North Belfast: Violent Attack

Lord Dodds of Duncairn Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for the tone that she has taken. I agree with every word that she said, not least about the appalling comments of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon—someone who I, in a previous incarnation, campaigned against for decades. For all of us, Stephen Ogilvie should be in our prayers, and we hope and wish for him to have as speedy a recovery as possible. In terms of working with the community, after the disorder in Ballymena last year, I went there and met the community leaders, the extraordinary women who stood in between those violent perpetrators and the community, and I am very grateful for them. It will take months for the community to heal from what is happening. I reiterate what the leader of the DUP has said in recent hours: protests and politics are British values; that is the way we engage; violence is not.

[Lord Dodds of Duncairn (DUP)]

My Lords, scenes of appalling violence that we have seen in Belfast and in north Belfast, which I used to have the honour to represent in the other place, have been rightly condemned by everybody. Such violence serves absolutely no purpose except to hurt communities and innocent people and should not be happening. Can the Minister, in relation to the horrific event on Monday night that sparked all this, give an assurance that there will be speedy justice for the victim, as we have seen in other cases, and that there will be no undue delay?

In terms of protecting and defending the people of Northern Ireland—and the open border has been mentioned—will she urgently review the operation of the common travel area and talk to the Irish authorities about what they are doing? Will she look at the draw factors which enable people to go through two, three or four safe countries before they claim asylum in the UK? Will she also look at a particular problem we have in Northern Ireland which has been subject to proposed legislation, so far unsuccessfully: outlawing the glorification of violence? This is happening at the very top of the Northern Ireland Government and is done by the First Minister, and it is encouraging young people to say, “Well, if it was okay for them; it is okay for us”. This culture of resorting to violence on the streets must end.

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for both his service in this House and his decades of service in Northern Ireland. What we have seen reminds all of us quite how challenging it has always been to be a representative in Northern Ireland, and we are so grateful for the work that he has done.

It is important that we call for calm in Northern Ireland and across the country in the coming hours and days. I am pleased to see that has been the case across the political spectrum. In terms of the glorification of terrorism, there is no excuse for glorifying a proscribed organisation. It is illegal, as it should be.