TUV Belfast Branch Advice Service

22/09/2026

🚔 Exciting Opportunity with the PSNI! 🚔

Do you know a young person aged 16-30 who is currently not in education, employment or training (NEET) and is interested in a rewarding career with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)?

Whether they aspire to become a police officer or are interested in the many specialist and support roles within the organisation, The King's Trust can help them take the first step towards an exciting future. Following the success of previous programmes, The Kings Trust are launching their next Get Started with the PSNI programme, beginning with a Taster Day on 19 October 2026.

⚠️ Places are expected to fill quickly, so early applications are strongly encouraged.

What can participants expect?

From 2 - 6 November 2026, participants will:

✅ Gain a unique behind-the-scenes insight into different areas of policing
✅ Meet PSNI professionals and learn about their roles
✅ Explore specialist departments such as forensics, crime investigation and dog handling
✅ Discover the wide range of career pathways available, including non-uniformed and support roles
✅ Receive guidance, mentoring and support to help them plan their next steps

This is an excellent opportunity for young people to build confidence, develop employability skills and gain valuable knowledge about careers within the PSNI.

Important Information

Applicants will undergo an initial vetting process by the PSNI to determine suitability for participation in the programme. Additional and more comprehensive checks would be required if a participant later chooses to apply for a position within the PSNI.
Find Out More To learn more about eligibility requirements for joining the PSNI, please visit: www.joinpsni.co.uk/police-officer/can-i-join

If you require more information/assistance contact: [email protected]; giving contact details and date of birth.

22/09/2026

Frank McCoubrey's selection as the DUP's West Belfast Assembly candidate came as no surprise, but what was more interesting was his appeal, reported by Suzanne Breen, for TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell not to stand against him, which raises the fairly obvious question of why he is so concerned about having another unionist in the race.

West Belfast isn't unique in this respect. The DUP already holds the sole unionist representation in Foyle, West Tyrone, Mid Ulster and Newry & Armagh, yet we don't hear the same demands for other unionists to clear the field in those constituencies.

Nor does the West Belfast arithmetic justify the nervousness. The combined DUP, TUV and UUP vote at the 2024 Westminster election was around 17%, which, if repeated at an Assembly election, would be more than a quota. With good transfers between unionist candidates, there is every prospect of electing a unionist with votes to spare.

Indeed, I would argue that Julie Middleton faces a tougher battle to retain the DUP's position in Foyle than Frank McCoubrey, or another unionist candidate, faces in West Belfast, yet there doesn't appear to be the same clamour for everybody else to clear the field for her. So why should West Belfast be treated differently, and why is Frank particularly concerned about Ron McDowell?

I suspect ego has something to do with it, because politics attracts strong personalities and few people who have spent years establishing themselves in their own patch particularly relish somebody else coming close. Another unionist candidate doesn't necessarily prevent unionist representation, but what it does prevent is Frank having virtually the entire unionist electorate to himself. Instead of sailing towards a quota, he might have to compete for first preferences and then depend upon transfers later in the count.

That gets to what I think is the weakness in Frank's approach. He doesn't appear confident enough simply to sell himself as the best candidate on ability, record and ideas, but instead appears to be selling himself as the dominant candidate, the established figure around whom everybody else should fall into line.

That is also where I think the argument becomes manipulative, because rather than simply persuading voters that he is a better candidate than Ron McDowell, it risks changing the question in their minds from, "Which candidate do I prefer?" to, "Will I damage unionism if I don't vote for Frank?" Instead of asking voters to judge him entirely on his merits, it introduces the fear that choosing somebody else could have consequences for unionist representation.

That is quite a powerful seed to plant in the minds of voters, particularly when STV allows them to rank Frank, Ron and any other unionist candidates in whatever order they choose. A first preference for another unionist doesn't prevent somebody transferring to Frank afterwards, just as a Frank voter can transfer to another unionist if Frank is eliminated or has a surplus.

It also leaves another question unanswered. If unionist competition is genuinely the problem, why single out the TUV and Ron McDowell rather than make precisely the same appeal to every other unionist party that might contest West Belfast?

In some respects, Frank's argument feels like a diet version of Danny Kennedy's remarks, in which the great electoral offence appears to be that another political party has the audacity to stand, compete and perhaps even win. Elections don't exist to protect established politicians from competition, and unionism does not own a seat simply by virtue of being unionism.

Frank should have enough confidence in his own abilities and record to make the case for himself without making voters fearful of the consequences of choosing somebody else. Let Frank make his case, let other unionists make theirs, let unionist voters choose whichever candidate they actually prefer and then transfer accordingly, because ultimately it should be the electorate that decides.

