5 publishers · first seen Thu, 29 Oct 2026 04:49 UTC · updated Sat, 31 Oct 2026 21:10 UTC
DUP leader Gavin Robinson announced that deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will cease joint engagements with Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill and will not permit O’Neill to act alone in the role. The move follows police investigations into O’Neill and other Sinn Féin members for participating in an unnotified protest against an Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road in Portadown. As a result, both leaders will not attend an economic forum in Glasgow with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth, nor a planned meeting with Irish President Catherine Connolly.
Robinson stated that O’Neill’s actions must have consequences, while stopping short of withdrawing Little-Pengelly from office, which would collapse the Stormont Executive. O’Neill criticised the decision as a 'reactive stunt' driven by internal DUP issues, asserting she will continue her duties at the Assembly. The UK government and Alliance Party expressed concern over Northern Ireland’s absence from the economic talks.
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