Attended the
#LetWomenSpeakBelfast
event today.
Women of all ages, from all backgrounds, speaking up for women’s rights.
Women fought hard to be allowed basic rights, those rights need to be protected.
10 years ago today I lost my eldest niece in a car accident. She was only 18 and had her whole life ahead of her.
I made the decision to move my family back home to Belvoir, to make the most of life and explore every opportunity that I was offered. My heart broke that day,
Heartbroken at the news that my friend & colleague has passed away.
All of my love goes to his 4 children, his wife Laura, his mummy, brother, sisters and the wider family circle.
I’ve seen a few people asking where the Unionist representatives have been on the ground in South Belfast over the last few days. Just because every move isn’t splashed across social media with photos doesn’t mean work isn’t being done in the background.
On Monday night
Been thinking about him all day.
Missed his phone calls to check turnouts and nervous texts asking how I thought it was going.
This whole election campaign has been so strange without him 😢
Sitting tonight thinking of this man. Once polls closed, Christopher Stalford would have been on the phone with all the craic & chat of the day. And he'd be nervous as a kitten ahead of tomorrow's count.
#AE22
just isn't the same without him.
On the 21st July 1972, the IRA detonated 22 bombs within 80 minutes across our city, killing 9 innocent people and injuring over 130.
This afternoon we held our annual commemoration service to mark the 52nd anniversary of Bloody Friday and remember the lives lost that day and
My opposition to todays motion has nothing to do with my Unionism & everything to do with the fact that I know what’s best for my kids, not the Alliance Party or those they like to take their lead from.
The condescending tone from Alliance reps to parents concerns is disgraceful
The various outrageous and ludicrous “contributions” by Unionists of all colours to the RSE debate rather demonstrate why Unionism is in the state of decline it’s in.
No idea how to embrace the future. Little idea, even, how to embrace reality.
City Hall was in darkness tonight with 2 searchlights to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Belfast Blitz.
Well done to my colleague Cllr Dale Pankhurst who brought the idea to council.
49 years ago the IRA detonated 22 bombs across Belfast
9 people lost their lives, 130 were injured & thousands terrified
I was privileged to take part, in a service of remembrance in City Hall on Sunday, to remember those killed & injured on Bloody Friday
We will remember them
While I don’t condone any damage being done to public property the DUP group warned from the start that this dual language signs policy was going to create tensions and upset community relations.
I received multiple emails from residents in this street, who stated they moved to
Really disappointed to see an Irish News article full of misinformation on the Milltown bonfire site.
Maybe other elected reps should try engaging with the youth instead of demonising them.
This evening a special council meeting was called to discuss the weekend disorder and attacks on minority owned businesses.
My full speech on behalf of the DUP council group is in the video below but the points we made were -
🔹 Sent our condolences to the families & community
Charming 🙄
Don’t dare speak up for Unionists or Loyalists, just keep them quiet in the corner because nationalists & Alliance members know better than them.
But sure Unionists will be welcome in a New Ireland 👀
2 years today 😢
There’s not a day goes by that Christopher isn’t talked about & there’s often someone with a story about Christopher, or someone who remembers a quick quip he said in the media or in the chamber.
My thoughts are with Christopher’s family today
The incredible musical talent which is on show right across our marching band fraternity is just one of the things often overlooked and underplayed by those whose narrative it doesn’t suit, and by the media who would rather use the very small number of negative story’s and images
Some really moving tributes to Christopher in the assembly yesterday.
Still can’t believe he’s no longer with us.
Proud & privileged to have been part of his team 💔
My statement on the posters erected in Belvoir Estate
While some elected reps for the area grandstand while not engaging with the community in the area, I’ll continue to engage and give the community in Belvoir & Milltown a voice
The first time I ever met
@ArleneFosterUK
it was as a community volunteer in Belvoir
Even though she was First Minister of NI she took the time to listen to what I had to say and gave me confidence as a working class woman to get involved in politics
Thank you for everything 💖
So pleased to see
@dianejforsythe
elected in South Down.
