that’s a matter that we all have to reflect on, but I’m not going to get drawn into an answer on that now.
“I think that’s something that needs to be worked through, and I’m not going to get drawn on that just at the moment.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was speaking before the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool.
PM says new Troubles legacy plan 'will not protect paramilitaries'
KURTIS REID, Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
The Prime Minister has said new proposals on dealing with the legacy of the Troubles will include protections for Army veterans but not paramilitaries.
Sir Keir Starmer told BBC News NI he was “pleased progress had been made” on the plans, drawn up jointly by the UK and Irish governments.
The proposals, agreed by London and Dublin, are aimed at replacing the Conservative government's controversial Legacy Act with a new framework for truth recovery, justice and accountability for Troubles-related cases.
“We have made a provision for veterans in relation to it, the protections have been put in place,” he said.
When asked if the protections extended to everyone who came forward, including paramilitaries, he replied: “No, it's for veterans.”
He added that the “next thing that needs to happen” is the introduction of legislation to implement the proposals and stressed: “I want this to work.”
Sir Keir rejected suggestions that prioritising veterans risked giving the impression that their experiences were more important than those of victims.
“No, not at all,” he said. “I worked in Northern Ireland for five years so I know how important accountability and truth and justice is for all the victims.
“Other governments have failed on this, the last government badly. I want this to work… and I have in my mind's eye the victims who've waited a very, very long time for the accountability that they deserve.”
Defends Dutch conflict resolution expert appointment
The prime minister also defended his government's appointment of Dutch conflict resolution expert Fleur Ravensbergen to examine whether engaging with paramilitary groups could help encourage disbandment.
Based at the University of Amsterdam, Ms Ravensbergen is expected to meet representatives of loyalist and republican organisations in the coming months before publishing a report next August. Sir Keir said paramilitaries were still having a damaging effect in parts of Northern Ireland.
“That is intolerable, and it is our job to do whatever we can to alleviate that for those communities, and that's the sole purpose of this role,” he said.
“So that doesn't deflect from my condemnation of paramilitaries, not in the slightest.”
The Labour leader dismissed speculation his premiership was “hanging by a thread” amid reports that Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is preparing a leadership challenge.
He also declined to comment on whether people in Northern Ireland should be allowed to vote in Irish presidential elections.
“I think that's something that needs to be worked through.”
Sir Keir, speaking separately to BBC Midlands, also said the new legacy system would provide a route for long-running cases such as the Birmingham pub bombings.
He insisted the arrangements, agreed with Dublin and due to be legislated for in Westminster, were “designed to get to the bottom of all the legacy issues” and stressed to victims' families that “they're not forgotten and they will never be forgotten”.
Welcome and concern over planned ‘protections’ for former soldiers
By Rebecca Black, PA, Belfast News Letter, September 26th, 2025
Planned "protections" for former British soldiers alongside a new deal for addressing Northern Ireland's past have sparked both concern and welcome.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed a deal for veterans will be published alongside a new framework agreed by the UK and Irish governments over legacy.
It comes during the trial of a former paratrooper known as Soldier F at Belfast Crown Court for the murder of two civilians in Londonderry in 1972.
Sinn Fein MP John Finucane said there should be no amnesties or special arrangements for former soldiers, while Northern Ireland's Veterans' Commissioner David Johnstone welcomed the Prime Minister's statement.
Last week, as the deal was being announced, Irish deputy premier Simon Harris said any accommodations given to any one group will be afforded to everybody else who co-operates with the Legacy Commission .
Finucane warns there can be no selective amnesties
Sinn Fein MP John Finucane claimed there has been "contradictory statements".
"There can be no amnesty or protection for British combatants suspected of criminal acts, including murder, during the conflict," he said.
"Contradictory statements have emerged within the last week on this issue. I am calling on the British and Irish governments to immediately provide clarity.
"The legislation underpinning this framework must be published without delay to allow proper scrutiny.
"It should fully reflect the intent of the framework agreement and will only be meaningful if implemented in full."
‘Very helpfull’
Veterans' Commissioner Mr Johnstone welcomed Sir Keir's announcement as "very helpful".
He said there had been some debate since the announcement of the legacy framework last week around the protections and who they were for.
"The Prime Minister has cleared all of that up - these are protections for veterans and they do not apply to terrorists," he told BBC Radio Ulster.
"I'm not surprised by the Prime Minister's clarification, the three veterans commissioners lobbied very hard to the Ministry of Defence and the Government for measures that supported elderly veterans, particularly through this process."
