DUP holds press conference on Sinn Féin relations after O'Neill blocked from economic council
The DUP held a press conference after its deputy first minister blocked First Minister Michelle O'Neill from a National Economic Council meeting amid the Drumcree march dispute.
How it was covered
- BBC News was the only channel found covering it, concentrating on the DUP press conference and the Drumcree-linked block on O'Neill.
- Channel 5, BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News, ITV and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
The DUP held a press conference in Belfast on its relations with Sinn Féin after a meeting of party members that morning, BBC News reported. The broadcaster said the DUP Deputy First Minister had blocked Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill from attending a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
According to BBC News, the meeting was of the National Economic Council and was due to take place in Glasgow on Friday. The broadcaster linked the block to the dispute over the Drumcree march and the ban on the march through the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. O'Neill had been supporting the Catholic community in the area as it protested the march, BBC News said.
BBC News reported that the DUP was considering its next moves. One option was not to attend official engagements with Sinn Féin. The more extreme option was to withdraw from power sharing and Stormont altogether.
During the press conference, a speaker said there had to be accountability, but not at the expense of public sector pay or a budget for basic public services, BBC News reported. The live broadcast then lost its audio. The broadcaster moved to other news while it tried to re-establish the link to Belfast.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| DUP Deputy First Minister prevented Michelle O'Neill from attending a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in a move linked to the Drumcree march dispute and the ban on marching through Garvaghy Road in Portadown. | |
| The DUP was considering stopping official engagements with Sinn Féin or withdrawing from power sharing. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News carried the DUP press conference live from Belfast but lost the audio after an initial speaker. It then set out the political context: the DUP deputy first minister's block on Michelle O'Neill attending the National Economic Council, the link to the Drumcree parade dispute, and the options facing the DUP, including withdrawal from power sharing.
- “The First Minister needs to be held accountable for him.”
- “There has to be accountability, but not at the expense of public sector pay or a budget that is there to provide basic and decent public services for the rest of the people of Northern Ireland.”
- “the DUP Deputy First Minister has blocked the Northern Ireland First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, from attending a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.