Such an intelligent, capable, young female candidate who deserves this seat for the hard work she put in on the ground and who I know will put in the hard work for the people of South Down.
Congratulations Diane! 👏🏻👏🏻
@DarraghFeeney
And this is how Unionists would be welcomed in a United Ireland/New Ireland (dependent on what shade of nationalism you’re talking to).
You can’t force a language into areas that see it as polarising just because Nationalists say we should all accept it. Those with a different
What an incredible 24 hours for Northern Irelands athletes!
Regardless of whether they are competing for Team GB or Team Ireland, the most important thing is that we should all be celebrating these superstars! 🥇🥇🥇
🥇 HANNAH SCOTT IS AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST!
WHAT A FINISH! It was a photo finish but it's Gold for the Coleraine Rower and her
@TeamGB
crew in the Women's Quadruple Sculls
We waited 36 years for one Gold and now it is three for NI athletes at Paris 2024.
#PowerOfSport
It’s been a long day but I’m delighted to have been re-elected to represent Balmoral DEA.
Thank you to everyone who came out to vote & to my entire team who have helped me tirelessly over the past 6 weeks.
Back to City Hall tomorrow for the Botanic DEA count!
@duponline
Called with the Openreach staff on the picket line at The Cutts this morning to support their fight for fair pay.
Staff are relying on food banks in depots while their CEO got a 32% pay rise.
#FoodbankPhil
@duponline
@CWUnews
Very privileged to attend the Service of Remembrance with my South Belfast colleagues at the Cenotaph at City Hall this morning.
Always a very humbling & moving service.
We will remember them
Attended two very poignant services tonight to remember and celebrate the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The show of respect and love for Her Majesty over the past week has been incredible
Well done to Upper Falls Protestant Boys and Pride of Lagan Valley FB
So pleased my motion to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee passed at committee this morning.
There will also be a program of events by BCC over the Jubilee weekend including a Jubilee beacon, themed dances at City Hall and a Big Community Lunch.
Following a DUP motion brought to Council, it was agreed at Committee today that £100,000 be provided by
@belfastcc
for community groups (up to £2,000 each) for street parties & events to celebrate HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
We will update on when this fund opens. GSTQ!
Delighted that the DUP team in City Hall have secured £100,000 of funding between 𝑶𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕 & 𝑼𝒍𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓-𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌.
This funding has ensured that Unionist & Loyalist culture will be represented during Belfast 2024 year of culture.
When you think Alliance can’t stoop any lower they once again surprise with this disgraceful post
As a party we’ll continue to remember the victims of Bloody Friday & the atrocity that took place
On this 50th anniversary I call on Michael to apologise and remove insensitive tweet
There was no respect being shown, but I am confident in my own Unionism to challenge the SF narrative
Winifred was shunned by republicans & put in an unmarked grave for daring to marry a Protestant, a man of the 36th Ulster division, but now they want to claim her as a hero (1/2)
This was an unacceptable use of a City Hall function room for a political event which has previously taken place in SF party rooms.
It is inappropriate that the Lord Mayor chose to use Civic Rooms for a political use and deliberately avoided all council structures for permission!
Trolling me earlier & now my colleague
@Tracybelfast1
Big man sitting behind a screen trying to bully 2 women who have stood for election & gained mandates to represent their communities.
What have you done? Who are you?
Catch yourself on! 🙄
Another doormat councillor elected on a fraudulent election manifesto.
One can sympathise with Tracy though - if she wasn’t a DUP councillor she’d probably struggle to get a job in a chippy.
Huge congratulations to my colleague Cllr Andrew McCormick who is set to become the next Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast.
Andrew will be installed as Deputy Lord Mayor on the 3 June.
SDLP all over the place again in City Hall. Happy to resurvey a street previously which had almost double % didn’t want street signs to those who did, but not when it’s the opposite way but only 9 people of a difference
Also didn’t want to listen to a resident /rate payer 🤷🏻♀️
DUP all over the place again in City Hall. Rejecting the results of survey on dual language street signs because they don’t like them, then 10 mins later trying to stop surveys from even happening in streets residents had requested. What’s wrong in letting people have their say?