He added: "I think in some cases the term protections is misleading; these are designed to be safeguards, they are measures of support, they recognise the obvious distinction between those who were here lawfully, as part of the Armed Forces, and those that were terrorists.
"In no way do these safeguards or protections prevent or inhibit truth recovery or justice."
O’Neill leads the backlash over Starmer's digital 'Brit Cards' plan
'LIAM TUNNEY, Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
AN ATTACK ON THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS OF IRISH CITIZENS HERE'
First Minister Michelle O'Neill has slammed the Prime Minister's plan for digital ID cards in the UK, calling it “ludicrous and ill-thought-out”.
It is understood Sir Keir Starmer will make an announcement during a speech today as part of Labour's strategy to get a handle on illegal immigration. Under the plans, anyone starting a new job or looking to rent a home in the UK will be required to show the digital ID card.
Dubbed 'Brit Cards', the scheme will be subject to consultation, including how it will work for those without a smartphone or passport.
Ms O'Neill was among those criticising the plans last night.
Posting on X, she said: “This proposal is an attack on the Good Friday Agreement and on the rights of Irish citizens in the North of Ireland.”
Online Verification Process
The scheme will allow the verification of a citizen's right to live and work in the UK.
Under the plans, anyone starting a new job or looking to rent a home would be required to show the card on a smartphone app. It would then be checked against a central database.
These checks are currently based on physical documents, although routes to complete the checks online for some people have existed since 2022.
The Government is hoping this will reduce the attraction of working in the UK illegally.
Ms O'Neill criticised the plans in a post on X yesterday.
“The British Prime Minister's proposal for a mandatory digital ID card is ludicrous and ill-thought out,” she said.
“This proposal is an attack on the Good Friday Agreement and on the rights of Irish citizens in the North of Ireland.”
Others have also criticised the plans ahead of the formal announcement.
Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard hit out at what he described as a “British government decree”.
He said: “So it appears the British Govt will issue a decree that people in the north of Ireland must carry a digital 'Brit Card' to prove that we 'have the right to be here'.
“I won't be doing that. I'm sure I won't be the only one.”
The proposal was also criticised by Aontú.
‘Like mandatory vaccinations’
Deputy leader Gemma Brolly likened the move to introducing mandatory vaccinations.
She said: “This measure being floated by Keir Starmer is principally aimed at protecting his flank against Reform and their criticism of his border policy.
“There is not a self-respecting nationalist nor republican in the North who will bear a 'Brit Card'.
“This mechanism will not stop people seeking to come to these shores, and will not address cross-border migration on this island.
“The Assembly must clearly push back against this idea and make it clear that they will not enforce these measures here. We call on all political parties to support us in this stand.”
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood voiced her opposition to the plan too, describing it as “a terrible idea for many reasons”.
Migrant advocacy group End Deportations Belfast also hit out at the plans.
It said: “This is a cynical attempt by a Labour government lagging behind in the polls to pander to far-right talking points.
“Recent ONS data shows that by far the three most important issues people in the UK are facing are the cost of living, the NHS and the economy.
“The UK Government should be focused on real-world problems that have real impact on struggling households across these islands, not a rehashed failed ID card scheme that places additional burden on ordinary people.
“The 'Brit Card' escalates and broadens the scope of the 'hostile environment' by implementing yet another unnecessary method of control and intimidation.
“There is already a database against which such information can be detailed: it's that of the Home Office.
Stringent provisions already exist
“Stringent right-to-work provisions already exist in the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. The 'Brit Card' would do nothing to tackle illegal migration, and in fact could drive vulnerable people into more precarious situations in our society.
“ID cards raise significant concern on the right to privacy, all in an effort to further alienate those in the UK who have contributed so much to today's society.”
Mr Starmer is expected to announce the plans at today's Global Progress Action Summit in London.
The Prime Minister said earlier this month an ID card system could play an “important part” in stopping illegal migration.
He claimed things had “moved on” since the debate over ID cards during the last Labour administration in the 2000s. He told the BBC: “We all carry a lot more digital ID now than we did 20 years ago, and I think that, psychologically, it plays a different part.”
Starmer fails to offer inquiry into Birmingham bombings
NINA LLOYD, Irish News, September 26th, 2025
SIR Keir Starmer has said the families of those killed in the Birmingham pub bombings will “never be forgotten” but failed to commit to an inquiry into Britain’s biggest unsolved mass murder.
The prime minister said a new legacy scheme agreed with the Irish government meant that the atrocity could “now go into that system,” indicating it will be dealt with alongside other Troubles-era deaths.
