‘Something fundamentally wrong’ with ICRIR – O’Loan
CONNLA YOUNG CRIME and SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, Irish News, May 13th, 2026
FORMER Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O’Loan has said there is “something fundamentally very wrong” with a controversial body set up by the British government to investigate the past and called for it to be scrapped.
Baroness O’Loan was speaking after a damning review revealed a “toxic” and “divided” working culture inside Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
The body was established under the Conservative Party’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 and is set to be rebranded the Legacy Commission by the British government as part of the Troubles Bill.,
Many people impacted by the Troubles are opposed to the commission, believing it to be part of a British government attempt to protect state participants from accountability.
Its chief commissioner is former Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, while ex-senior police officer Peter Sheridan heads its investigations.
Mr Sheridan is a former head of the PSNI’s Crime Operations Department, which included the C3 intelligence unit, often referred to as Special Branch.
The review by former Civil Service permanent secretary Peter May has now found “a clear risk that things will run out of control in the absence of clear unified leadership”.
Secretary of State Hilary Benn said he is “deeply concerned” by the findings, which are “unacceptable and fall below the standards expected”.
Mr Morgan said the organisation regretted the shortcomings and is committed to addressing the issues.
In an unprecedented interview with The Irish News last year, Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, questioned the role and governance of the ICRIR.,
Days later, Baroness O’Loan said the legacy body cannot “ensure proper, impartial investigations and accountability”.
The former ombudsman has now said there is “something fundamentally very wrong” with the ICRIR and called for it to be scrapped.
“I think that the only answer is that the Labour government really should do what they said they would do and start again,” she said.
“Investigation has to lead to reports and two years on, £60m spent, not one report,” she told the BBC.
“I think it must be profoundly difficult for those victims and survivors who have gone to the commission looking for help.”
‘Set to fail’
The ex-ombudsman believes the commission was “set up to fail” by the previous Tory government, which limited the body’s capacity to carry out full investigations.
“When we were debating the (Legacy) Act through parliament they removed the primary investigative powers at a late stage,” she said.
Baroness O’Loan said it was her understanding less than half the commission’s staff are investigators who lack “the powers they need”.
“They can’t carry out surveillance, they can’t access financial information, they can’t access phone data to find out who is talking to whom,” she said.
“They can’t get information from the government of Ireland because there are no processes to enable that,” she added.
Meanwhile, the under-fire commission, which employs dozens of former police officers, is set to engage an investigations expert to “provide them with assurance that investigative practice is in line with stated objectives and pace at least every six months”.
The expert, who could be drawn from the ICRIR’S Expert Advisory Group, is “to be engaged” by the end of this month.
Daniel Holder, from the Committee on the Administration of Justice, said “there have been concerns from the outset that the ICRIR was not established to conduct proper investigations.
“One element of the Review that jumps out is that the ICRIR is asked to bring in an independent expert in investigations, to consider their investigative practice,” he added.
Mark Thompson, of Relatives for Justice, raised questions about the work carried out by the ICRIR since it was established.
“In the two years since the ICRIR was established with a budget of £250m and almost 300 staff they’ve yet to publish one report,” he said.
“In the same period Relatives for Justice’s casework team, with a handful of staff and scant resources, have produced 13 significant reports into the killings of 16 people, nine of which were published.”
A spokesperson for the ICRIR said: “Uncovering the truth for victims, survivors and families is at all times our priority.
“To date, 265 requesting individuals have contacted the commission asking us to look into the death of their loved one or a serious injury they have experienced as a re-sult of the Troubles/Conflict.
“We are currently conducting 123 live investigations,” added the spokesperson.
The commission said it would produce its first report “soon”.
Burnt through £60m since 2024 with little to show for it: ICRIR in crisis
EVAN SHORT, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
REPORT DETAILING PROBLEMS IN LEGACY BODY IS LATEST BLOW TO ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH TROUBLES DEATHS
This week's report into the body set up to deal with legacy outlining “significant problems” across a range of matters is just the latest blow to the Government's attempts to deal with Troubles-related deaths.
Secretary of State Hilary Benn announced the publication of the report on corporate effectiveness and culture within the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
It found issues regarding staff morale, governance and financial management.
Among the criticisms is that it has spent £60 million with little to show for it.
Benn said he was “deeply concerned” at some of the findings, and announced the establishment of a joint ICRIR-NIO oversight committee to address identified issues “damaging the operation of the organisation and overall morale”.
The motivations of the Government in setting up the ICRIR are contested. Critics argue it was a Tory move to deal with the issue of veterans' trials impacting them on the doorsteps ahead of the 2024 general election.
Its supporters say it was a bid to deal with the legacy issue for good.
Some victims' groups here said they wouldn't engage from the outset, and continue to shun it, even after a change of government and proposed legislation to provide more accountability.
But staff, the majority of whom were recruited locally, would argue they had little to do with the politics and were motivated by a genuine drive to work towards dealing with the past.
The report acknowledges families who have engaged with the ICRIR have been satisfied with their experience.
And with upwards of 250 investigations under way, it's clear there has been buy-in from victims' families.
Defenders of the ICRIR say growing pains were inevitable.