Really disappointed but not surprised that our proposal failed.
Israel was subjected to a brutal terrorist attack but, even though we’ve lit City Hall for many previous terror attacks, this proposal couldn’t be agreed in the same manner.
It’s funny that when members of other political parties receive any type of threat the vast majority don’t question it, and are indeed falling over themselves to send support to the person who received the threat.
Apparently being a member of the DUP, holding the beliefs of a
Pleased to attend the installation of the official portrait of King Charles III in City Hall today.
The portraits which it replaced of Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Phillip are now hanging in the parlour of the High Sheriff Sammy Douglas.
Extremely proud and privileged to represent my community at The National Day of Remembrance at the Cenotaph at City Hall today
We should always remember the sacrifices made to give us the freedoms we have today
Lest we forget
@SBDUP1971
@Tracybelfast1
@edwinpootsmla
@realZacTC
We never made it for the official event due to work commitments but this afternoon some of the women from the South Belfast DUP association visited Belfast City Hall to see the new statues unveiled for
#InternationalWomensDay2024
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
Delighted that my friend and colleague
@Tracybelfast1
has been selected as our South Belfast & Mid Down candidate for the General Election!
#GE2024
Instead of grandstanding on social media and demonising young people, I instead spent 2 hours last night engaging with bonfire builders and parents at the Milltown bonfire.
I’ve been working closely with BCC, DfI & the neighbourhood policing team on trying to keep this site
The Princess of Wales and her family deserve privacy to deal with this awful news.
Sending Princess Catherine,Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis my love, support and prayers.
Get well soon Your Royal Highness 💖
Delighted that my colleague Cllr Sammy Douglas is the new High Sheriff of Belfast.
Sammy is a fantastic advocate for Belfast and a huge supporter of the Community & Voluntary Sector and I know he will dedicate himself to this role.
@duponline
HM Lord Lieutenant has paid warm tribute to the outgoing High Sheriff of Belfast Dr John Kyle and thanked him for outstanding service to the City. Dame Fionnuala has welcomed the new High Sheriff Cllr Sammy Douglas MBE. The Lieutenancy looks forward to working with him
@belfastcc
Attended the AGM of Belfast City Council tonight as the new Group Leader for the DUP
Took the opportunity to pay tribute to my friends George Dorrian & Gareth Spratt
New seat in the chamber, new role in the group, but I’ve still got my roomie Cllr
@nicolaverner1
beside me 😊
Delighted that my motion to recognise the 50th anniversary of the Greenfinches passed at full council tonight
Thanks to
@Tracybelfast1
for seconding the proposal.
Proud to stand with these 2 brave Greenfinches & grateful that they came to support us tonight.
As chair of South Belfast DUP I’m delighted that Zac has decided to join us.
Zac is an intelligent young man who knows his own mind & isn’t afraid to speak it!
Looking forward to working with you
@realZacTC
😊
I am extremely grateful for the warm welcome I have received since joining the
@duponline
. However, I need to address something important. I have seen the comments under my previous tweet 90% are very supportive and positive. The remaining 10% can't seem to comprehend that a
Awk look another vile little troll who thinks they’re a big man for picking on a woman’s weight. At least I don’t hide behind a fake profile.
Grow up you sad little person. If that’s the best argument you have then I’m glad the Union’s not relying on you 🙄
@sbunting_
Go on a diet ya mess. You can't even control what goes into your mouth let alone control a council. Tuv are coming for disgusting vile sellout.
On tonight’s episode of the adventures of Sarah & Tracy 😂 Tracy seemed to think we’re still young enough to get away with using the boomerang effect on Instagram 🙂↔️
As you can see by my face I disagreed and needless to say I’m scundered! 🙈
Otherwise it was a nice wee night
Pleased to welcome the
@UYN_OFFICIAL
to City Hall this afternoon
Great to hear about their plans & discuss how we can all help move Unionism forward together
Such an impressive group of young, articulate people & we look forward to supporting & working with them in the future
Delighted to host members of
@QUB_DUA
&
@UYN_OFFICIAL
at City Hall for a guided tour followed by Q&A session
Delighted that so many articulate, passionate young unionists are getting involved & speaking up for their beliefs
Looking forward to further engagement with both groups🇬🇧
Delighted to welcome the new Neonatal pay & leave policy which was ratified at full council this evening.