Asked whether this made a full public inquiry more likely, he said reforms to the framework were designed to “get to the bottom” of “all” issues, including the Birmingham pub bombings.
Relatives of people killed in the 1974 attacks renewed calls for the probe “as a matter of urgency” last year ahead of the 50th anniversary of the killings.
Sir Keir said at the time that the government was “engaging with the communities and campaigners” and would “come to a decision as quickly as we can.”
New Legacy arrangements
Speaking to BBC Midlands yesterday, he said: “There has been engagement by the government with those communities and of course what we’ve done, particularly in recent weeks and months, is to set up the new legacy arrangements, which we’ve now agreed with the Irish government and will now put through the necessary legislation and that means that this case can now go into that system and so we’ve made progress there.”
Pressed on whether an inquiry was in scope, he said: “Well, in my view it needs to go into the new legacy arrangements because they’re designed to get to the bottom of all the legacy issues including the Birmingham pub bombing and so that’s the route that this case should now take and I’m pleased that we’ve got the legacy arrangements in place.
“It’s something that hadn’t been done for many years but we’ve now managed to get them in the right place so we’ve made progress.”
Twenty-one people died and about 200 were injured on November 21 1974 when bombs exploded minutes apart in the Mulberry Bush, at the foot of the Rotunda building, and the Tavern In The Town in New Street.
Victims’ families have questioned why calls for a public inquiry into the Birmingham attacks have repeatedly been sidelined.
Hugh Callaghan, Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, John Walker, Richard McIlkenny and Billy Power, were wrongly convicted over the attacks and jailed for life in 1975, but were freed in 1991 after the Court of Appeal ruled their convictions were unsafe.
Inquest hearings which concluded in April 2019 found that a botched IRA warning call led to the deaths of the 21 people unlawfully killed.
Is it really possible to rid this this place of paramilitaries?
ALEX KANE, Irish News, September 26th, 2025
I WAS born in August 1955. Sixteen months later, in December 1956, the IRA kickstarted Operation Harvest – what became known as the ‘Border Campaign’.
Taking the beginning of that campaign as my starting point, it looks, by my calculation, that there hasn’t been a year since then (and I turned 70 in August) when there wasn’t at least one armed and active paramilitary/terror group on the go somewhere in Northern Ireland.
I’m rarely surprised by anything (a happy consequence of congenital pessimism), but that realisation surprised me.
Even now, 27 years after the Good Friday Agreement was endorsed by over two-thirds of the electorate, we still have paramilitary groups.
We also have the Loyalist Communities Council (an umbrella organisation for the UDA/UVF/RHC) and, according to a paramilitary assessment in October 2015 – which hasn’t offered a new assessment since then – “The structures of PIRA remain in existence in a much-reduced form… and PIRA members believe that the Provisional Army Council oversees both PIRA and Sinn Féin with an overarching strategy.”
Is it possible to rid Northern Ireland of paramilitarism? The evidence of my lifetime would suggest no.
All Paramils focussed on Border poll
All elements of local paramilitarism are following that development very closely.
The latest attempt to rid us of them involves some sort of interlocutor, a role that hints at the giving of gifts and favours in return for them standing down and dumping whatever weapons they have access to.
But as Naomi Long noted the other day: “Whilst we all want to see paramilitarism ended and those currently engaged in it to desist, I cannot understand what the impediment is to them doing so now, if they are genuinely keen to do so. There can be no negotiation or sweeteners involved, so it is difficult to see what purpose an interlocutor will serve, but easy to see how it could give these groups a credibility which they don’t deserve.”
Politicians, no matter how much they try, cannot distance themselves from the problem.
Every time senior figures from Sinn Féin attend and then eulogise an IRA member at a commemoration event, they are reminding their own side of the importance of republican paramilitarism.
And every time unionist politicians meet with representatives of the LCC they, in turn, are highlighting the continuing significance and input of loyalist paramilitarism.
There may have been an argument in favour of this sort of liaison between 1994 (the IRA and loyalist ceasefires) and 1998 (the signing of the Agreement).
Had the IRA and assorted loyalist groups not given their imprimatur, the GFA would never have crossed the line.
There was probably an argument for the liaison continuing until 2007 (when the DUP/Sinn Féin deal was done and the executive established again); but at that point the paramilitaries should, to all intents and purposes, have disappeared off the scene. Or, as David Trimble suggested, should have morphed into old boys’ associations.
