Babak Belurs

Minggu, 08 Mei 2022

NI election results 2022: Governments urge parties to reform executive - BBC

The US, UK and Irish governments have urged political parties in Northern Ireland to re-establish a devolved administration.

Sinn Féin secured the most seats in the assembly election, a first for a nationalist party in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill is in line to become first minister, if the DUP nominate a deputy first minister.

However Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has played down the prospect of a border poll being called.

The Northern Ireland secretary said the election results were "significant", but pointed out that unionists still have more seats than nationalists at the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"So I think the focus at the moment quite rightly is on getting Stormont back up and running," he told BBC NI's Sunday Politics programme.

Ms O'Neill, who leads the party in Northern Ireland, said on Saturday that the party will be at Stormont on Monday, ready to form an executive.

She said "other parties" need to be ready to form an executive and that there should be "no excuses" or "time wasting".

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, the decision on when to call a border poll rests with the Northern Ireland secretary.

Sinn Féin's ultimate goal is for Northern Ireland to leave the UK and become one country with the Republic of Ireland, but that does not mean a border poll is imminent.

When asked what the criteria is for calling such a poll, Mr Lewis did not answer the question directly, but referred to the results of the assembly election.

He said he intends to meet Stormont party leaders on Monday to try to ensure the power-sharing executive resumes.

All eyes on Stormont

Analysis by Mark Simpson, BBC News correspondent

Politicians in Belfast have big decisions to make and the world is watching.

When governments in London, Dublin and Washington start making statements about Northern Ireland, it is always a sign that a critical moment has been reached.

There is no immediate sign of a power-sharing executive being restored at Stormont following the election.

Behind the scenes, the talking began even before the votes were all counted.

Attention is focused on the DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to see whether anything can be done to persuade him to return his party to the executive.

Sinn Féin are waiting.

Michelle O'Neill is ready to become the first republican to hold the top post at Stormont in the 101-year history of Northern Ireland.

Unless something dramatic happens in the next week, it could be a long wait.

Northern Ireland has been without a power-sharing executive for several months after the DUP collapsed the institutions as part of its protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol - part of the Brexit deal.

He previously said he would be meeting party leaders over the coming days and would urge them to restore the Stormont institutions, starting with the nomination of an assembly speaker within eight days.

While the office of the first and deputy first minister is an equal one with joint power, the allocation of the titles is regarded as symbolically important.

Although Sinn Féin can now nominate a first minister, they cannot take up the office unless the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - the biggest party from the unionist bloc - agrees to nominate a deputy first minister.

Its leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has not yet made a decision on whether the party will do that.

On Saturday, Sir Jeffrey said his party would respect the result of the election, however there needed to be changes made to the protocol.

On Sunday, DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley told the BBC the party had "stood on a manifesto which was the removal of the Northern Ireland Protocol".

"Either the secretary of state wants an executive, or a protocol - he can't have both," he said.

The US State Department called on the parties "to take the necessary steps to re-establish a power-sharing executive".

"Critical and immediate challenges concerning the economy, health, and education are best addressed through the collective efforts of a devolved government chosen by, and accountable to, its people," spokesperson Ned Price said.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin said it was "incumbent" on all elected representatives to deliver on their mandate through the nomination of a first and deputy first minister.

"A new power-sharing executive is vital for progress and prosperity for all in Northern Ireland," he added.

How does Northern Ireland's power-sharing government work?

A unionist party had always been the largest in the assembly, and previously the Stormont Parliament, since the formation of Northern Ireland in 1921.

For Sinn Féin to be installed in the role of first minister, the majority of unionist assembly members have to agree to form a power-sharing coalition.

The party's director of elections, John Finucane MP, told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme: "We want to sit down and work with every party... to sit down and figure out how we get the executive back up and running."

In her acceptance speech on Saturday, Michelle O'Neill said the "executive needs to be formed immediately" and that people "struggling with the cost of living are relying on us to get on with things and do our jobs".

The executive is at the heart of Northern Ireland's devolved government, made up of ministers nominated to oversee key departments such as health, finance and justice.