@belfastcc
staff will now be able to take up to an additional 12 weeks paid leave after maternity leave if their baby was born prematurely and had to spend time in NICU.
I
Incredibly humbled that 1513 turned up yesterday to give me their first preference votes. Thank you to each & every one of you.
Waiting on excess votes & eliminations before an announcement. It’s going to be a long day!
I remember the night Lisa went missing, the police door to door, the shock of what happened throughout the tiny village of Ballyhalbert.
19 years of heartache for this family.
Why? Someone knows what happened to Lisa, just pick up the phone.
Thinking of the Dorrian family.
Lisa, 19 years gone today. We made the difficult decision to add Lisa’s name to our mums headstone in the hope that one day we will find Lisa and lay her to rest here with mum. Together in heaven. We love you both. Lisa, we will never give up on finding you 💔💔💔
#letsfindlisa
Delighted that my request for D-Day to be commemorated was agreed.
D-Day laid the foundations of victory for the Allied Forces and it is right that we should commemorate those who put their lives on the line for the freedoms we sometimes take for granted today.
The significant role played by Belfast in the training and preparation for D-Day is to be remembered as the 80th anniversary of the invasion is marked in Northern Ireland later in the year
I’ve been contacted by residents in Benmore in relation to a video currently circulating on social media showing a young woman being assaulted by 2 males.
I’ve spoke to the PSNI and they are aware of the video and are currently investigating.
If anybody has any information
The Finaghy Festival is an incredible event, delivered by a lot of hard work from some very dedicated, community minded volunteers. Hopefully they can still find some way of funding the festival and future events which were planned.
Communities need small volunteer led groups
Lovely afternoon in Taughmonagh at the community fun day. Families enjoying spending time together while celebrating their culture with their friends & neighbours
🇬🇧
Well done to everyone who organised the events across South Belfast today 👏🏻👏🏻
Great meeting of South Belfast DUP association in Carryduff tonight.
Great to have our party leader
@GRobinsonDUP
with us and a great opportunity for him to hear some of the fantastic work done by Killynure Community Association & Storehouse Trust.
Lots of energy and
Treated some of the team to delicious brownies & coffee from Erinvale’s newest business after our final Saturday canvass.
We may have forgotten to invite the candidate
@Tracybelfast1
and the rest of the team! 🙊
Great to have the party leader
@GRobinsonDUP
out with us in
Update on yesterday’s incident in Benmore.
I have been assured the woman isn’t badly hurt and she is safe. Both men charged to appear in court tomorrow.
Great morning at the party manifesto launch.
If you want to return a strong pro Union team to Westminster, on the 4th July vote DUP.
#MakingNIWork
#VoteKelly
❌
Only 15.04% of a street in favour of dual language sign, would have been less but an objection was received late - Seamus was happy to send it for a THIRD survey.
SDLP all over the place again in City Hall. Happy to resurvey a street previously which had almost double % didn’t want street signs to those who did, but not when it’s the opposite way but only 9 people of a difference
Also didn’t want to listen to a resident /rate payer 🤷🏻♀️
Disappointing that we got to the point we did with the Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund
Leaking restricted information to groups before a decision has been ratified does not help those groups
Pleased all parties, except Alliance, supported this proposal which I first made in Nov
@CurbOur
Darren is a huge part of our DUP team in South Belfast. He has great experience of working with the youth in the area and
@edwinpootsmla
&
@Tracybelfast1
have been on the ground too.
Just because someone is in a more senior position doesn’t mean they are the right person to
If the TUV wants to just let SF have free run with their narrative then that’s their prerogative, although they had multiple chances at committee or council (Jun, Aug, Jan & Feb) to speak out against this statue but didn’t.