Going from zero employees to almost 300 in 24 months would be difficult in any circumstances, they argue. But the sensitive nature of its work meant these added layers of complexity impacted internal relationships and the culture suffered as a result.
Recruitment from the civil service, private sector and law enforcement has exacerbated problems due to hugely different workplace cultures. Staff have been seconded to the ICRIR on a temporary basis in the past.
Then there is the issue of what the Tory government thought could be achieved. The remit of the body is to tackle reconciliation as well as information recovery.
Dealing with complex criminal investigations at the same time as implementing programmes to deal with a divided society is a massive challenge. Reconciliation efforts have sucked up hundreds of millions of pounds through European-funded schemes over decades with mixed results.
Investigating over 200 murders, many carried out half-a-century ago, is painstaking. Files have to be sought from MI5, the Ministry of Defence and the PSNI.
Add to this the fact that some of these killings were carried out by perpetrators who escaped across the border, and another layer of difficulty is added.
Bureaucratic
The ICRIR is not a recognised policing body outside the UK.
The Belfast Telegraph understands investigations have been slow due to the bureaucracy associated with the vetting of employees, an essential part of the recruitment process given the sensitive nature of the work. Newly hired investigators can take months to receive permission to begin working on cases.
The ICRIR does not have a dedicated forensics resource, which slows the investigative process down even further.
Former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan told the BBC it was her opinion the ICRIR was “set up to fail”, given the limitations on investigations in the legislation.
There is no doubt there have been own-goals. The ICRIR's independence has always been questioned by critics.
It's understood the ICRIR's launch in 2024 was planned for NIO headquarters at Erskine House, and only moved after it was pointed out the optics would be damaging.
Another issue is wages. Most staff members are based here, but the pay structure was pegged to London rates.
In some cases this meant positions in the ICRIR could be paying as much as £20k more per year than an equivalent role in Northern Ireland's private sector.
In this context, it is perhaps unsurprising £60m has been burned through in such a short time.
These mitigating factors are unlikely to impress critics. And dealing with the issues raised in the independent review carried out by Peter May will add yet more work to the struggling commission.
The review has outlined 19 recommendations, and chief commissioner Sir Declan Morgan says he is committed to addressing the shortcomings.
The government will be hoping this is successful as it continues its efforts to change the original Legacy Act that established the ICRIR.
Executive Office won't say if Marie Anderson vetting reviewed during criminal probe
ANDRE MADDEN, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
POLICE WATCHDOG INVESTIGATED OVER DOMESTIC INCIDENT AT HER HOME IN 2023
The First and Deputy First Ministers have refused to say whether they requested a review of former Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson's security vetting when she became the subject of a criminal investigation in 2023.
During a debate around the security vetting of disgraced US Ambassador Peter Mandelson, DUP leader Gavin Robinson used parliamentary privilege to raise concerns about Ms Anderson.
He claimed in the Commons that Ms Anderson was appointed to the role in 2019 “despite Security Service concerns”.
The former Police Ombudsman indicated she would not be making any comment on the claims.
At the time she was chosen for the role Stormont was not functioning, so Ms Anderson was appointed by then Secretary of State Karen Bradley.
During her tenure Ms Anderson found herself at the centre of controversy after authoring several reports into Troubles killings that found “collusive behaviours” between the RUC and loyalist terrorists, prompting criticism from unionists.
In September 2023 police were called to a domestic incident at Ms Anderson's Co Down home and an investigation was launched, which was carried out by West Midlands Police at the request of the PSNI.
Ms Anderson took a leave of absence from June 2024 to January 2025, attributed to illness.
A file was sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in June 2025 reporting one individual for potential offences of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office.
Shortly after this she took a second leave of absence, citing commentary over the investigation “detracting” from her work.
Last October the PPS said no charges would be brought against Ms Anderson, who returned to work, before retiring weeks later in December.
When Mr Robinson raised the issue, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the matter would be included in a wider review of UK vetting arrangements prompted by the Mandelson controversy.
Now concerns have been raised over whether or not a review of Ms Anderson's security clearance was requested when she became subject to the police investigation in 2023.
Secretary of State Hilary Benn previously said requests around national security vetting lie with Stormont's Executive Office.
Stormont is responsible for vetting
Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows asked whether such a request was made, but the Executive Office refused to answer.
A spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has indicated that a review of vetting will be undertaken.”
Mr Burrows added: “The Police Ombudsman has developed vetting, which means they have access to top secret material.
“After Marie Anderson became subject to a criminal investigation, the vetting ought to have been reviewed.
“Despite a number of questions that I submitted to the Executive Office, they refuse to answer. Initially they claimed it was a reserved matter, but the Secretary of State wrote back to me making clear it was for the Executive Office. This is very alarming.”
While Ms O'Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly did not answer the question about any request for a review, when Mr Robinson named Ms Anderson in the House of Commons last month, both the First and Deputy First Ministers demanded clarity over the issue of her original clearance.
Ms O'Neill said, given Ms Anderson's appointment was made by the UK Government, “it's for them to provide clarity in terms of the process that they followed”.
She added: “So, I think the clarity that's required needs to come, because there's been a lot of speculation. And I don't think that's helpful for either the individual involved or for anybody involved in the process.
