Emma Cairns

As the case of Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Eleanor gets under way this week, @SJAMcBride explains why you can't comment on it. Read more tinyurl.com/v8f5buee

Puffins have made a welcome return to Rathlin Island once again for summer. Read more tinyurl.com/4mvzk7ck

The answer to the challenges we face is not separation, division or endless constitutional wrangling. It is cooperation, hard work and making the United Kingdom work for all our people. We are better, safer & more prosperous together.

Disappointed by the Justice Ministers comments, which are defamatory in my view. I called in the interview for zero tolerance of all misogynistic behaviour in policing. I’ve spent a lifetime standing up for victims and I always will. Political point scoring on this serves no one.

@JonBurrowsMLA talking to a packed hall tonight in Ballyclare.The benefits of our Union, the strength of being one of the strongest economies in the 🌎, a member of the P5; the question is not the way we are, but why can’t we be the best we can be in our United Kingdom @uuponline

Beattie hits out at Justice Minister over policing funding crisis Ulster Unionist Justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA has hit back at Justice Minister Naomi Long following her appearance on BBC’s The Nolan Show, where she called on other departments to return funding allocated away from justice. Doug Beattie MC MLA said: “What we saw in the BBC NI programme ‘Peelers – The PSNI for Real’ is an unfiltered and microscopic look at operational policing in Northern Ireland through the lens of police officers and the presenter, Stephen Nolan. It shows the harsh realities of policing and what our police officers face on a day-to-day basis. Something many are not aware of, with even some politicians with little understanding of the realities of policing. Hiding behind a ministerial response that ‘that’s an operational matter’ has not helped the situation; it has instead hidden it. “Therefore, the question needs to be asked: why now? Why have we let our police service be degraded to such a level before we finally start to show society the importance of policing and the critical work the PSNI does to keep us safe?  I have long argued that we need to fight harder for the police service to ensure they have the resources they need so they can do the job we want of them.  When the Chief Constable went above the Justice Minister’s head, to appeal directly to Westminster and the Prime Minister to ask for more funding, the alarm bells should have been sounded. “It was clear at that time that successive Justice Ministers had not seen the writing on the wall and had not been fighting for the police; now, when we have reached a critical point, they stand and complain that they haven’t been given the funding they require. Instead of looking at how they can deal with the lack of resource through both Westminster and internal savings, they are instead engaged in sucking their teeth and blaming other departments who did fight for the resource they needed. “The PSNI deals with the legacy of the past, yet they are not funded for it. Why is this not continuously in the headlines? The same can be said for funding to police the only land frontier in the UK where terrorism and organised crime move across the border daily, yet there is no extra funding to police this. “Internally, we have the Department of Justice have moved into a ‘steady state jogging’ approach. They are not taking the difficult decisions that need to be taken regarding the Youth Justice System, legal aid, the separated prison regime, and how Police Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) are funded. The argument that money went to health, and they want it back is a lazy trope with real life outcomes.  So, what hospital does the Minister want to close, what service do they want cut, as the Alliance Party asks for more from the health service, how can they then ask that money be taken from it? “The Alliance Party has been responsible for the Department for Justice since its inception in Northern Ireland, apart from around six months that were under the eye of Claire Sugden. They have allowed it to get to the state it is in. They are the party that has not fought hard enough for policing or for justice in general. However, there are solutions coming to the fore, and they are in partnerships with other departments. “The ‘Right Care Right Person’ initiative will see health taking on issues that were historically done by the police, such as mental health interventions. The police should never have been responsible for many of the calls for assistance that were health issues. Yet the Justice Department left it to the police to come up with a plan to deal with this after over a decade of police officers acting as social workers. The cooperation between the Justice Department and Health Department on youth justice issues is something positive to shout about.  It’s about pooling and sharing budgets for better outcomes.  It’s not about blaming others for your own failings.”