(2/2)
Haven’t got the words to describe how sad I am to see Lee go today. His dedication to the party was incredible
He encouraged me to stand for election, guided me & advised me & has been my most consistent and honest sounding board over the past 2 years & I’ll be forever grateful
That’s all folks. My thanks to
@ArleneFosterUK
for the opportunity to serve Northern Ireland. To my friends and colleagues in the
@duponline
I wish you all the very best of British. You are going to need it.
Great night engaging with bonfire builders from Belvoir & Milltown at Pizza with the Peelers!
Fascinating to listen to the story of loyalist ex-prisoner Colin Halliday and the work he has done over many years now in conflict resolution and capacity building in PUL communities.
Playing petty politics for Twitter/X likes
We offered an amendment that could have sent a message to the UK Gov with a united voice to support fair pay for HSC staff
An Executive isn’t going to have a magic money tree if it comes back, the UK Gov need to step up
Delighted to nominate
@awmccormick2
as Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast at the AGM of Belfast City Council this evening.
Andy is a dedicated, hard working rep who is on the ground helping his constituents in East Belfast and championing our young people and mental health charities.
Very proud to know these young people!
The comments under this article are disgusting but honestly not surprising, but these young people will not be silenced
Strong, articulate, honest voices who cover the wide spectrum of Unionist views have rattled a few cages 🤷🏻♀️
@UYN_OFFICIAL
Over to Ballynafeigh this afternoon to help canvass for one of our South Belfast DUP candidates Darren Leighton
Darren received a threat to stay off the Ormeau Road last week but it’s just made him more determined to help represent the people of the area alongside
@Tracybelfast1
Very proud to represent to people of Balmoral at this mornings Commemoration of the Battle of the Somme Service at City Hall.
“I am not an Ulsterman but yesterday, the 1st. July, as I followed their amazing attack, I felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else
Great meeting of
@SBDUP1971
association this evening
Lots of discussions around delivery at council & assembly, growing the membership, upcoming Westminster election & getting out into the new areas
Fantastic presentation from
@matthew_shanks1
on election statistics
Delighted to attend Dunmurry Community Association AGM this evening alongside
@matthew_shanks1
This group provide fantastic events and services for the community throughout the year and have some wonderful plans for the year ahead. Really looking forward to the official
Pleased that my motion passed unanimously
Our vol & com sector were at the forefront of delivering much needed support from start of Covid
Those with paid positions within community sector deserve to have stability in their job &for their efforts to be recognised with a fair pay
Huge thanks to
@duponline
Deputy Leader
@GRobinsonDUP
for addressing our South Belfast association AGM tonight
After the meeting
@Tracybelfast1
and I held a BBQ to thank everyone for helping us during the Election.
Pleased to be re-elected as Chair of the association.
Nomination papers submitted at City hall this morning for Gareth and I alongside our South & East Belfast colleagues.
Thanks to
@LeeReynoldsUKNI
for agreeing to put up with us as our election agent 😁
@duponline
In Suffolk estate this evening with my colleague Frank McCoubrey.
Great to have some residents out with Frank this evening and what a beautiful night to be canvassing.
#BelfastWest
#VoteMcCoubrey
❌
Attended Belvoir Community Sports Complex steering group this evening alongside
@edwinpootsmla
,
@OfficialBlues
,
@BelfastBB
&
@BelvoirFC
representatives.
So excited to see this project progress & look forward to being able to watch Belvoir FC play at their new home in the future!
Lovely relaxed morning at Inns Cross Market with some of the Belfast South & Mid Down DUP team.
Great atmosphere for the 10th anniversary of the markets opening.
Trying to cut down on my caffeine so bought some delicious Chala Chai tea ☕️
Great to have
@realZacTC
join us
Great wee night at our South Belfast DUP Association Quiz Night!
We may have been last but I think
@Tracybelfast1
&
@dleighton91
’s team were cheating 😂
Rematch in Balmoral in the new year!
(Don’t ask why we look like Smurf’s 🤷🏻♀️)
Hopeful that the organisers of Finaghy festival can still find a way to raise the funds needed for this fantastic community event
It’s really tough being a community volunteer, the work is hard at times & never appreciated fully. Elected reps should not be making life even harder