“So I think the sooner there's clarity, I think that will be a better place for us to reach, as opposed to feeding speculation whenever people perhaps have half of the truth or perhaps not all of the information.”
Ms Little-Pengelly said: “If there is truth in this allegation, then that then needs to come forward. We need to investigate and it needs to be investigated fully.
“I have to say, I think it would be absolutely preposterous to suggest that we shouldn't have that kind of high-level vetting for these secure posts in Northern Ireland because of some kind of political or other agenda. Of course we need that.
“That vetting is there to ensure that those people with access to very high-level and secure information have the appropriate clearances, that they are appropriate people with integrity in order to access that.
“So yes, we do need to get answers. We need to get those urgently. Of course, this was a direct rule appointment at the time that none of us were involved in... but we do need those answers, and we need them urgently.”
The Northern Ireland Office said last month it was “looking into our records and will respond as soon as possible”.
On Tuesday the NIO said there was no further update.
Health minister pressed on the need for 'assured veteran-friendly forces doctors'
GARRETT HARGAN, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
PROPOSAL FROM COMMISSIONER AT STORMONT MEETING SPARKS ACCUSATION OF 'TWO-TIER SYSTEM'
The health minister expressed unease about the perception of a “two-tier system” during a meeting at which the Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner shared proposals for health trusts to adopt.
The meeting between Mike Nesbitt and David Johnstone took place last July at Parliament Buildings.
Minutes have been obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
During the meeting they spoke of the need for “assured 'veteran-friendly' forces doctors”.
After that was discussed, a note is recorded saying Mr Nesbitt told the commissioner that “can't be made formal” but “may happen organically and is OK on that basis”, adding that he “can't endorse a two-tier system”.
During the same meeting, the commissioner also raised the need to establish armed forces champions in each trust area.
Notes from the meeting state: “Commissioner discussed idea of a veterans champion as established within some council areas to act as a point of contact/liaison officer for veterans' issues.
“Discussed desire to establish armed forces champion in each of the trusts.
“Officials did note that there is a contact point in each Trust already for managing AF (Armed Forces) contracts — this may not be the same role as the envisaged champion, but an initial enquiry could be made to trusts through these contacts. Armed Forces Liaison Group have not met in 12-18 months — (the) commissioner would like to reinstate these meetings but need to be meaningful and trusts need to engage and turn up.
“Past meetings some Trusts didn't attend. Need key people to attend, and otherwise it's a waste of time.”
The document says that communication is needed to “help veterans to wait well”.
It then adds: “Discussed challenges for veterans around safety; need assured 'veteran-friendly' forces doctors.
“Minister noted this can't be made formal but it may happen organically and is OK on that basis. Minister noted the specific challenges but can't endorse a two-tier system.
“Commissioner wants narrative to be more positive in that veterans won't be disadvantaged.”
‘Operation Valour’
The pair also discussed £50m linked to Operation Valour — a new national programme designed to make it easier for veterans across the UK to access the care and support they deserve.
They addressed a potential Armed Forces covenant motion that may come to the Assembly.
A Welfare Service was discussed, and it was suggested the minister meet those involved.
Actions taken away from the meeting were for officials to “contact each of the trusts and get the most appropriate contacts and to then share these with the Veterans Commissioner”.
This newspaper contacted Northern Ireland health trusts to see if the health department had conveyed that message.
The Southern and South Eastern Trusts confirmed that they had “not yet received a request in relation to establishing an Armed Forces champion”.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said: “Everyone should have equal access to healthcare. The suggestion of special treatment and additional resources for veterans while others can't access basic healthcare is simply unfair and unjustifiable. Nobody has been able to explain what a 'veteran-friendly forces doctor' actually is, or how they would differ from any other doctor.
“It appears the minister is keeping his options open with regard to a two-tier health service — one for veterans and another for everyone else.
“It should also be noted that a two-tier health service already exists under his watch.
No preferential treatment
“Those who can afford to go private get the treatment they need, while working-class patients are left to languish in pain on endless waiting lists. That is the inequality this minister should be focused on fixing.”
A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: “There can be no question of privilege or preferential treatment for British armed forces. Access to healthcare, housing and other public services must be available on the basis need and equality of treatment.”
The Department of Health said it understands that the Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA) Health Innovation Fund allocated funding to the Defence Medical Welfare Service NI, an independent charity, in 2023. According to the UK Government website this was for £300k.
The department added that it does not have any involvement in the allocation of funding or how it is used.
The OVA and the Veterans Welfare Service NI are the main Ministry of Defence (MoD) departments providing support to veterans in Northern Ireland.
A DoH spokesperson added: “Health and Social Care Trusts have contact points within their public liaison teams which can direct any veterans' healthcare enquiries to the appropriate services. The establishment of an Armed Forces champion is a matter for trusts.
“The commissioner was very clear and explicit — he was not asking for a two-tier system. He was asking for no disadvantage to apply to veterans. The minister supports that position.”
The NI Veterans Commissioner's Office was contacted.
123 names to be added to town’s cenotaph for forgotten war dead
MICHAEL KENWOOD, Irish News, May 13th, 2026
Plaques will be produced to remember First World War casualties
AN additional 123 names have been found for a world war memorial in a Co Down village.
The names are those of casualties from the First World War, covering the period 1914 to 1918, who were omitted from the war memorial in Comber.
