Alliance criticise placing of flags on bonfire

Alliance representatives have criticised those who placed a Union and other flags on a bonfire in East Belfast. Councillor Michael Long and Chris Lyttle MLA were speaking after an image appeared showing Union flags on the anti-internment bonfire on Mountpottinger Road. The bonfire also had a flag honouring war dead placed on it. East Belfast […]

Dickson says march organisers must abide by Parades Commission ruling

Alliance Justice spokesperson Stewart Dickson has said organisers of a republican parade set to take place in Belfast city centre this weekend must abide by a Parades Commission ruling in relation to it. The march, organised by the Anti-Internment League, was given permission to take place on Sunday (August 9), however the determination states it […]

McAllister says petrol bomb attack a senseless act of violence

Alliance North Belfast Councillor Nuala McAllister has said an incident which saw petrol bombs thrown at a flat was a “senseless act of violence”. Councillor McAllister was speaking after the attack on the flat in Skegoneill Avenue, which was reported to police around 11.35pm yesterday (Tuesday). No-one was in the flat at the time. “I […]

Lo says further squeezing of arts funding will weaken sector

Alliance MLA Anna Lo has said “further squeezing” of public arts funding will dangerously weaken the sector. The South Belfast MLA was speaking after the Arts Council told a number of local arts organisations to plan for in-year cuts of up to 10 per cent to their budgets. Affected groups include the Ulster Orchestra, Grand […]

Lo encourages attendance at Mela 2015

Anna Lo MLA has encouraged people to attend a major multi-cultural festival in her constituency later this month. Belfast Mela takes place on August 30 in Botanic Gardens. It is designed to celebrate the diversity of Northern Ireland and highlights of this year’s event will include a carnival procession, world food market, a ‘fantasy forest’ […]

Lyttle hopes Belfast-US flight route will take off again

Alliance Regional Development spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said the restoration of the year-round Belfast to New York flight is a welcome development. The route between Belfast International Airport and Newark is the only direct flight between Northern Ireland and the US, however, it did not operate between January and March this year. There will […]

Lyttle calls on young film enthusiasts to take part in festival

Chris Lyttle MLA has called on young film enthusiasts to take part in a programme to help select movies for a major upcoming festival. Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival, which takes place in Belfast between October 9 – November 4, has asked young people to become ‘film consultants’ and programme a series of films […]

Armitage ‘appalled’ by East Belfast burglary

Alliance East Belfast Councillor David Armitage has said he is appalled at two men who held a woman hostage in her home while they burgled the property. Councillor Armitage was speaking after police appealed for information in relation to the incident, which occurred in the Larkfield Road area of Sydenham yesterday (Thursday) around 10.30pm. The […]