Suella Braverman has scored a hat-trick of own goals and displayed breathtaking ignorance on Northern Ireland

Published

2 years ago

November 9, 2023

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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.

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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.

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.

Politics

Man admits arson after major fire at MP Sharon Hodgson’s constituency office

Published

5 hours ago

September 13, 2025

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Man admits arson after major fire at MP Sharon Hodgson's constituency office

A man has admitted arson after a major fire at an MP’s constituency office.

Joshua Oliver, 28, pleaded guilty to starting the fire which destroyed the office of Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, at Vermont House in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

The fire also wrecked a small charity for people with very rare genetic diseases and an NHS mental health service for veterans.

The guilty plea was entered at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on the basis that it was reckless rather than intentional.

The Crown did not accept that basis of plea.

Oliver, of no fixed address, had been living in a tent nearby, the court heard.

Northumbria Police previously said it was “alerted to a fire at a premises on Woodland Terrace in the Washington area” shortly after 12.20am on Thursday.

“Emergency services attended and no one is reported to have been injured in the incident,” it added.

Drone footage from the scene showed extensive damage to the building.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

“We have worked closely with Northumbria Police as they carried out their investigation.”

Oliver was remanded in custody and will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, 14 October.