The Comber Branch of the Royal British Legion were provided with a historically researched and compiled list of individuals who were previously not included.
A report by officials at the Ards and North Down Borough Council Environment Committee states: “Upon receipt of (the list), the branch agreed to initiate a process in accordance with War Memorial Trust Guidelines.
“This included the establishment of a working group to undertake detailed scrutiny of the names and to commence a formal verification process.
“Council officers have since been collaborating with the working group and all missing names are now believed to have been collated and verified. In total, 123 names have been collected and verified by the working group.”
Officers are proposing the names will be distributed over three plaques, situated on the existing war memorial. The council has approached a local foundry for production, with an initial budget approximated at £5,000 for the plaques.
DUP councillor Trevor Cummings said at the council’s May Environment Committee meeting: “I want to put on record my particular thanks for the diligent work of Dr Sange and the working group who behind the scenes have brought the final list together.
“The council report comes at a good time, as the working group are making their final appeal to families. They don’t anticipate any further information coming forward, and they should have a comprehensive list.”
He said the group were hoping to do the unveiling this year, to tie in with the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
DUP councillor Libby Douglas said: “It is incredibly important that we as a council do everything we can to keep the memory alive of all the individuals who lost their lives during the First World War.
“I look forward to the plaques with the individual’s names being added to the Comber War Memorial, and I give a special mention to the Comber branch of the Royal British Legion.”
SDLP councillor Joe Boyle said: “I thank Alderman Cummings for bringing a very sensible and meaningful report. I don’t tend to take to my feet too often in these types of situations, but there is a humane side, and for 123 names that once were forgotten, for them to be now on display, is very special.
“For those families, it is a wonderful bit of work. I have to congratulate the working group, it is a mammoth task to unearth 123 names.”
UUP associations to meet amid turmoil over Beattie ‘de-selection’
CONOR COYLE, Irish News, May 13th, 2026
LOCAL associations of the Ulster Unionist Party are to meet later this month in response to the turmoil caused by the reported ‘de-selection’ of former leader Doug Beattie and another MLA.
The Upper Bann MLA and party colleague Alan Chambers have been reported to have faced opposition from their local party associations ahead of selection meetings for next year’s Assembly elections.
Grassroots members of the once largest unionist party in Northern Ireland are believed to have moved against former party leader to not select him for next year’s Assembly election.
Mr Beattie has said he has put his name forward for selection as the party’s candidate for Upper Bann and is focused on that, but if not selected has said he has a decision to make about where he goes next.
Local Ulster Unionist associations will meet in the coming months to ratify candidates for Assembly and council elections next year. The party currently has nine serving MLAs.
After news of the potential removal of Mr Beattie and Mr Chambers from their roles yesterday, local associations moved to organise a meeting at the end of May to set out their positions on the party’s candidates.
The UUP has seen a consistent decline in its vote share since 1998, picking up just 11.2% of first preference votes at the last Assembly election.
A UUP source told The Irish News that some MLAs had “lost the confidence” of their respective local associations.
Former senior PSNI officer Jon Burrows quickly rose to prominence within the party after being co-opted into the North Antrim seat in 2024, and took over as leader earlier this year as he proved popular with grassroots members, despite reported opposition from some within the party’s Stormont team.
“To stand for election you have to be in good standing with your local associations, which several of our MLAs are not,” the party source said.
The source added that Mr Beattie had “lost the confidence of the local association”, citing his more moderate unionism as being unpopular with grassroots members.
Turmoil
The source warned of turmoil if Mr Beattie was to run in Upper Bann as an independent, as it could further enhance the prospect of the party losing its seat in the constituency. Mr Beattie narrowly regained the seat while serving as party leader in the 2022 poll.
A spokesperson for the UUP said the selection of candidates was an internal party matter and would not comment further.
The spokesperson said: “All candidate selection activity within the Ulster Unionist Party is governed by its rules and standing orders.
“The party appreciates that its internal procedures may, on occasion, attract outside interest.
“However, it would not be appropriate for the party to offer comment on the details of matters of this nature.”
Mr Burrows has said he would “respect the process” of candidate selection within the party and downplayed his role in the non-selection of any candidates.
Mr Beattie has said he put his name forward to stand as a candidate for the party in next year’s election, but was non-committal on whether he would stand for another party if not selected by his local association.
The Irish News understands no talks have been held to date between the British Army war veteran and his most likely destination, the Alliance Party.
Alliance sources said they were not aware of any talks having taken place about a potential move to the centrist party and suggested they were unlikely to take place in future, given he would be hoping to stand in the same hotly0contested constituency as its deputy leader Eoin Tennyson.
“My name has gone forward as a candidate to stand in the next Assembly election for Upper Bann,” Mr Beattie told the BBC.
“I will go forward for selection and I will be selected or not selected, that’s the process and I won’t comment any further on that process.
“I’m absolutely focused on getting to run in the next Assembly election. If I am not selected, then I must decide where I go.
“There’s a human element to all of this, and I’m human like everybody else and I have to decide where I go if I’m not selected.”
UUP man tipped to be Upper Bann candidate 'on party's socially conservative wing'
CLAIRE DICKSON, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
Kyle Savage is being tipped to replace former party leader Doug Beattie as the UUP's candidate on the ballot paper in Upper Bann.