I suspect it was and is in the interests of both sets of paramilitaries to have some sort of structure which would allow them to have input into any legacy procedure, which would require information to aid truth and reconciliation processes.
No elected politician, no matter how close they may have been to a paramilitary organisation, will want to be representing the organisation in the truth and reconciliation process. That still requires information directly from the horse’s mouth.
But none of this requires the paramilitary structures existing as if nothing had changed in 1998.
The IRA pre-1998 probably doesn’t exist, but there remains an Army Council with an overarching role.
Dissident republicans seem to be a law onto themselves, but that doesn’t prevent unionism from joining the dots to a different conclusion.
LCC option not working
When the LCC was formed in 2015 – with support from Tony Blair’s former key aide, Jonathan Powell – I had a hope and expectation that it might perform a role similar to that of the Army Council: overseeing the disbanding of the various organisations and maintaining what might be described as overarching supervision.
“ An interlocutor will not solve the problem. So let’s not go down that route
But that hasn’t happened. Worse, there is increasing evidence of criminality in some elements and the deploying of political muscle by others.
An interlocutor will not solve that problem. So let’s not go down that route.
And an interlocutor should not be encouraged to engage with any paramilitary-linked groups, for it will only encourage them to believe they are being taken seriously.
My children were born into an era of continuing paramilitarism – as were tens of thousands of others.
It has become an almost unspoken-about element of what is supposed to be a genuine peace process.
DUP anger over parade honouring two IRA men
ANDREW MADDEN, Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
COMMEMORATION IN ARMAGH FOR DUO KILLED BY SAS 35 YEARS AGO BRANDED 'AN INSULT' TO VICTIMS
A DUP councillor has raised concerns over a republican parade in Armagh next month in commemoration of IRA men Martin McCaughey and Dessie Grew who were shot dead by the SAS.
According to the Parades Commission website, there will be four bands, 800 participants and 200 supporters.
Scott Armstrong said: “I have been made aware of a republican parade advertised for October 12 in Armagh City to 'commemorate' two IRA men who were shot dead by soldiers whilst retrieving arms from an agricultural shed in October 1990.
“It is deeply concerning that in 2025 we have parades that 'commemorate' IRA men who inflicted nothing but pain and misery on people within the Armagh area and further afield.
“For example, Dessie Grew was arrested for a robbery and had an arrest warrant that was issued on suspicion of the murder of an RAF communications operative and his six-month-old daughter.
“IRA terrorists are not heroes and their violent actions should not romanticised.”
Mr Armstrong said such events were an “insult to the families who were left bereaved by the actions of the IRA”.
‘We still have the scars’
“In Armagh, we still have the scars that the IRA campaign of violence inflicted,” he added.
“We need to stand up for victims, not romanticise the actions of terrorists and these types of eulogistic events need to stop. I have raised my concerns with the PSNI and the Parades Commission and made clear my views on this issue.”
The IRA said McCaughey (23), a former Sinn Fein councillor in Dungannon, and Grew (37) were on “active service”.
Two AK47 rifles were found at the scene, but no shots were fired by the pair.
That led to claims McCaughey and Grew could have been arrested.
The Co Armagh farm was believed to have been under surveillance on the night of October 9, 1990.
It was reported the SAS fired more than 70 rounds.
In 2012 an inquest found the Army was justified in shooting the men.
“Mr Grew and Mr McCaughey put their lives in danger by being in the area of the sheds in the vicinity of a stolen car, which was expected to be used in terrorist activity,” the verdict stated.
“They were both armed with guns, wearing gloves and balaclavas and were approaching soldiers who believed that their lives were in immediate danger.”
The ambush was among a number of incidents which led to allegations of a “shoot-to-kill” policy by the security forces.
Grew's older brother Seamus had been shot dead by the RUC in 1982.
Man who stored UVF shotgun and ammo in his coal bunker avoids prison
ASHLEIGH MCDONALD, Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
JUDGE ACCEPTS 31-YEAR-OLD ACTED UNDER DURESS AFTER BEING TARGETED
A Belfast man who stored a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition in his coal bunker while under “pressure from others” has avoided jail.
Gareth Rice, who was studying for a PhD when his home was searched, was handed a 32-month sentence, suspended for three years.
The 31-year-old, from Abbey Park, said he was asked by others to store a bag, he felt threatened to do so, and that he didn't know the contents.
The Sunday Life reported in August that the group Rice was under pressure from to store the bag was the East Belfast UVF.