Alliance surge

For the first time, the Alliance Party has become the third-biggest in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The centre-ground party won 17 seats - up from the eight it won in 2017 - and 13.5% of first preference votes.

Alliance Party candidates celebrate their victories

The party took a number of seats in the assembly election at the expense of the DUP and Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said he believes that in some areas his party's supporters also "lent their votes to Sinn Féin".

"I think there's a tide there and people wanted to send a message, they wanted to kick the DUP and I think this is how they decided to do it," he told BBC News NI.

Graph showing far few women than men in NI Assembly

More than a third of the MLAs elected to the assembly are women.

Thirty-two of the 90 MLAs are female, compared with 27 who were elected in 2017.

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2022-05-08 12:51:47Z
1370987772

Beergate: Lisa Nandy defends Keir Starmer over claims Labour leader broke COVID rules - Sky News

Labour's Lisa Nandy has defended "Mr Rules" Sir Keir Starmer and said it was "not illegal to eat" after latest claims about alleged COVID rule breaking by the party leader.

Sir Keir has said he was working and stopped to eat when he was filmed having a beer in a room in Durham in April last year - at a time when the rules banned household mixing indoors apart from working.

Durham Police are now investigating the event and a leaked memo obtained by the Mail of Sunday appears to shed new light on what happened - but Ms Nandy accused the Tories of trying to "sling mud".

Politics live: Raab says NI protocol 'must be fixed'

The Labour leader, who is a former Director of Public Prosecutions, is under pressure over the so-called beergate claims because he has himself been fiercely critical about Prime Minister Boris Johnson's lockdown breach.

But Ms Nandy told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "It is frankly absurd of the Tories to claim that this in any way equates to a prime minister who was under investigation by the police for 12 separate gatherings which included karaoke parties, bring your own bottle parties, pub quizzes, suitcases full of wine being smuggled through the back door.

"The prime minister lied about that, he denied that they happened, denied that he was there. He came clean and he laughed about it."

Ms Nandy said that could not be equated with the Labour leader's "work visit with planned breaks to eat".

"It was not illegal to eat," she said.

Ms Nandy declined to say whether Sir Keir should resign if he is found by police to have broken the rules.

She said to do so "lends legitimacy to something that is completely and utterly absurd".

"I'm absolutely confident that no rules were broken, not least because this was investigated last time the Conservatives tried to sling mud at us and Keir Starmer was found to be completely in the clear," she said.

"This is a guy who self-isolated six times during the pandemic.

"I don't know a single other person who did that.

"He is Mr Rules, he does not break the rules.

"He was the Director of Public Prosecutions, not somebody who goes round tearing up rules when it suits him, in stark contrast to the prime minister."

But Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, told Sky News: "It's the rank double standards that drive people crazy."

The comments came after the memo obtained by the Mail on Sunday indicated the dinner had been listed on the schedule for a day in April 2021 during the local election and Hartlepool by-election campaign.

The document stated that there would be a "dinner in Miners Hall" with City of Durham MP Mary Foy from 8.40pm to 10pm.

A note indicated a member of staff in Sir Keir's office was to arrange a takeaway from the Spice Lounge.

The only business listed after the dinner was for Sir Keir to walk back to his hotel - he has previously claimed he "paused for food" and continued working after the meal, saying "the idea that nobody works at 10 o'clock at night is absurd".

Ms Nandy told Sky News that the note "demonstrates exactly what went on was exactly what Keir Starmer has said went on".

On Saturday, Diane Abbott became the first Labour MP to say publicly that Sir Keir may have to step down if he is fined over the incident.

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2022-05-08 10:54:37Z
1405028296

Keir Starmer faces new crisis as curry defence crumbles - The Times

Sir Keir Starmer was facing a crisis on two fronts last night as a witness prepared to tell police the Labour leader’s lockdown curry had broken pandemic rules and a leaked document appeared to show the gathering had been planned.

Starmer has claimed the takeaway was ordered spontaneously between meetings.

