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2 years ago

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This is much more than an own goal by the home secretary. It is a hat-trick of them – ignorant, offensive and dangerous.

Suella Braverman has displayed breathtaking ignorance in relation to Northern Ireland.

It is the Protestant Loyal Orders, e.g. the Orange Order, who are responsible for the vast majority of marches in Northern Ireland.

These people are natural allies of the home secretary’s ‘Conservative and Unionist Party’. They are pro-Union, pro-Brexit and pro-Israel.

Has she forgotten that it was a political party closely aligned to the Protestant Loyal Orders, the DUP, that the Tories did a £1bn confidence and supply deal with?

Her comments in the Times are deeply offensive to both communities in Northern Ireland.

Politics latest: Former home secretary to face COVID inquiry

Home Secretary Suella Braverman with Greek border guards during a visit to the north eastern Greek border with Turkey in Alexandroupolis to view surveillance facilities and learn how Greek security forces are monitoring the land border with their Turkish neighbours. The Home secretary is on a two day visit to the region to discuss migration and security. Picture date: Friday November 3, 2023.
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Braverman with border guards during a visit to the northeastern Greek border with Turkey earlier this month

Unintentionally perhaps, she has likened those who march “in defence of the Protestant faith”, i.e. Christian, with “Islamists”.

It’s equally insulting if she was referring to the Catholic Civil Rights Movement from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Again, has the home secretary forgotten Bloody Sunday, when 14 innocent Catholics were shot dead during a civil rights march in Derry?

Many will regard her comments as dangerous, not least because Northern Ireland does not currently have a power-sharing government in place.

Using words like “Hamas” and “terrorist” in the same breath as “Northern Ireland” and “marches” shows blatant disregard for a fragile peace.

Read more:
How much longer can Sunak put up with Braverman?
Sunak accepts march will go ahead on Armistice Day
Poll reveals what Britons think of 11 November protest

The DUP is currently boycotting the power-sharing government over post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Relations between the largest Unionist party and the government are cool and this will do nothing to thaw the ice.

It is tempting to think the UK government is deliberately attempting to make devolution more appealing than direct rule from Westminster.

But that would require a level of strategic thinking on Northern Ireland that we have not seen in a very long time.

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Terraform co-founder sentenced to 15 years in prison after guilty plea

Published

5 hours ago

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December 11, 2025

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Terraform co-founder sentenced to 15 years in prison after guilty plea

Do Kwon, the co-founder of Terraform Labs, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud.

In a Thursday hearing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Paul Engelmayer ordered that Kwon serve 15 years in prison for his role in the collapse of Terraform, which wiped out about $40 billion from the crypto market in 2022. He will receive credit for time served in the US and 17 months of pre-extradition custody.

Prior to making his decision on sentencing, Engelmayer heard from some of Terraform’s victims and questioned what kind of justice Kwon might face in his native South Korea, where authorities are also building a case against him.

“I would like everyone to know that I have spent all my time thinking what I could have done, and what I can do,” said Kwon prior to his sentencing, according to Inner City Press. “It’s been four years since the crash, three years since I’ve seen my family. I’d like to [do] my penance in my home country.”