He pleaded guilty to four offences — possessing a sawn-off double-barrelled 12-bore shotgun in suspicious circumstances, possessing 24 blue shotgun cartridges in suspicious circumstances, and possessing both the firearms and ammunition without holding a firearm certificate.
All charges relate to items found in the coal bunker of his house during a police search on February 1, 2023.
The weapons had only been in his home for a short time when the property was raided by the Paramilitary Crime Taskforce in an operation targeting the loyalist terror group.
Belfast Crown Court heard that officers searched the coal bunker, which has a broken door propped up by a barbecue.
They found a blue sports bag, which was zipped closed. It contained a rusty sawn-off shotgun that had been broken into three parts. A Guinness cool bag containing blue shotgun shells and additional shells located in a shopping bag were also seized.
Rice was arrested and three interviews were conducted over a two-day period.
While he initially denied knowledge of the items, he later admitted knowing about the bags but that he didn't know what was inside them.
Acted on pressure
He also told police he was acting under pressure and was fearful for his and his family's lives, but failed to provide details about how he came to be in possession of the items.
When the issue of Rice acting under pressure to store the items was raised with the Crown, prosecuting barrister James Johnston said that after consulting with the PSNI, there was “nothing to gainsay what has been put forward by the defendant”.
Defence barrister Neil Connor KC said that as far back as the police interviews, Rice accepted knowledge of the items and was “under pressure” to store them.
Branding the case against Rice as “exceptional” and “unusual”, Mr Connor spoke of his client's educational achievements, which included a degree from Queen's and that he was a PhD student at the time of his arrest.
The PhD pursuit, Mr Connor revealed, “came to an end, at least for the foreseeable period of time”.
He also highlighted Rice's clear criminal record, his family commitments and mental health issues.
Regarding the weapon, Mr Connor said it was “disassembled and unloaded” when found and that there was “no suggestion” Rice ever intended to use any of the items.
Mr Connor concluded his submissions by telling Judge Catherine Chasemore: “You can be absolutely satisfied that Mr Rice will not involve himself with any form of criminality in the future.”
She replied: “The defendant has explained his involvement in these offences. He was studying for a PhD with a focus on the concepts of unionism and he states that he therefore joined a flute band.
Targeted
“He thinks this association may have led to undesirable individuals becoming aware of him and he was approached and told to store items.
“He says he felt his family would be at risk and therefore did so, stating he felt he had no other option.”
She added: “What is clear is that the defendant is a highly educated family man with a previous unblemished character.”
Judge Chasemore said that while the shotgun was found in pieces, it was still capable of being fired and that “suitable” ammunition was found alongside it.
As she sentenced Rice, the judge said she accepted that he stored the items due to “pressure from others” and that he was “not a member of any particular group” who would use them.
She also told him that reports indicated he was “mentally vulnerable, making you susceptible to this type of pressure”.
After warning Rice of the consequences of further offending within the next three years, Judge Chasemore told him he could leave the dock.
The case concluded when the judge granted a Crown application to destroy all of the items seized.
Court-bound Kneecap urge fans to 'comply' with Met Police
GABRIELLE SWAN, Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
RAPPERS SLAM 'PETTY' MOVE OVER MO CHARA'S LATEST APPEARANCE IN LONDON
Kneecap have urged their supporters to “go out of their way to be compliant” with police after a section 14 order was issued by the Metropolitan Police ahead of Mo Chara's court hearing.
Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, is set to appear before Woolwich Crown Court today.
Óg Ó hAnnaidh allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag during a gig last November and shouted “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”, both of which are labelled as terrorist organisations by the Government.
Kneecap have denied that they support either organisation.
Ahead of and during Óg Ó hAnnaidh's court appearance last month, hundreds of Kneecap supporters waving flags and holding banners greeted the rapper as he arrived at court alongside bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Móglaí Bap) and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí).
Demonstrations in support of the musician were organised outside the court building in London, as well as in Dublin.
In a statement published on X yesterday afternoon, the band wrote: “The Metropolitan Police in London have just invoked a section 14 for our supporters tomorrow led by The London Irish Brigade.
“They previously, and, in our view needlessly, did this before the last court date, but this time have removed our supporters from anywhere close to the court entrance. This is petty in the extreme.”
A section 14 order, under the Public Order Act 1986, allows for police to impose conditions on public assemblies if they believe it may result in serious public disorder, damage to property, or disruption to community life.
This can refer to limiting the location of the gathering, restricting the duration, or limiting the number of participants.
The west Belfast band added in the statement: “We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is.