A source who was present when the Labour leader was filmed enjoying a late-night beer with activists in Durham claims Starmer did not return to work after eating. They also accused some in attendance, including the local Labour MP Mary Foy and her staff, of not working during the event and being there only to socialise.

According to an operational note drawn up for Starmer’s visit to Durham, obtained by The Mail on Sunday, an

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2022-05-08 09:20:00Z
1405028296

Brexit: Dominic Raab says fixing Northern Ireland Protocol 'cannot be put off' as Stormont power-sharing deal in doubt - Sky News

Fixing the Northern Ireland Protocol "cannot be put off", the deputy prime minister has said amid fears that progress on power sharing will remain stalled after last Thursday's elections.

Dominic Raab told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday that stability was being "imperilled" by problems with the protocol, which governs Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The deal ensured there would be no return to a hard border with the Republic of Ireland but creates an effective border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

An impasse over efforts to renegotiate the deal has been brought to a head by last Thursday's assembly election results, which saw Sinn Fein become the biggest party for the first time.

The unionist DUP has said it will not take part in a power sharing devolved government with Sinn Fein unless progress is made on the protocol.

Mr Raab told Sky News that the UK wanted to see "stability" created with a new executive being formed.

But he said that "stability is being put at risk - imperilled if you like - by the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol, something that affects communities across the board".

Politics live: Nandy defends Starmer over beergate claims

He added: "It's clear the Northern Ireland Protocol must be fixed... and that cannot be put off.

"We won't get the executive that the people of Northern Ireland need until it is dealt with."

The protocol was a deal agreed by Boris Johnson's government but in recent months the PM and other senior ministers have been vocal about wanting to renegotiate it - and have not ruled out Britain acting unilaterally to suspend it.

Mr Raab said: "If it had been implemented with... flexibility and goodwill and with the business interests of communities across Northern Ireland and it hadn't been used frankly as a political device that it has, I don't think we'd have the same level of problems.

"But the point of discussing that has passed. We must see it now fixed. The government is committed to fixing it."

Mr Raab said this would be done "preferably by negotiations".

But he added: "If not we'll have to take the measures to make sure that the economic integrity of the trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of Great Britain and frankly the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is protected and preserved.

"It's clear now: if anything the outcome in Northern Ireland from those elections makes it clear it cannot be put off."

Pushed on a timeframe for changes to the protocol needing to be implemented - and whether it would be weeks or months, Mr Raab said "no longer than that".

He refused to say whether any such action would be taken in this week's Queen's Speech.

Ireland's Europe minister Thomas Byrne has said "a decisive majority" of the members elected to Northern Ireland's Stormont assembly want to make the protocol work and called on the UK to "engage in a renewed way with the European Union" on the issue.

Mr Raab also appeared to play down prospects of a referendum on unifying Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland - after Sinn Fein called for preparations for such a vote to take place.

He said: "If you look at the results in Northern Ireland, 58% of people fully voted either for parties who support the union or for parties who do not support constitutional change and that is the message from the people of Northern Ireland."

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2022-05-08 09:09:29Z
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Sabtu, 07 Mei 2022

Keir Starmer should consider position if fined, says Diane Abbott - BBC

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Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott says Sir Keir Starmer should consider his position as Labour leader if he is fined for breaking Covid laws.

Durham police are investigating whether rules were broken at an event in the city last year where he was pictured drinking beer in an MP's office.

Labour MP Ms Abbott insisted she didn't think he would be fined, and criticised "hype built up by the Tory press".

Sir Keir said he was confident he had not broken any rules.

Asked whether he would resign if fined, he told reporters on Saturday: "I was working in the office. We stopped for something to eat. There was no party".

He added he would lead Labour into the next general election.

But Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi accused Sir Keir of hypocrisy, given his previous calls for Boris Johnson to resign over lockdown parties in No 10.

Sir Keir was filmed drinking a bottle of beer in the constituency office of Durham MP Mary Foy in April last year, in the run-up to a by-election in nearby Hartlepool.

Under rules in place at the time, it was illegal for people in England to socialise indoors with people from outside their household or support bubble.

Durham police initially decided no offence had occurred after reviewing footage from the gathering earlier this year.