Every mother deserves to heal without being separated from her baby💛 Northern Ireland will finally have its first dedicated Mother and Baby Unit and today, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed it's happening. The permanent Regional MBU at Belfast City Hospital will proceed, set to open no later than 2028/29. No more being the only part of the UK without this vital care. This is a landmark moment for perinatal mental health, a commitment to mothers, to babies, and to closing a gap that should never have existed💙

Our veterans served with honour, they deserve to be treated with the same. Last week Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA and Westminster reps Robin Swann MP, Lord Elliott and Lord Empey met with Armed Forces Minister Al Carns MP and Veterans Minister Louise Sandher-Jones MP. Concerns were raised about the NI Troubles Bill and the need for protections for veterans who acted lawfully, as well as the support and services available to those who have served and are currently serving in our Armed Forces. The Ulster Unionist Party remains committed to standing up for those who have stood up for us.

Allen welcomes Final Stage passage of Sign Language Bill Ulster Unionist Communities Spokesperson Andy Allen MBE MLA has welcomed the Final Stage passage of the Sign Language Bill, which will now proceed for Royal Assent. Andy Allen said: “This is an important and welcome milestone, many years in the making. The passage of the Sign Language Bill at the final stage marks a significant step forward in recognising and supporting the deaf community across Northern Ireland. “This legislation formally recognises British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language and places duties on the Department for Communities to promote their greater use and understanding, and on prescribed organisations, which will be set out in regulations, to take reasonable steps to ensure the information and services they provide are as accessible to individuals in the deaf community as they are to those who are not. Those duties will be supported by guidance/action plans, reporting requirements and oversight arrangements to promote consistency in delivery. “I want to acknowledge the work of the Minister and departmental officials in bringing this legislation forward, engagement throughout and guiding it through the Assembly. “Crucially, members of the deaf community have been at the heart of this process. Their engagement and willingness to share lived experience have helped shape the Bill, both in its development and through the committee and wider legislative process. “The Committee Stage provided an important opportunity to test and strengthen the legislation. That process has been constructive and has helped improve the final Bill. I also want to pay tribute to the Committee staff for their thorough work in supporting scrutiny and assisting members throughout that important legislative stage. “As the Bill now moves to Royal Assent, the focus must turn to implementation. The key thing is that the measures in the Bill are properly resourced and clearly understood across government and beyond, so they can deliver the intended positive impact promptly. “I have no doubt the Committee, for the remainder of this mandate, will continue to follow implementation closely, and I trust the next Committee will maintain that focus and ensure the commitments in the legislation are fully delivered.”

Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA, Robin Swann MP, Lord Empey, and Lord Elliott met with NI Affairs Committee Chair Tonia Antoniazzi yesterday. Legacy, Stormont institutions, public finances, and Hospitality VAT were all on the agenda. They also held a productive meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Benn, discussing a wide range of issues, including matters relating to the Office of the Police Ombudsman. The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to make the case for Northern Ireland at Westminster.

Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA met with Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch and her Westminster team today, alongside our Westminster representatives Robin Swann MP, Lord Elliott, Lord Empey and Lord Rogan. Jon outlined his vision for a more prosperous Northern Ireland, urging the Official Opposition to support a VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors, take decisive action on the Irish Sea border, and ensure fairness in legacy matters for veterans and former RUC officers, including backing amendments proposed by Unionist parties. The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to make the case for Northern Ireland at every level.

Sinn Féin Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald ignored official advice from Invest NI and spent nearly £8,000 of public money flying to a Boston conference run by her party’s former minister, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir. Officials had warned against the trip due to cost and her heavy workload yet months later she appointed Ó Muilleoir to the Invest NI board. Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong MLA reacted in The Irish News saying: “When public money is being spent, value for money must be demonstrated and decisions must be made in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland not in the interests of party allies. “What the Irish News has uncovered raises serious and uncomfortable questions. The Economy Minister chose to ignore the clear advice of her own officials and travel to a Boston conference at a cost of close to £8,000, a conference organised by a company run by her party’s own former MLA and minister, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir. “This is not only inappropriate, it points to a wider and deeply troubling pattern of political forces exerting undue influence over the Department for the Economy and Invest NI. The Minister must now explain herself fully and account for why the recommendation of her officials was dismissed. The public deserves nothing less.”