Distraction
“It is distraction from war crimes that the British state still support every single day in Gaza.
“In our view, this police action is designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome, and to keep our support far away from view when we arrive and depart.
“It is, once again, a calculated political decision the day before Mo Chara's court appearance.
“There is no basis for this.
“Both our last hearings were entirely peaceful and a loving show of solidarity, with the most disruptive attendees being the right-wing media and the police themselves who arrested a man for holding a sign, only to release him later with no charge.
“We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful.”
The trio concluded the statement with: “Free Mo Chara, free Palestine, free the six counties.”
The Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment.
Separately, Kneecap said this week that they have been banned from Canada over allegations that they “glorify terrorist organisations”, which they plan to challenge legally as “wholly untrue and deeply malicious”.
George Best a genius on pitch, but should wife beaters have airports named after them?
FIONOLA MEREDITH, Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
There are no plans to remove George Best's name from Belfast City Airport, officials insist. No way.
So why is everyone talking about it then?
That might have something to do with a proposed new extension plan for the airport, complete with a computer-generated image of how it would look in 2040.
The new design is quite stylish, like a mini Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
But there's no sign of Best's signature — hence the speculation.
The airport was renamed George Best Belfast City Airport in 2006, following the death of the Northern Ireland and Manchester United star from the Cregagh estate the year previously.
Last year, however, Best's name was missing from an advertising campaign for the airport.
And while the footballer's autograph does still appear on the airport's home page, it has been relegated to a tiny spot at the very bottom.
Any further down and it would fall off the bottom.
What message is being sent?
The portrait of Best that once graced the entrance hall seems also to have disappeared.
It appears that the airport's owners are no longer keen to champion Best, but are not quite ready to ditch his name completely — perhaps due to the anticipated backlash from his fans.
There's no question that Best was a footballing genius, but as everyone knows, he was also a violent alcoholic.
When drunk, he could be foul, paranoid and dangerous. He repeatedly beat up his wife, Alex. Not long after they married at Chelsea Register Office in 1995, Alex woke up in the middle of the night to find her inebriated husband hacking off her hair with a pair of scissors and scribbling on her skin with a black marker pen.
That's why I've always been opposed to naming our airport after the man.
What message does it send to the survivors of domestic violence that Belfast City Airport is named after a wife beater?
What message does it send to the men who kick and punch their wives?
This is not to discount Best's incredible abilities on the pitch, or the sunnier, more charming side of his personality. Neither is it to deny the delight and pride he has given, and that his memory continues to give, to his many fans in Northern Ireland and beyond.
But we can't look the other way and pretend the abuse didn't happen, or that it didn't matter, or that his extraordinary abilities as a footballer somehow outweighed it, making it count for less.
98% of NI women experience abuse or violence
Research carried out by Ulster University found that 98% of Northern Irish female respondents had experienced some form of abuse or violence in their lifetime.
Yes, you read that right — 98%.
We have a particular problem with femicide: the murder of women. Twenty-eight women and a girl have been violently killed in Northern Ireland since 2020.
This is the worst rate in the UK and Ireland, and among the worst in Europe.
In a recent incident, 45-year-old Vanessa Whyte was shot dead along with her teenage children, James and Sara, at their home in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh, on July 23. Meanwhile, figures obtained by UTV show that over 5,000 children from across Northern Ireland were referred to social services over concerns regarding domestic abuse in 2024.
The Executive Office has published a report outlining that girls are almost three times more likely to report experiencing violence than boys.
Speaking to UTV earlier this year, Kerri Todd, from Women's Aid, said: “We know that Northern Ireland has one of the highest femicide rates in Europe and we know it is one of the most dangerous places for women and girls to live at the moment.
“We also know that does not just happen out of nowhere.
“We know it comes from values, belief systems and culture.”
Precisely. And part of that culture is in turning a blind eye to the brutal reality.
Unsurprisingly, Best's admirers are incandescent at the idea of his name being removed from the airport.
Former Linfield manager, David Jeffrey, writing in this newspaper, said that it is “totally and utterly insulting to the great man and those people, like myself, who are incredibly proud of the fact that George Best was from Northern Ireland”.
There's no doubt that Best's extraordinary skills as a sportsman will live long in the minds of those who loved him.
But history has moved on. It can no longer be acceptable to name our public buildings and institutions after men who are guilty of abusing women.
Perhaps Belfast City Airport is beginning to realise that.
Over 3,000 arrest warrants outstanding -almost 500 more than 25 years old
Belfast Telegraph, September 26th, 2025
More than 3,000 arrest warrants are outstanding across Northern Ireland — with almost 500 dating back over 25 years, new figures have revealed.