But after Thursday's local elections concluded, the force announced it would launch an investigation after receiving "significant new information".

The force had been coming under pressure to revisit the matter after Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined for attending a birthday party for the prime minister in Downing Street in June 2020.

Conservative MPs and cabinet minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan had also been calling for the force to launch a formal probe in recent days.

'Leaked memo'

Meanwhile, the Mail on Sunday published what it said was a leaked memo that appeared to show how an hour and twenty minutes were scheduled for "dinner" - after which the Durham visit would conclude.

The planning document, drawn up by Sir Keir's office, said a takeaway order would be placed from a nearby Indian restaurant for a meal between 20:40 and 22:00.

Describing the meal earlier this week, Sir Keir said that "at various points people went through to the kitchen, got a plate, had something to eat, and got on with their work". He has also previously insisted he returned to work afterwards.

A Labour spokesperson said he had had eaten "between work demands" and no rules had been broken.

And a party source added that it would be "wrong to assume" activities during the visit occurred at the times originally planned.

Sir Keir Starmer leaving his home on Saturday

Last week, Labour said Angela Rayner was also at the event, after previously denying she was there. It blamed a "mistake" in communication.

Questioned about the prospect of Sir Keir being fined on LBC radio, Ms Abbott said: "I don't think he will - I think this is a lot of hype built up by the Tory press.

"But if he were to get a fixed penalty notice, he would have to consider his position," added the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP, who served as shadow home secretary under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

"I'm a loyal supporter of Keir Starmer. I'm just making the common-sense point that if he gets a fixed penalty notice he should consider his position."

'Hypocrisy'

Sir Keir has called on Mr Johnson to resign since January, when the prime minister became embroiled in accusations Covid rules were broken during gatherings held in Whitehall during lockdown.

Metropolitan Police are continuing their investigation into 12 gatherings held in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office during 2020 and 2021.

Asked what Sir Keir should do if he is fined, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Times Radio: "We've got to let the police carry out their investigation and that's only right and responsible.

"I do think, though, that the public will be uncomfortable with the hypocrisy.

"He has tweeted himself saying that if you're under investigation, a criminal investigation, then you should resign."

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2022-05-07 18:48:01Z
1405028296

Jumat, 06 Mei 2022

Hertfordshire election results 2022: Tories, Labour and Lib Dem hold councils - BBC

The Conservatives remain in control of Broxbourne and Welwyn Hatfield, while Labour retained power in Stevenage and the Lib Dems held Three Rivers, Watford and St Albans councils.

Broxbourne has been a Tory stronghold and, with 10 seats up for grabs, the party was defending nine and won nine after Thursday's voting.

There were 13 seats up for grabs in Stevenage and Labour won nine of them.

The party lost seats to the Tories in 2021, but gained two this year.

The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats held two seats each as a third of seats were up for grabs.

All the seats were contested on St Albans City & District Council, and the Conservatives lost 18 seats, leaving them with only four.

The Liberal Democrats now have 50 of the 56 seats, a gain of 20. There is also one independent and one Green councillor.

On Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, where a third of the seats were up for election, Labour gained Hatfield East and Hatfield Villages from the Conservatives, but lost Hatfield South West to the Liberal Democrats.

The Green Party gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Dickinsons ward on Three Rivers District Council - while all other seats remained the same.

North Hertfordshire District Council remains in no overall control with Labour winning nine seats, gaining two from the Conservatives, who won four seats, but lost another two to the Liberal Democrats, who won five.

A third of the seats were up for grabs.

The Conservatives remain the largest party with 19 seats, but Labour now have 17 and the Liberal Democrats 13.

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Stevenage Labour council leader, Sharon Taylor, said: "We were hoping we'd hold the seats... but to gain two as well is a great result for us.

"We've had a great campaign here, superbly organised... but also, people are telling us, on the doorstep, they are really fed up with the cost of living crisis and wanted to send a message back to Boris Johnson and the Tories."