He is a well-known figure in local politics, having twice served as Deputy Lord Mayor of his local council.
His father George served the constituency as MLA between 1998 and 2003 and then between 2007 and 2011.
It was his death in 2014 that opened the door for Kyle Savage's route into politics — he was co-opted to finish his father's term of office as a councillor. George Savage had been a long-serving member of Craigavon Borough Council, serving three terms as mayor of Craigavon.
Kyle Savage's mother, Joy, also served as a Craigavon councillor, and was mayor in 1993-1994.
In 2016, Kyle Savage spoke out about his fight in overcoming cancer, having lost his father to the same disease.
At a Community and Wellbeing committee meeting of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, Mr Savage spoke about the need for more awareness in rural communities about testing for the disease.
“We need to be trying to get more into that rural community. Men, especially, do need to come out and get checked out and tested, as and when needs be.”
Mr Savage was elected to the role of Deputy Lord Mayor on Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council in 2020 and elected for a second term in 2024.
Delivering for farmers
Upon his stepping down from the role, the Ulster Unionist Party commented on his quiet nature.
“Those of us who know Kyle well know that he doesn't seek the spotlight. In fact, he's more comfortable in a field talking to a farmer than standing behind a microphone.”
The statement also mentioned his work on issues such as “mental health, young people and local enterprise.”
A UUP source told the Belfast Telegraph that Mr Savage is best known “for his interest in issues to do with agriculture, coming from a farming background himself.”
“He's a high-profile member of the Ulster Unionist Party on Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and is well regarded in the area.”
A source who worked closely with Mr Savage at council level commented that “agriculture was definitely Kyle's major focus on the council. He would be on the more socially conservative wing of the party as well.”
Mr Savage previously ran in the constituency in the 2016 Assembly election.
He based his campaign then on his heavy involvement in agriculture, placing emphasis on his dairy-farming background.
In a campaign video he stated that he was “involved in a number of local community organisations, serving as vice chair of TADA (The Antrim, Down and Armagh) Rural Support network and also serving on a local action group which administers EU rural development funds.”
He also highlighted his belief that Stormont was not delivering for the farming sector.
Five years after 'Beattie bounce', ex-party chief is fighting for survival
SUZANNE BREEN, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
Five years ago, Doug Beattie was a breath of fresh air in the stagnant landscape of unionist politics as he took up the reins at the UUP.
He recognised that, ultimately, the biggest threat to the Union wasn't Sinn Féin, the Irish Sea border, or an untrustworthy government in London. Unionism's deepest wounds were self-inflicted. It was its own worst enemy.
For a while, it looked like he might succeed where others had failed. He was edgier than Robin Swann. He didn't shirk from confronting the DUP.
He was nowhere near as polished a media performer as Mike Nesbitt — who had brought him into the party — yet he had something in his favour that his friend didn't possess. A military background is much more preferable to unionist grassroots than a media one. For a while, he did well. The 'Beattie bounce' saw the party climb to 16% in the polls, but it never translated into votes.
The UUP fell+ to 11% in the last Assembly election. Beattie stepped down as leader in an internal row two years ago. He's sat on the backbenches since, but now he's fighting for his political life.
It's an open secret that the UUP's Upper Bann association isn't overly enamoured with its MLA. The BBC's Gareth Gordon has reported that it's set to deselect him next month. If that happens, sources say he's likely to stand as an independent or for another party.
The latter option is almost impossible to see. On some issues, he's too right-wing for Alliance. His views on the trans issue and past misogynistic tweets would also rule him out for that party.
Besides, Alliance has an Upper Bann candidate. Its deputy leader Eoin Tennyson will be struggling to hold his own seat next May: he definitely doesn't need a running mate.
The DUP wouldn't be an easy fit for Beattie. He's far more liberal than any of its representatives. The party isn't short of talent in the Assembly so it's difficult to see why it would want an independent-minded, seasoned MLA who has led a rival party and mightn't always be keen to take orders.
As for Jim Allister's party, it's definitely a no-no. While there is no personal animosity towards Beattie, his participation in Pride events, his pro-choice stance on abortion, and his support for power-sharing does not make him TUV material.
It is almost certain he will contest the next Assembly election as an independent.
Problems locally rooted
Relations between Beattie and new UUP leader Jon Burrows are not warm at Stormont. However, the Upper Bann MLA's problems are locally rooted. Insiders say he could face three or four rivals in his renomination attempt, with Councillor Kyle Savage the runaway favourite.
Sympathy or support for Beattie is in short supply in some sections of the party. Insiders are angry that the issue is now in the public domain.
“An MLA just goes in and makes his case to the association. It decides who is the best person for the job. In normal circumstances, the incumbent should be in a strong position,” one insider says.
“Nobody is indispensable. Kyle Savage would be as good an MLA as Doug. He is a very involved local councillor who is well-liked in the constituency. It is nonsense to suggest that Doug is in trouble because he's a moderate. It was wrongly claimed that he was driven out of the leadership for the same reason.”
The source argued that Beattie was wholly at fault in the row over the selection process for Robin Swann's old Assembly seat in North Antrim.