It comes following several high-profile cases of offenders absconding and attempts being made by the PSNI to track them down.
Earlier this week, the Belfast Telegraph revealed the police have failed to locate a violent thug for more than a year after he pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and threats to kill last September.
Christopher Simpson of Glanroy Avenue in Portadown admitted the charges relating to a woman, Nuala Devlin, whom he violently attacked in December 2022.
There are two main types of warrants that can be issued, bench warrants and arrest warrants.
Bench warrants are issued by a judge if someone fails to attend court, violates a court order, or commits contempt of court.
An arrest warrant authorises law enforcement to take a suspect into custody if they are suspected of committing a crime.
Figures released by Stormont's Department for Justice reveal how many bench warrants and arrest warrants are outstanding, and the length of time they have been active.
As of September 9, a total of 3,145 arrest warrants were outstanding. Some 350 have been active for less than a year, while 1,860 have been active for more than a decade.
Of those outstanding for more than a decade, 495 have been active for more than 25 years.
A total of 134 bench warrants are outstanding, with 25 active for less than a year and 14 active for more than 25 years.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said the enforcement of arrest warrants is a matter for the PSNI and she is “committed to respecting the operational independence of the Chief Constable”.
The SDLP's Cara Hunter voiced her concern at the figures.
She said: “The scale of the arrest warrant backlog is deeply concerning, particularly the fact that nearly 2,000 warrants have remained outstanding for over a decade.
Question of Public Confidence'
“This raises serious questions about public safety and confidence in our justice system. The public rightly expects that the law is enforced and that justice is not delayed indefinitely.
“I am expecting the Justice Minister to treat this issue with the urgency it demands and call on her to work at pace with the PSNI to address the backlog and ensure effective enforcement going forward.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland continues to take the enforcement of arrest warrants issued by the court seriously and actively pursues individuals subject to such warrants.
“However, it is important to acknowledge that, like many public services, the PSNI operates within financial and resource constraints which can impact the speed and capacity with which warrants are actioned. The extent of budgetary constraints faced by the Police Service have been subject to much media coverage across the last number of months.
“However, it is important to reassure the public that we remain focused on tackling outstanding warrants and continue to focus attention on those in society who potentially create the greatest harm, threat or risk to the community.
“It is acknowledged that despite efforts to locate a person who is subject to an active warrant, some persons may remain wanted for a protracted period of time.
“We have dedicated staff tasked with resolving older warrants, working alongside the Public Prosecution Service, Court Service and local districts to resolve any outstanding issues concerning these warrants. “
If someone is wanted on foot of an arrest warrant but is in another jurisdiction , an extradition warrant can be issued, requesting the person's arrest and return.
Allowing lethal A5 to remain unchanged is not an option
Pro Fide, Pro Patria. Irish News
“All the obstacles which have been placed in the path of the new road are still capable of being removed, and it is realistic to expect that decisive progress can be achieved in the new year
IT is essential that close scrutiny is paid to the costs involved in preparing for the new A5 road, which have been growing steadily even though it is impossible to establish if and when work on the project can actually begin.
As an Irish News report confirmed yesterday, the amount spent to date by the Stormont Department for Infrastructure has increased from £110m to £153m in the space of just nine months, with more than half of this figure going to consultants.
The final A5 bill, in the event that it ultimately receives legal approval, could reach £2 billion, so our elected representatives have a clear responsibility to monitor the related developments in detail at every stage.
However, it should be accepted that, despite the latest intervention from the Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong, all major construction schemes will inevitably incur significant expenditure long before the bulldozers arrive on site.
Ms Armstrong, a long-term critic of the A5 plan, directly questioned if it should proceed at all in light of the rising estimates, pointing out that not a metre of new carriageway has so far been provided and no compensation has been paid to farmers who face losing their land.
Although she suggested that health, education and urban regeneration should be prioritised instead, the basic justification behind a fit-for-purpose link between the outskirts of Derry city and the border at Aughnacloy, on the main route to Dublin, remains overwhelming.
Appalling death rate
The blueprint was first approved by the Stormont Executive back in 2007, but, as legal and other delays have followed, an appalling total of more than 50 people have since been killed along the existing A5.
Every single loss of life there represents a human tragedy of enormous proportions which might well have been avoided if the existing narrow and twisting road, carrying major volumes of traffic every day, met modern safety standards.