Ulster Unionist Party Leader @JonBurrowsMLA has called on King Charles III to confer a knighthood on Rory McIlroy following his historic back-to-back Masters victories at The Masters Tournament🏆 McIlroy has now cemented his place among the greatest golfers in history, becoming just the fourth man ever to win back-to-back Green Jackets, and only the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam.

This Thursday the North Down UUP Association is hosting a politics evening with our Party Leader @JonBurrowsMLA in Donaghadee Community Centre. You don't have to be a member of the party, it's a public meeting, and everyone is welcome. I'm looking forward to it!

Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA on BBC Talkback reacting to the UK potentially adopting EU rules via secondary legislation. “We in Northern Ireland already follow full EU rules. If the rest of the UK is going for full alignment because it makes sense for business, let’s just do it. 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀.”

Gold Dancer died at Aintree on Friday. He was not the first. He will not be the last. The RSPCA confirmed he was the 42nd horse to die in UK racing in 2026. It is only April. Since the year 2000, 68 horses have died at Aintree alone. PETA responded by calling the Grand National Festival the Grand Massacre. Animal Aid said the words that landed hardest: Everyone who bought a ticket, placed a bet or watched the ITV coverage paid for this horse to die. The BHA pointed to a falling fatal injury rate of 0.22 percent in 2025. Animal welfare groups said that number still represents hundreds of horses dying every year for entertainment. Gold Dancer won £67,524. He was dead within minutes of crossing the line. The Grand National ran the following day.

Armstrong calls on Economy Minister to halt anti-jobs, anti-growth Good Jobs Bill as business sector sounds alarm Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Economy Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA has backed a major intervention from Northern Ireland's business community, calling on the Economy Minister to immediately halt the proposed Good Jobs Bill. Diana Armstrong MLA said: “Today’s intervention from Northern Ireland's business community is a powerful and timely wake up call. The Economy Minister must listen and act. The time to halt the Good Jobs Bill is now. This legislation is anti-jobs, anti-growth, and if pushed through in its current form, it will cause serious and lasting damage to our economy. From hospitality to agri-food, from small family enterprises to our world-leading tech sectors, businesses across Northern Ireland are united in their alarm. That cannot be ignored. “The Ulster Unionist Party will always champion good, high-quality jobs for everyone across Northern Ireland. But good jobs do not appear through legislation imposed without proper consultation, they are created when business is free to invest, grow, and thrive in a genuinely business friendly environment. Ending zero-hours contracts without viable alternatives, imposing new layers of union bureaucracy, and heaping compliance costs onto Small Medium Enterprises will not deliver better outcomes for workers. It will deliver fewer jobs, reduced opportunities, and a chilling effect on growth at exactly the wrong time. “What makes this all the more concerning is what I have found when engaging with businesses right across Northern Ireland many were entirely unaware this Bill even existed, let alone the damaging elements contained within it. That is a damning indictment of this process. It is something I have raised directly in both the Assembly Chamber and the Economy Committee, and it speaks to a fundamental failure of consultation at the heart of this legislation. “Northern Ireland's private sector is the engine of our economic success and it must be protected, not penalised. I am calling on the Economy Minister to pause this Bill, engage meaningfully with employers and industry, and bring forward reforms that are practical, proportionate, and built on genuine partnership with business. If she refuses, she risks wrecking the very economy she was appointed to build.”

Forced to carry on with a broken back…. Whipped over the line for the win… welcome to the chav fest that is the Grand fucking National. RIP Gold Dancer

I hope this photo is a watershed moment. Forced to carry on to the end of the race with a broken back. Collapsed & died after the finish line. RIP Gold Dancer. If you’re making money off this kind of suffering - how do you look at yourself in the mirror?

"I spend a lot of time with young people both in my capacity as a Councillor, and as a youth worker. I’m very proud of the young people in our borough, and the vast majority of them behave impeccably. I want people to see that, and not to generalise or stereotype."