emma little—pengelly is the new deputy first minister of northern ireland.up on the border with the south, the place with the highest death toll outside belfast. her father was arrested and imprisoned in france for involvement in arms trafficking for hardline loyalists back in the 1980s, something he still denies to this day, though, he did once say publicly he would oppose compromise to the bitter end, to the death. compromise that is with people like the first minister of northern ireland, michelle 0'neill of sinn fein, whose father was an ira prisoner. the two leaders, the first minister and the deputy first minister, are now seen by many as a symbol of compromise. emma little—pengelly, deputy first minister of northern ireland, welcome to political thinking. hello. it's great to be here. i'm struck by the image i've just seen before you came to do this interview. there you were standing alongside the first minister of northern ireland being photographed for international women's day. the two of you, two women, of course, two women in theirforties. two wo

emma little pengelly is the new deputy first minister of northern ireland. grew up on the border with the south, the place with the highest death toll outside belfast. her father was arrested and imprisoned in france for involvement in arms trafficking for hardline loyalists back in the 1980s, something he still denies to this day, though, he did once say publicly he would oppose compromise to the bitter end, to the death. compromise that is with people like the first minister of northern ireland, michelle 0'neill of sinn fein, whose father was an ira prisoner. the two leaders, the first minister and the deputy first minister, are now seen by many as a symbol of compromise. emma little—pengelly, deputy first minister of northern ireland, welcome to political thinking. hello. it's great to be here. i'm struck by the image i've just seen before you came to do this interview. there you were standing alongside the first minister of northern ireland being photographed for international women's day. the two of you, two women, of course, two women in theirforties.

michelle 0'neill and running in an extremely positive move, with michelle o'neill and emma little—pengellyg a brilliant start, so if you shop, but i think actually one with the election of gavin robinson as interim leader today having the same interim leader today having the same in the dup havejust made, real continuity in the position that was taken by party officers and the dup to return to power—sharing. so, i'm not concerned anyway that this shocking news today will lead to any change in the momentum behind power—sharing, and he had played in this political leadership role and absolutely critical part in the past few months. we lead their negotiations for the government and he worked with his own party to move them from their position of staying out on the executive, the basis that didn't agree with the northern ireland protocol. let's speak to british and irish politics professor at the university of liverpool, jon tonge. welcome to the programme. what were your first thoughts when you heard this news? ~ ., , this news? well, it was extraordinary _ this news? well, it was extraordina

, who was co—opted to take jeffrey seen emma little pengelly, who was co—opted to takejeffrey donaldsonted to takejeffrey donaldson�*s seat in the assembly, quite smoothly moving into the role as deputy first minister, and they have a lot of good publicity on their trip with the first minister from good publicity on their trip with the first ministerfrom sinn fein to the first ministerfrom sinn fein to the usa over st patrick's day. there is the potential electoral challenge that will come in the forthcoming westminster election. then i have this extra scandal. it may be that those who were concerned about some of the compromises that were made in relation to that deal, the critics thought it's the watered—down northern ireland's british identity too much, this might embolden them. what does it mean for the balance between unionism and nationalism in northern ireland, and looking at elections there for the role of the alliance party, the cross community party, which has really been gaining strength in recent elections in northern ireland?— strength in recent elections in northern irelan

the deputy first minister emma little—pengelly, she herself is a dup representative.t party. they are northern ireland's largest unionist party, the detail is in the name. they are concentrating their focus on maintaining northern ireland's place in the union of the united kingdom. they are northern ireland's biggest unionist party, in the last assembly election they received approximately under one quarter of the total electoral votes. a significant force in northern irish politics. jeffrey donaldson, who resigned yesterday, was seen if you like as the de facto leader of unison in northern ireland. emma little—pengelly today as deputy first minister issued a statement on social media. what was interesting was she had focused in part of her statement, saying she is determined to ensure political stability in the days ahead. political stability is an important expression, and certainly the tone of that statement today certainly chimes with what the first minister michelle 0'neill was saying yesterday, in terms of the theme for the need of political stability here becau

northern ireland's deputy first minister, emma little pengelly, has said she's determined to provide of her party leader yesterday. sirjeffrey donaldson stood down from his position from the democratic unionists after being accused of rape and historical sexual offences. he says he'll strenuously contest the charges. 0ur correspondent dan johnson has more. people are trying to get their heads around what it may all mean for politics here. we had a statement in the last couple of hours from emma little pengelly, deputy first minister here at stormont in the power—sharing executive. she represents the party that sirjeffrey donaldson was the leader of until yesterday, indeed she was nominated to herjob just last month by him as leader of the party. she says in her statement, i know many people are deeply shocked and devastated by this news. she says, the victims must always have the best opportunity for justice. this must be fully respected and supported. she says her thoughts are with those suffering who have put their faith in the criminaljustice system, and that that process must be