Conservative group leader, Phil Bibby, said: "We're certainly disappointed losing a couple of seats but bearing in mind that last year we got up to 11, and the year before we were only seven, and when I started as a councillor we were only about three or four, I still think we've got a decent upward trend to take heart from."

Analysis

By Andy Holmes, BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

No surprises really in the two Hertfordshire councils that declared overnight.

Broxbourne Council prides itself on being among the first to announce results and is also one of the safest Tory authorities in the country, being held by the party since it was formed in 1973.

They managed to hold on to all nine of the seats they were defending, so still have 26 of the 30 seats on the council.

Labour held on to the other to remain the official opposition, albeit with just three councillors.

Meanwhile, Stevenage has always been Labour-led, but four gains in 2021 might have given Conservatives some hope of threatening that status this year.

In the end though, 2022 saw the town turn an even darker shade of red, with Labour winning nine of the 13 seats, including taking back two wards from the Conservatives.

In Broxbourne, where a third of the seats were being contested, the Tories could not have lost control even if they had been defeated in each one.

The remaining seat was successfully defended by Labour.

A third of seats were being contested at Watford Borough Council, with the Liberal Democrats winning 10, gaining two from an independent and one from Labour, who retained two seats.

The Lib Dems are the biggest party with 27 seats overall, while Labour have nine.

In Watford, Liberal Democrat Peter Taylor has been re-elected as mayor, and said he was grateful to those who "put their trust in me".

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk

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Stevenage Labour council leader, Sharon Taylor, said: "We were hoping we'd hold the seats... but to gain two as well is a great result for us.

Analysis: Andy Holmes, BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

No surprises really in the two Hertfordshire councils that declared overnight.

Broxbourne Council prides itself on being among the first to announce results and is also one of the safest Tory authorities in the country, being held by the party since it was formed in 1973.

They managed to hold on to all nine of the seats they were defending, so still have 26 of the 30 seats on the council.

Labour held on to the other to remain the official opposition, albeit with just three councillors.

Meanwhile, Stevenage has always been Labour-led, but four gains in 2021 might have given Conservatives some hope of threatening that status this year.

In the end though, 2022 saw the town turn an even darker shade of red, with Labour winning nine of the 13 seats, including taking back two wards from the Conservatives.

In Broxbourne, where a third of the seats were being contested, the Tories could not have lost control even if they had been defeated in each one.

The remaining seat was successfully defended by Labour.

A third of seats were being contested at Watford Borough Council, with the Liberal Democrats winning 10, gaining two from an independent and one from Labour, who retained two seats.

The Lib Dems are the biggest party with 27 seats overall, while Labour have nine.

All the seats were up for grabs at St Albans City and District Council, and although counting is still ongoing, the Liberal Democrats have won enough wards to retain control.

In Watford, Liberal Democrat Peter Taylor has been re-elected as mayor, and said he was grateful to those who "put their trust in me".

Votes have been cast in council and mayoral elections across England, Wales and Scotland, and for the devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk

Babak Belurs

Minggu, 08 Mei 2022

NI election results 2022: Governments urge parties to reform executive - BBC

All eyes on Stormont

Alliance surge

Beergate: Lisa Nandy defends Keir Starmer over claims Labour leader broke COVID rules - Sky News

Keir Starmer faces new crisis as curry defence crumbles - The Times

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Brexit: Dominic Raab says fixing Northern Ireland Protocol 'cannot be put off' as Stormont power-sharing deal in doubt - Sky News

Sabtu, 07 Mei 2022

Keir Starmer should consider position if fined, says Diane Abbott - BBC

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'Leaked memo'

'Hypocrisy'

Jumat, 06 Mei 2022

Hertfordshire election results 2022: Tories, Labour and Lib Dem hold councils - BBC

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Analysis

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Hertfordshire election results 2022: Tories, Labour and Lib Dem hold councils - BBC

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Analysis: Andy Holmes, BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

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Minggu, 08 Mei 2022

All eyes on Stormont

Alliance surge

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Sabtu, 07 Mei 2022

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'Leaked memo'

'Hypocrisy'

Jumat, 06 Mei 2022

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Analysis

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Analysis: Andy Holmes, BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

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