UUP Does Not Support Councillor Strike Action

The Ulster Unionist Party's Councillors Association has stated that the party does not support any suggestion of strike action or work-to-rule. The move follows the Ministerial Review of the Roles and Responsibilities of Councillors in Northern Ireland.

Chairman of the association, Councillor David Taylor, said such action would not serve the interests of local government or the communities they represent. He added that the party's priority is to ensure constituents receive effective representation and that strike action would distract from those responsibilities.

Councillor Taylor said the Ulster Unionist Party does not believe industrial action is the way to address any issues arising from the review. He said that any action taking councillors away from their duties stands in clear contrast to the party's commitment to providing representation and service for those who elected them.

Man Wanted For Breaching Compassionate Bail

Police are appealing for information to help locate Raymond (Ray) Lee, a 32-year-old man who is wanted for breaching his compassionate bail release.

Mr Lee, who had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering offences, failed to return to Maghaberry prison on Thursday, 19 June 2025. A spokesperson for the PSNI appealed directly to Mr Lee to hand himself in. He also asked anyone who has seen him, or knows of his whereabouts, not to approach him directly but to contact police on 101, quoting reference 918 of 19/06/25. Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Mr Lee is described as being approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, of slim build, with brown hair.

Health Waiting Times 'Outrageous' – Alliance MLA

Alliance Health spokesperson Nuala McAllister has expressed concern at Northern Ireland's consistently long waiting times, following the latest publication of quarterly statistics.

The figures for the Belfast, South Eastern, and Northern Trusts show that none of them met the Department of Health's targets for patient waits.

The North Belfast MLA said the statistics are "outrageous," confirming that some patients are waiting for up to almost six years for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment. She added that more than half of patients are waiting for over a year for inpatient or day case treatment.

Ms McAllister highlighted that more than a third of patients are also waiting for more than six months to access diagnostic services, calling this a "particularly concerning" time in people's lives. She has called on the Health Minister to "take a different approach to tackling waiting times," stating that it is clear "we cannot continue to accept the status quo."