�*sinn fein, emma michelle o'neill of sinn fein, emma little pengelly, unionist member of the assemblyhe said that that there was conditional on the uk reassuring unionists on northern ireland's links to britain. of course, that suspension had been related to the post—brexit checks on goods from britain entering northern ireland. let's get you right up to date with this breaking piece of news with jennifer date with this breaking piece of news withjennifer o'leary, who joins me from belfast. what more can you tell us at this stage? you're right, it certainly is a major breaking news from northern ireland of seismic political consequences, some might say, but just to reiterate what has happened, sirjeffrey donaldson, the leader of the democratic unionist party, that is the biggest unionist party in northern ireland, has been charged with historical sexual offences and has stepped back as dup leader. a57—year—old woman, we can also say, has also been with aiding and abetting in connection with those alleged offences. they were both arrested yesterday morning by psni detectives and questi

fein deputy leader michelle 0'neill became the first nationalist first minister with emma little—pengellyuty first minister. both have vowed to continue their positive partnership despite their contrasting political backgrounds. they were also here at the capitol at a lunch hosted by speakerjohnson and attended by the president to mark st patrick's day. us special envoy to northern ireland joe kennedy iii was also in attendence at that gathering and i spoke to him earlier about the us—ireland relations and the recent return to stormont. us special envoyjoe kennedy to northern ireland, thank you forjoining us. we might begin by looking at the special relationship between the united states and northern ireland. so many engagements over this weekend between the president, the taoiseach and ministers. what is special about the relationship? thank you for the opportunity. the united states has no better friend in the world than the people of the island of ireland and the united kingdom. this is our origin story. this is were so many people from the united states, where our families emigrated f

we heard from the deputy first minister emma little—pengelly who said she's determined to ensure politicalknow was in an internal message sent to dup members by the interim leader gavin robinson. political leaders in northern ireland, across the spectrum, really at pains today to show, to emphasise they are singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to devolved government in northern ireland — for now at least. but the dup is in crisis. there is no doubt about that. the management will get its first big test in just over a week, when stormont returns from easter recess. donald trump has been criticised byjoe biden�*s campaign team for sharing a video on social media featuring a truck bearing the image of the us president with his hands and feet tied together. a trump spokesman said it was just a picture on the vehicle's tailgate, filmed as it travelled down the highway. but a biden election campaign spokesman accused mr trump of inciting political violence. 0ur news reporter in washington, will vernon, has more. this was a video that donald trump posted on his truth social channel yest

we had a statement on the last couple of hours from emma little pengelly, deputy first minister herehe leader of until yesterday, indeed she was nominated to herjob just last month by him as leader of the party. she says in her statement, i know many people are deeply shocked and devastated by this news. she says, the victims must always have the best opportunity forjustice. this must be fully respected and supported. she says her thoughts are with those suffering who have put their faith in the criminaljustice system, and that that process must be protected. she says she wants to reassure people that she is determined to do all she can to provide stability, working closely with the new party's interim leader. we have also had a statement from the police service in northern ireland which has called on people not to speak later about this case on social media, and not to stray into the realms of identifying the alleged victims who have come forward to police in this case. they of course have anonymity, their identities are protected, because of the sexual nature of these allegations.

been back up and running, been an extremely positive move with michelle o�*neill and emma little—pengellyhock. but i think actually one where with the election of gavin robinson as interim leader today by in a statement the dup have just made real continuity on the position of that was taken by party officers and the dup to return to power—sharing. so i don�*t, i�*m not concerned in any way that this. shocking news today will lead to any change in the momentum behind power sharing. and he has played in this political leadership role an absolutely critical part over the past few months. he led the negotiations with the government and he worked with his own party to move them from their position of staying out of the executive on the basis that they didn�*t agree with the northern ireland protocol. julian smith talking to the bbc. let�*s speak to newspaper columnist and political commentator based in belfast, alex kane. we will talk about the political implications in a moment, perhaps, but certainly your headlined thoughts to this news today? i think like everyone _ thoughts to this news t

we heard some the deputy first minister emma little—pengelly who said she is determined to ensure political in an internal message sent to dup members by the interim leader gavin robinson. political leaders in northern ireland, across the spectrum, really at pains today to show, to emphasise they are singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to devolved government in northern ireland, for now at least. but the dup is in crisis. there is no doubt about that. the management will get its first big test in just over a week, when stormont returns from easter recess. unheard recordings of the american soul singer marvin gaye — who died a0 years ago — have been found in belgium. the musician worked in 0stend in the 1980s. now a lawyer representing the people he lived with says they have a huge collection of his belongings, including costumes and audio cassettes, which could be released if agreement can be reached with his children. kevin connolly reports. # ..to make me blue. # with some other guy that you knew before... marvin gaye, seen here in the legendary performance at montreux, made so

two—year suspension of that assembly to first minister now michelle o'neill of sinn fein, emma little pengellyng unionists on northern ireland's links to britain. of course, that suspension had been related to the post—brexit checks on goods from britain entering northern ireland. let's get you right up to date with this breaking piece of news with jennifer date with this breaking piece of news withjennifer o'leary, who joins me from belfast. what more can you tell us at this stage? you're right, it certainly is a major breaking news from northern ireland of seismic political consequences, some might say, but just to reiterate what has happened, sirjeffrey donaldson, the leader of the democratic unionist party, that is the biggest unionist party in northern ireland, has been charged with historical sexual

former mp emma little—pengelly , she's little—pengelly, she's emphasised that she wants things to continuel, has said the same . but o'neill, has said the same. but importantly, perhaps most importantly, perhaps most importantly, sammy wilson , who importantly, sammy wilson, who is an mp who's an open critic of the deal , and is an mp who's an open critic of the deal, and was really, very much at odds with sir jeffrey in sir jeffrey's claim that the irish sea border had gone. a claim that has somewhat unravelled in recent weeks. he has emphasised that he doesn't want a leadership challenge this side of a general election or anything like that. so, it had already been the case, that sir jeffrey had had, remarkably little dissent to the steel, there were other politicians like sammy wilson who were criticising it, but they were emphasising their loyalty to the leadership. in when i was leadership. in fact, when i was last program , i was last on this program, i was expressing concern at unionists, seeming acquiesce in seeming to acquiesce in everything. i don't think, given the shock, i mean