Arlene Foster s leadership of DUP hangs in balance
Updated / Wednesday, 28 Apr 2021
08:10
It remains unclear whether Arlene Foster would contest a leadership vote if one is triggered
Northern Ireland s First Minister Arlene Foster s future as DUP leader hangs in the balance after party colleagues mounted a heave against her yesterday.
It is understood a significant number of the DUP s elected members have signed a letter of no confidence in Ms Foster.
Up to 22 of the party s 28 Stormont Assembly members and four of its eight Westminster MPs are understood to have signed the letter.
If those numbers are confirmed and subsequently replicated in any future leadership contest - a vote confined to MPs and MLAs - her five-and-a-half year tenure as leader would be set to end.
Arlene Foster s future uncertain amid DUP motion of no confidence in her leadership msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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image captionBoris Johnson visited a vaccination centre in Northern Ireland in March
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been urged to step up and listen to concerns in Northern Ireland to help prevent a repeat of recent rioting.
Several high-profile figures put their concerns to the PM in a letter.
Signatories included four former NI secretaries, a former chief constable and a former Archbishop of Armagh.
They advised him not to ignore unionist grievances and urged him to rebuilt trust with the Irish government.
The joint letter warned Mr Johnson and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis of the danger that a political vacuum could pose to the peace process.
FORMER British soldier Dennis Hutchings has asked to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights in a bid to block historical attempted murder charges relating to his service in the north of Ireland being brought against him.
Lawyers for the 79-year-old army veteran have written to Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis seeking permission to approach the Strasbourg court, claiming discrimination and a breach of his human rights.
The former member of the Life Guards regiment faces prosecution for the attempted murder of John Patrick Cunningham in June 1974.
Mr Cunningham, a 27-year-old with learning difficulties, was fatally shot in the back while fleeing from a patrol vehicle near Benburb, Co Tyrone. He was running across a field towards his home when Mr Hutchings and another soldier, now dead, fired at him.
Boris Johnson urged to step up to tackle recent NI rioting bbc.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bbc.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.