The insider described Beattie as “responding petulantly and throwing his toys out of the pram”. They said it would not serve him well by effectively warning that he would “go somewhere else if he doesn't get his own way with the association in Upper Bann”.
Another UUP source said Beattie could on occasions be too “forceful” in his approach. “It doesn't always go down well with people. He got into trouble when he put Ian Marshall into West Tyrone for the 2022 Assembly election over the head of the local association. When Doug has his mind set, he won't listen,” the insider said.
He said Beattie has support among some Upper Bann association members. It is understood that while consideration could be given to running two candidates there in order to accommodate him, the association is reluctant to do so fearing that splitting the vote could lose it the seat due to boundary changes.
Burrows has said he won't interfere in the selection process. It is understood that the party rules say the leader can ask the association to reselect if they feel the candidate is inappropriate.
He can also intervene if he believes an outsider would be the best candidate, as happened with Colonel Tim Collins in North Down in the last Westminster election.
Neither of these set of circumstances will apply to Upper Bann.
Beattie polled 9% in the last Assembly election and was brought over the line with transfers from the party's second candidate Glenn Barr.
Both Beattie and Burrows have been approached for comment.
If Doug is too moderate for UUP, where does it expect to get votes?
ALEX KANE, Irish News, May 13th, 2026
THE UUP has two particular problems with its MLA team. Eight of the nine are male. Six of the nine are aged mid-50s and above.
Another problem is that, by my reckoning, a majority would be regarded as ‘moderates’.
The immediate question for Jon Burrows is this: how do you change the gender balance and age profile?
Another and trickier question: are the ‘moderates’ a problem in terms of electoral performance and, if so, how ruthless does the party, along with the constituency associations, need to be in replacing them for next May’s Assembly election?
From the moment he put himself forward as a candidate for the leadership in January, there were concerns within the MLA group that one of his priorities, should Burrows win, would be to reshape the group in the run-up to 2027.
In fairness, I had already heard concerns about the age and gender issues. Yet, until earlier this year, there was practically nothing about the party needing to come down on one side or the other of the moderate versus traditional division.
The news, broken by the BBC’s Gareth Gordon, that Upper Bann seems prepared to deselect Doug Beattie for being too moderate has ensured that the issue has now landed with an almighty thud in the leader’s in-tray.
The party clearly needs younger MLAs and a more balanced gender mix. So it makes perfect sense that they should be encouraged to put their names forward for selection.
Listening to Doug discussing the issue with Stephen Nolan yesterday, it was clear that he had no problem with others throwing their hats into the ring. Yet it was also clear that a move was already underway to deselect him and the reason, given to Gareth, was that he was regarded as being to moderate.
My response to Stephen was that if being moderate in the UUP was now a problem for a UUP MLA, then it would soon become a problem for the UUP’s voting base.
“Remove moderates from the party, along with the electoral support for candidates, and the UUP will just become a smaller version of the DUP – a role already occupied by the TUV
I think a lot of the UUP’s younger generation is not aware that there has long been a moderate demographic within the party.
It backed O’Neill in 1969. It backed Faulkner in 1973 (when the Ulster Unionist Council, with considerable opposition from former Home Secretary William Craig, endorsed the UK government’s White Paper which insisted that any replacement for Stormont would include mandatory coalition and the acknowledgment of an ‘Irish dimension’).
It backed Molyneaux when he urged a cautious rather than reckless approach at key moments between 1979 and 1995. It backed Trimble during the Good Friday Agreement. It backed Mike Nesbitt’s ‘better in’ policy during the EU referendum.
Isolating or sidelining the moderate demographic would do huge electoral damage to the UUP, so the party needs to tread with care.
‘Big tent’ unionism
The UUP has its roots in the ‘big tent’ approach of the Ulster Unionist Council founded in March 1905.
Even after the emergence of Vanguard and the DUP in the early 1970s, the UUP remained a big tent. It is still, in essence, big tent in its approach to organisation; creating space for people who agree on the union while differing on the best polices to secure NI’s position within it.
Which is why it has always been the party able to take risks for the political/peace process since 1972.
Take, for example, the DUP: a hardline approach to the GFA before rolling over and implementing it; a hardline approach to Brexit before being shafted by the Conservatives, Johnson, the ERG and Sunak and shuffling back to the assembly with absolutely nothing to show for it.
Remove moderates from the party, along with the electoral support for candidates, and the UUP will just become a smaller version of the DUP – a role already occupied by the TUV.
Undermine the moderates and you can kiss goodbye to the pro-EU wing of unionism which drifted to Alliance and fuelled its ‘surge’, and to that wing of softer unionism which has been drifting and dithering for years (sometimes described as the garden centre Prods).
If Upper Bann – or any other constituency with a UUP MLA – believes he has been poor in the role, then fine, deselect him. But if he is being deselected because he is too moderate, that sends a clear message to voters who, in Beattie’s case, voted for him in 2016, 2017 and 2022.
The message? The UUP in this constituency doesn’t like moderates. Yep, a great message for a party that hopes to build both seats and votes in just over a year.
‘No evidence’ of child exploitation during riots say police
LUKE BUTTERLY THE DETAIL, Irish News, May 13th, 2026
THE PSNI did not refer any young people for child exploitation checks in the wake of the Ballymena riots despite concerns being raised about the issue during internal meetings, it has emerged.