Most politicians who have assessed the issue, including Ms Armstrong’s fellow Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler, are adamant that an upgraded A5 is the only possible outcome.
The High Court ruling in June that the scheme did not comply with official climate change targets was bitterly disappointing, and its implications must be comprehensively considered in advance of the appeal scheduled for December.
All the obstacles which have been placed in the path of the new road are still capable of being removed, and it is realistic to expect that decisive progress can be achieved in the new year.
Allowing the present A5 to be left unchanged for a single day more than absolutely necessary cannot be regarded as an option.
New DNA museum in Derry will ‘honour the heritage, history and people’ of the city
NICOLE McBRIDE, Irish News, September 26th, 2025
A NEW museum in Derry will honour the “history, heritage and people” of the city, ministers have said.
Junior ministers Joanne Bunting and Aisling Reilly have welcomed the start of construction work on the £15 million Derry-Londonderry North Atlantic (DNA) Museum at Ebrington Square.
The new visitor attraction will create 14 new jobs.
The new museum facility will offer six galleries, a dedicated archive discovery zone, access to genealogy advice, a temporary exhibition space, multi-purpose learning and events space, cafe, retail and external interpretation space.
Ms Bunting said: “Since 2016, the Executive Office has invested over £37 million to transform and regenerate Ebrington.
“This additional £3.3 million will ensure the DNA Museum becomes a key part of that ongoing journey, and I am delighted that 14 jobs are being created.
“The DNA Museum will be a dynamic cultural space – one that honours Londonderry’s rich history while also creating new opportunities for learning, tourism and community engagement.
“We are building something that will have lasting impact, and I want to thank everyone who has played a role in reaching this milestone,” she added.
The DNA Museum is expected to be completed by Spring 2027.
Ms Reilly said: “It’s great to see work getting under way on the DNA Museum, which will tell the story of Derry’s incredible history, heritage and people.
“We are committed to promoting regional balance, and realising the full potential of the Ebrington site is a vital part of our vision for Derry and the north west.
“I look forward to seeing the positive impact this new landmark visitor attraction has on the local tourism economy and the significant benefits it brings to the city and wider region.”
The junior ministers were joined by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald and local council and community representatives.
$10,000 awarded to two Newry schools as Steelers touch down
American football team officials visit the north ahead of NFL’s historic first-ever regular season game in Ireland on Sunday
HANNAH PATTERSON, Irish News, September 26th, 2025
THE Pittsburgh Steelers have touched down in Newry to visit the ancestral home of the family which owns the NFL team and give a financial boost to two local schools.
St Mary’s High School and Newry High School were awarded a donation worth $10,000, jointly funded by the Ireland Funds and the Steelers Charities, to assist with supplies and resources to improve learning and development.
The visit was ahead of the NFL’s historic first-ever regular season game in Ireland, which takes place on Sunday when the Steelers face the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park.
The Rooney family, which owns the Steelers, has deep connections to Ireland. The late Steelers chairman Dan Rooney snr served as US Ambassador to Ireland and co-founded the Ireland Funds.
Representatives of the Steelers met with students from the two schools to award a student from each the ‘Dan and Patricia Rooney No Mind Left Behind Scholarship’.
Scholarship
The scholarship aims to help and support young people from schools in socially and economically disadvantaged areas to attend university.
Eighteen-year-old Tegan McKibbin, who attended St Mary’s and is now a student at Queen’s, was awarded one of the scholarships. She told The Irish News: “It’s class, it’s really good. I’m so grateful.”
Dan Rooney jnr, grandson to Arthur Rooney and one of the Ireland Funds creators, said it was important to him to make a stop in Newry before a busy weekend ahead.
“This is a full island approach, to connect with all parts of the island,” he said. “Coming to Newry where the Rooneys are from, we feel a strong connection to this town. It’s neat to be able to connect to the youth.
“It’s a special day to celebrate education and sport.”
Steelers alumnus, Super Bowl winner and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jerome Bettis, said: “Mr Rooney, when he was alive, it was important to him to represent his heritage…to have a regular season game in Ireland.
“It is beyond important for this organisation, because of that history. It’s special and shows the commitment the NFL has to Ireland.”
Two-time Super Bowl winner and Steelers alumnus Ike Taylor said Ireland reminds him of Pittsburgh.
“Downtown Dublin is about to get poppin’. Pittsburgh and Ireland are the same… These are my kind of people,” he said, adding: “As long as they (the fans) are going for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
The 2025 NFL Dublin game at Croke Park will take place on Sunday at 2.30pm.
