Sunday 11 October 2026
Evening EditionRSS
ZOTPAPER

News without the noise

ZOTPAPER
World

DUP MP says party could remove O'Neill as first minister over Garvaghy Road protests

Unionist anger grows after Secretary of State bans Orange Order march

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
DUP MP Carla Lockhart has said that unionist anger over Michelle O'Neill's role in protests during the Garvaghy Road parading dispute means "it cannot be business as usual" at Stormont, adding that the DUP has it "within its gift to remove" O'Neill as Northern Ireland's first minister.

Carla Lockhart, a DUP MP, has warned that the DUP could use its position to remove Michelle O'Neill as Northern Ireland's first minister.

The threat follows the Secretary of State's decision on Friday to ban the Portadown District Lodge from marching down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road. The move was welcomed by nationalist politicians but criticised by unionists.

O'Neill is among several Sinn Féin politicians who have confirmed receiving letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) investigating protests over the Drumcree parading dispute. She has previously dismissed a call from the DUP to resign over the issue.

Speaking outside Drumcree Church on Saturday, Lockhart said her constituents were angry. "They're angry at the chief constable for allowing lawlessness to win, for allowing the mob to dictate," she said. "They're angry at the secretary of state for his intervention, but the most palpable anger is at Michelle O'Neill, this self-proclaimed 'first minister for all' for breaking the law flagrantly on the Garvaghy Road."

The dispute revives long-standing tensions around the annual Drumcree Orange Order parade, a traditional flashpoint between unionists and nationalists. The DUP's threat to remove O'Neill raises questions about the stability of the power-sharing executive.

§

Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The DUP's threat could destabilize Northern Ireland's power-sharing government, potentially triggering an election or a return to direct rule from London.
  • The row highlights the enduring potency of parading disputes as political flashpoints in Northern Ireland.
  • If the DUP follows through, it may force a political crisis just years after the restoration of power-sharing.

Background

The Garvaghy Road dispute is part of the wider Drumcree parading controversy, an annual clash between the Protestant Orange Order and Catholic residents in Portadown. The Secretary of State's decision to ban the march came following PSNI advice. Unionists view the parade as a legitimate cultural expression; nationalists see it as sectarian and provocative. Michelle O'Neill is the Sinn Féin vice president and became the first minister as part of the power-sharing deal.

Key Perspectives

DUP: Lockhart argues that O'Neill broke the law by taking part in protests and that unionist voters are furious at her hypocrisy. The DUP sees an opportunity to force a change in leadership. Sinn Féin / O'Neill: O'Neill has not resigned, previously dismissing the resignation call. She portrays herself as a first minister for all, but unionists reject that claim given her protest involvement. Critics of the DUP's move: Some will warn that pulling down the executive over this issue risks months of instability and undermines the institutions that were only recently restored.

What to Watch

  • Whether the DUP formally triggers a mechanism to remove O'Neill, and whether they have the support to do so.
  • The outcome of the PSNI investigation into the protesters, which could increase pressure on O'Neill.
  • How the British and Irish governments react if Stormont faces collapse.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

How we workSubscribe