No children arrested as part of investigations linked to the disorder were referred to the government mechanism used to identify victims of child criminal exploitation.
A third of those arrested following disorder in Ballymena and other towns last year were children – 33 out of 100 arrests.
Internal meeting notes obtained by The Detail through Freedom of Information requests show police and statutory agencies discussed concerns that some young people involved may have been victims of child criminal exploitation (CCE).
One emergency stakeholder meeting during the June 2025 disorder, involving the PSNI, health trusts and other agencies, warned there was “a lot of background involved in CCE” linked to the “number of juveniles” involved in the unrest.
Another meeting held days later noted “there is a recognition that some of the violence could be a re-sult of child criminal exploitation”.
Child criminal exploitation involves children being coerced or groomed into crime, including rioting, by individuals, gangs, or paramilitaries.
A third of those arrested following disorder in Ballymena and other towns last year were children – 33 out of 100 arrests.
NRM
Children suspected of being exploited can be referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a government framework intended to identify and support victims of trafficking and exploitation.
At the time of the riots, police publicly stated they had “absolutely” seen “people who were directing young people” to commit violence and attack officers.
The PSNI also said individuals associated with paramilitary groups had been present during the disorder, although officers said it was unclear who was coordinating events.
Despite the concerns raised privately and publicly, the PSNI told The Detail that no referrals were made because there was “no evidence” children involved were victims of exploitation.
A PSNI spokeswoman said: “None of the children involved in recent disorder within the Ballymena area were referred to the National Referral Mechanism for CCE as we do not believe there was a specific incident of exploitation of a young person.”
A youth worker with experience supporting exploited children described the absence of referrals as “horrific”.
Megan Phair of Invisible Traffick said it was widely recognised that criminal and paramilitary groups exploit children and young people during periods of disorder.
“It’s horrific to understand that a third of the people arrested were under 18.
“But it’s even more horrific that a state body that should be looking out for the rights of children and young people, even if they are committing crimes, are not thinking about the child.
“I know for certain that there have been young people who are in juvenile justice who have been exploited, and who shouldn’t be there.”
Ms Phair also said multiple community sources had told her children and young people were being “bussed in” to the disorder in Ballymena last year.
“I heard this from elected reps, community members, from so many different people. They can’t all be wrong,” she said.
Earlier this year, a report by the Criminal Justice Inspectorate (CJINI) found that the PSNI and wider criminal justice system’s response to child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland “was inconsistent and, in many respects, inadequate”.
PSNI to review ‘NCND’ response over woman’s unexplained death
Sheila Whyte’s body was discovered eight days after she went missing in 1993
CONNLA YOUNG, Irish News, May 13th, 2026
THE PSNI is to review a decision to ‘neither confirm nor deny’ if it holds any information about the disappearance and death of a Co Down woman more than three decades ago.
Sheila Whyte vanished without explanation after leaving her home in Holywood, Co Down, on May 2 1993.
The 47-year-old was never seen alive again.
Her car was found at a caravan Park near Ballywalter, Co Down, a day later, with her handbag and other belongings still on the passenger seat. Her bruised and lacerated remains were discovered on a beach at Groomsport eight days later, on May 10. A 1993 inquest reached an open verdict.
While it was suspected the mother-of-two may have taken her own life, her daughter Andrea Whyte believes she may have been murdered.
Concerns about the case were fuelled after the Police Ombudsman confirmed in 2021 that documentation linked to the RUC investigation had either been “mislaid or destroyed”.
Two years later, the PSNI provided Andrea with an ‘NCND’ (Neither Confirm Nor Deny) response to a Freedom of Information request about her mother’s disappearance and death.
NCND is often used by state agencies when they are trying to stop information, including ‘national security’ material, from entering the public domain.
The NCND response was issued despite the ombudsman previously saying the majority of records linked to the case have been lost or destroyed.
Andrea’s solicitor Kevin Winters, of KRW Law, recently wrote to the PSNI in relation to its response.
The solicitor highlighted that the force “cannot lawfully maintain NCND while simultaneously asserting that relevant RUC/PSNI files no longer exist” or that “records have been mislaid or destroyed”.
Mr Winters also wants written confirmation about why NCND was invoked and has requested details of any destruction order that may exist.
The PSNI has now agreed to review the initial NCND response, a move welcomed by Mr Winters.
“We’re pleased to get an indication there will be a review of the NCND decision in this case,” he said.
“It makes no sense whatsoever to claim matters of national security are engaged here.
“It points to a complete misapplication of the policy.”
Mr Winters has also asked the Coroner’s Service to confirm how Sheila’s death has been officially recorded.
Mr Winters points out that his client has “credible reason to believe” her mother’s death is classified as a “suicide”, which contradicts the inquest’s open verdict.
The solicitor has also sought “confirmation that a certified copy of the record of inquest will be provided forthwith, or full written reasons explaining why this is said not to be possible”.
The Coroner’s Service was contacted for comment.
Bill to close RHI scheme ends 'darkest episode' in the history of NI devolution
REBECCA BLACK, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
BUSINESSES AND FARMERS BENEFITED FROM BURNING FUEL
The passing of a Stormont Bill to formally close a botched green energy scheme in Northern Ireland has been welcomed across the Assembly chamber.
