Michelle O'Neill says DUP has blocked her from PM meeting in Glasgow
Summary
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly had blocked their attendance at a National Economic Council meeting in Glasgow with Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The dispute comes amid unionist anger over Sinn Féin’s role in protests that stopped an Orange Order march in Portadown, and pressure on the DUP to take action against O’Neill.Key Facts
- O’Neill and Little-Pengelly had both been invited to Friday’s National Economic Council meeting in Glasgow.
- O’Neill said Little-Pengelly’s decision would leave Northern Ireland unrepresented at the event.
- O’Neill called the decision reckless and said it was driven by DUP internal pressures and electoral concerns.
- Police have interviewed O’Neill and other senior Sinn Féin figures over unnotified demonstrations in Portadown last month.
- DUP MP Carla Lockhart resigned from the party’s officer board after leader Gavin Robinson did not withdraw Little-Pengelly to force O’Neill from their joint office.
- DUP assembly members Diane Forsythe and Maurice Bradley have called for O’Neill to leave office or for official engagements through the joint Executive Office to stop.
- A court heard that police intelligence suggested dissidents might have attacked officers if police had cleared a route for the parade.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
