DUP councillor Julie Middleton has officially signed the Roll of Members to sit as an MLA for Foyle in the Assembly.
She replaces her husband Gary Middleton after he resigned last week.
nielects.com/news/dup-cll...
🚨 NEW: Gary Middleton MLA (DUP, Foyle) is stepping down from Stormont after opening up about ongoing mental health challenges.
His wife, Councillor Julie Middleton, is the favourite to replace him in the Assembly.
[@beltel]
🚨 NEW: Róisín Mulgrew, former Sinn Fein councillor in Newry, Mourne and Down, has joined Aontú.
[@ArmaghI]
West Tyrone MLA Maolíosa McHugh will not be standing in the 2027 Assembly election
He is the second Sinn Fein MLA to announce they will not be standing for re-election
nielects.com/news/sinn-fe...
🚨 NEW: The Chancellor has announced a £17 million funding package for households affected by the increase in the price of home heating oil.
The Executive will decide how to allocate the money to households.
🚨 NEW: AS Levels are being scrapped in favour of a new modular A Level with three units of assessment taken over two years
The Education Minister says this will "reduce unnecessary exams, give back precious teaching time, and focus on what truly matters for future success"
First Minister Michelle O’Neill is facing criticism for refusing to attend security briefings held by the UK Government on the conflict in the Middle East
nielects.com/news/2026/03...
🚨 NEW: Ben Habib's Advance UK has applied to become a registered party in Northern Ireland
"Once registered we intend to treat Northern Ireland in exactly the same way as we treat Great Britain," Habib said
The statement from the Chairperson of the Independent Remuneration Board, Alan Lowry, continues:
🚨 NEW: The Independent Remuneration Board has proposed an uplift in MLAs salaries from £53,000 to £67,200 per year.
They have also proposed cutting salaries if a government is not formed after next year's election.
🚨 NEW: UUP leader Jon Burrows says he is open to 'constructive cooperation that best serves the Union', in response to a letter from DUP leader Gavin Robinson
UUP statement 👇️
All the week’s politics news in one email! 📬
✅ Concise summaries
✅ Direct links to full articles
✅ Sent every Sunday evening
Stay informed: nielects.com/newsletter
Adam Copeland has been announced as the DUP's new councillor for the Cusher DEA on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
buff.ly/qUwJID5
Executive Ministers attend third meeting of East-West Council alongside NI Secretary
buff.ly/AGPrlMz
Gavin Robinson has invited new UUP leader Jon Burrows for talks on unionist co-operation. In a letter to DUP members, he said he “looks forward to working with Jon Burrows to see how our parties could co-operate and work together”
buff.ly/Ejdm9B2
🚨 NEW: UUP confirm that Jon Burrows is the sole candidate for the leader position, having met the nomination threshold of 35 signatures from at least nine constituency associations.
Full statement 👇
🚨 NEW: Jon Burrows will be the next leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, after Robbie Butler confirmed he will not be running for the position.
Mr Butler is currently the deputy leader of the UUP.
Robin Swann (UUP, South Antrim) has secured a government seat on the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee.
He joins Gavin Robinson, Claire Hanna and Sorcha Eastwood as NI MPs on the committee.
Jon Burrows launches Ulster Unionist Party leadership campaign, Diana Armstrong running alongside him to become next deputy leader
nielects.com/news/2026/01...
Apologies - not been very active on here lately!
Our multi-platform publishing tool is now back up and running, so let us know if you would still like updates on @bsky.app!
The UUP has announced that party leader Mike Nesbitt is to step down from the position.
Party officers will shortly outline the process for the new leadership selection.
Nesbitt said he could not commit to being in full-time politics until the end of the next mandate in 2032, when he turns 75.
🚨 NEW: Northern Ireland Assembly Voting Intention
SF: 25% (-1)
DUP: 18% (+1)
TUV: 13% (=)
UUP: 12% (+1)
AP: 11% (-1)
SDLP: 11% (=)
GRN: 4% (+1)
PBP: 2% (=)
AON: 2% (=)
OTH/IND: 2% (-1)
Changes with Aug 25
Via @belfasttelegraph.co.uk @lucidtalk.bsky.social
🚨 NEW: Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald is facing a legal challenge over her decision to exclude NI from trade talks between the UK and Israel.
[@Independent/@DavidYoungPA]
🚨 NEW: The DUP have tabled a call-in petition on Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald's decision to instruct her officials not to engage with the UK Government's trade talks with Israel.
Full statement below 👇
🚨 NEW: SDLP councillor Margaret Anne McKillop has resigned from the party, claiming they 'celebrated loss of unborn life' at their recent conference.
[@irish_news]