The RHI (Closure of Non-Domestic Scheme) Bill reached its final stage on Tuesday, and is now awaiting royal assent.
It provides the legal framework for closure, with detailed operational arrangements to follow in the closure regulations, subject to approval by the Assembly.
Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald hailed a consensus for the first time between political parties, scheme participants and the Treasury on how to manage it.
The RHI scheme, set up in Northern Ireland in 2012, incentivised businesses and farmers to switch to eco-friendly boilers by paying them a subsidy for the wood pellet fuel needed to run them.
But mistakes in its designs meant the subsidy rates were set higher than the actual cost of the wood pellets, and applicants found themselves able to “burn to earn”.
The scandal contributed to the collapse of devolved government in Northern Ireland in January 2017, when former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness took issue with the DUP's handling of the scheme.
With Stormont facing an overspend bill of hundreds of millions of pounds, cost-control steps were taken in 2019.
The New Decade, New Approach agreement, which restored the Stormont institutions in 2020, included a commitment that RHI would be closed down and replaced by another scheme to reduce carbon emissions.
The same year, a public inquiry identified a multiplicity of mistakes in the running of the RHI scheme.
Speaking in the Assembly, Ms Archibald said she is confident that the proposals for closure and arrangements for existing participants will enable the scheme to be closed in a way that is fair to both participants and the rate payer.
“This Bill is vital as it lays the foundation for the closure of the scheme, reiterates the department's commitment to ensuring that this is achieved in a way that is fair to the participants and to the wider taxpayers,” she said.
Stormont Economy Committee chairman and DUP MLA Phillip Brett commended the reaching of a consensus, as well as the proposals for the scheme's closure.
‘Cleaner energy’ scam
SDLP MLA Sinead McLaughlin welcomed what she termed the “closing chapter of the darkest episodes in the history of devolution”.
“The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme should have been an opportunity,” she said.
“It should have helped Northern Ireland transition towards cleaner energy and supported businesses to reduce costs and emissions, instead, it became synonymous with waste, with scandal and with public anger.
“This Bill's significance is much broader than the Bill itself, closing the scheme finally draws a line under a policy failure that casts a long shadow across our politics and these institutions.”
Ms McLaughlin added that huge challenges around energy policy affordability and decarbonisation remain.
“We need to expand renewable generation, we need to improve energy security, we need to lower costs for households, for businesses that remain exposed to volatile political and global markets, but we can only do that if there is public confidence in the decisions that we make here,” she said.
That means transparency, that means profit scrutiny, and that means accountability, and it means getting policy right from the very beginning, and the public expect better from us after RHI.”
Alliance MLA David Honeyford also welcomed the Bill, describing RHI as an “episode that will live long in the memory of this place, but something we can now put to bed”.
“I do also want to acknowledge that the minister has managed to bring all parties together here to bring this to closure, and that's something to thank you for and to be welcomed,” Mr Honeyford said.
“But the ghost of RHI cannot hold the department back as we move forward. We have got to move forward now to be able to transition away from fossil fuels and on to renewables.”
UUP MLA Diana Armstrong welcomed a resolution to the RHI scheme, and called for a way forward in terms of renewable energy.
“Northern Ireland urgently needs a credible renewable energy policy framework that matches the scale of global competition,” she said.
“Investors are already looking to jurisdictions with clear pathways for grid capacity expansion, offshore wind deployment and long-term renewable integration. If we do not act quickly, those investors will go elsewhere.
“We need a grid capable of supporting large-scale renewable generation and a planning system aligned with our energy ambitions, and we need an offshore policy that signals to the market that Northern Ireland is serious about becoming a leader, not a slow adopter, in clean energy.”
'Reckless' gun attack on property in Creggan 'shouldn't be happening'
SHAUN KEENAN, Belfast Telegraph, May 13th, 2026
A gun attack on a property in the Creggan area of Derry has been condemned as “reckless”.
The shooting at Circular Road took place on Monday evening when the resident was not at home.
A PSNI detective inspector said that officers attended the scene after receiving reports of loud bangs and discovered a number of bullet holes in the front door.
He appealed to anyone who witnessed suspicious vehicles in the area, or who has CCTV, doorbell or other footage, to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference 1859 11/05/26.
Alternatively, anyone wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Sinn Fein councillor Emma McGinley said the gun attack had caused shock in the area.
“These actions are reckless and we can only be grateful that no one was injured or worse,” she said.
“Creggan is a proud, positive community and people don't want this type of activity going on here.
“Those involved in this attack should get off the backs of our community, and if anyone has information they should pass it on to the police so that those responsible can be held to account for their actions.”
SDLP councillor John Boyle said: “It is a very brazen attack to happen in a local estate in the middle of the night.
“It is very worrying as it goes to show that we still have these types of weapons being used in an attack such as this — it is disgraceful.
“It is my understanding that there was nobody home at the time of the attack, but that does not matter. This type of attack should not be happening on our streets.
“Any attack like this is obscene, but to do it in an area where many young families live is just wrong and I would urge those carrying out these attacks to think again before someone gets seriously hurt.”
Police said an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
