A trusted source has been in touch to inform me that a new formal political alliance is about to be launched this weekend.
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The East Belfast UVF: When Pictures Paint a Thousand Words
When I broke the news that the East Belfast UVF leadership had been stood down on Remembrance Sunday last November it took a lot of people by surprise, even Northern Ireland’s media. Some of them moved quickly to check with their own sources, with two respected journalists, Hugh Jordan of the Sunday World and Julian…
When is Border Not a Border?
Critics of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson are reportedly redoubling their efforts to undermine the deal he has struck with the Conservative government in London. Since the announcement of a deal by Sir Jeffrey in the early hours of Tuesday morning, we are finding out more and more details on a drip-feed basis. So far the choreography…
It’s Hobson’s Choice Time for Unionism
In the past few minutes my sources close to the DUP have confirmed that the deal is now done. The party is returning to Stormont. This confirms my analysis in an earlier blog post before Christmas that “talk of talks” was merely a ploy to steady those frightened horses within the party who are evangelically…
The Ghosts of Christmas Past
As far as long-drawn out political negotiations go, the one between the DUP and the British government must be one of the longest in Northern Ireland’s modern history. Even the bargaining between the old Stormont government under Brian Faulkner and Edward Heath regarding the rescinding of security powers in 1972 took less time to collapse…
Is the Mood Music Changing?
As rumours of a General Election intensify some close to the thinking of the DUP suggest that the party is working to a post-Christmas timetable. This is highly significant, particularly in light of how far the DUP has come since it began its boycott of the power-sharing Executive in February 2022. As I revealed on…
The End of Loyalist Paramilitary ‘Group Transition’?
It has become clear in recent days that the UVF Brigade Staff on the Shankill has seen its stock rise in the eyes of its grassroots supporters due to its shock statement a week ago, which saw them announcement the standing down its East Belfast leadership. I argued in an earlier blog post that there…
“What is the Game Plan?”
Since I broke the story about the UVF Brigade Staff on the Shankill standing down its East Belfast area leadership, it has become clear that the group has not produced a more comprehensive plan for what comes next. My sources in Belfast tell me that the statement was “short and sweet.” It did not mention…
The UVF Cleans Up its ACT
The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a militant loyalist group in Northern Ireland, has disbanded its notorious East Belfast unit, which has been intimately involved in drug-related crimes. This move has provoked fears of violent retaliation within working-class communities. Nevertheless, with this strategic decision by the UVF leadership, the responsibility now falls on law enforcement and intelligence agencies to mitigate potential internecine feuds, ensuring the integrity of the group’s transition process.
Breaking News: East Belfast UVF to be Stood Down
A loyalist source has contacted me to tell me that the East Belfast UVF have been stood down, effective from midnight tonight. The statement is believed to have been issued by the UVF Brigade Staff, the group’s central command. It was read out across different areas as members of the paramilitary group met to commemorate…