15/09/2026

11/09/2026

11/09/2026

# In Memory: The 67 British Victims of September 11, 2001 (25 years on)

9/11 is rightly remembered as an American tragedy and one of the defining terrorist attacks of the modern age, carried out by evil men in the name of a warped ideology. But its human cost reached far beyond the United States: victims came from at least seventy:seven countries, and no country outside America lost more than the United Kingdom, with sixty:seven British nationals killed.

Listed below are their names and brief details.

1. Sarah Ali, 35: From Balham, south:west London. Attending a Risk Waters communications workshop on the 106th floor, North Tower.

2. Andrew Joseph Bailey, 29: From Birmingham. Security supervisor for Marsh & McLennan, 93rd floor, North Tower. Married with an eight:year:old daughter.

3. Michele Beale, 37: A director with London:based Risk Waters, attending a conference at the World Trade Center.

4. Jane Beatty: Remembered by family through online tributes.

5. Oliver Bennett, 29: A journalist with Risk Waters publishers.

6. Graham Berkeley, 37: An IT consultant whose parents lived in Shrewsbury. On United Airlines Flight 175, which struck the South Tower.

7. Paul Gary Bristow, 27: A publisher for Risk Waters, at a seminar in Windows on the World, 106th floor, North Tower.

8. Geoffrey Thomas Campbell, 31: A Reuters employee from Great Billing, Northamptonshire, due to attend a Risk Waters conference.

9. Jeremy Mark Carrington, 34: Worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, 105th floor, North Tower. Raised in Essex, moved to New York 12 years earlier; survived the 1993 WTC bombing.

10. Suria Clarke, 30: Working in the towers.

11. Neil James Cudmore, 38: Risk Waters marketing/advertising director. Engaged to colleague and fellow victim Dinah Webster. Died with her at the Windows on the World conference, North Tower.

12. Michael Joseph Cunningham, 39: Originally from Ilford, Essex. A broker for Eurobrokers, South Tower. His son Liam was 13 days old.

13. Gavin Anthony Cushny, 48: From the Isle of Lewis. Computer consultant for Cantor Fitzgerald, 104th floor, North Tower.

14. Caleb Arron Dack: Yorkshire:born, raised in Canada. Worked for an e:commerce consultancy; died at a trade show in Windows on the World.

15. Anthony Richard Dawson: From Southampton, Thales Contact Solutions. Attending a convention when the second plane struck.

16. Calvin Dawson: Raised in the British Virgin Islands. Computer network administrator for Euro Brokers, South Tower.

17. Kevin Dennis, 43: A stockbroker from St John's Wood, north London, working for Cantor Fitzgerald, 101st floor, North Tower.

18. Melanie Louise Devere, 30: A Risk Waters publishing assistant, grew up in Hayling Island, Hampshire.

19. Richard Anthony Dunstan: A vice:president of AON Corporation, 99th floor, South Tower.

20. Michael Egan, 51: Hull:born vice president of AON, believed to have died helping colleagues escape the South Tower.

21. Christine Egan, 55: A nurse working in Canada, visiting her brother Michael's office on holiday.

22. Robert Eaton, 37: A Cantor Fitzgerald broker, 105th floor, North Tower.

23. Godwin Forde, 38: A security guard for Morgan Stanley, 42nd floor, South Tower.

24. Christopher Forsythe: Lived in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. A foreign exchange broker for Cantor Fitzgerald.

25. Boyd Gatton: British citizen, grew up in Bermuda before moving to New Jersey. Worked in the South Tower.

26. Andrew Clive Gilbert: Originally from Ipswich. Worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, North Tower.

27. Timothy Paul Gilbert: Brother of Andrew, also Cantor Fitzgerald, North Tower.

28. Paul Gilbey: From Southend:on:Sea. A money trader with Eurobrokers, 84th floor, South Tower. Died helping colleague Janice Brooks into a lift during her escape.

29. Ronald Lawrence Gilligan, 43: From Kirkby, Merseyside. Cantor Fitzgerald, 103rd floor, North Tower.

30. Robert Halligan: An insurance broker originally from Kent.

31. Nicholas John, 33: From Swansea. A banker; wife Lucy, daughters Ella and Rachel.

32. Christopher Jones, 53: A partner in Cantor Fitzgerald, North Tower.

33. Robin Blair Larkey, 48: From Surrey. An FX broker for Cantor Fitzgerald; left a wife and three young sons.

34. Steven Lawn, 29: From Broadstairs, Kent. Worked on the 91st floor, South Tower.

35. Leon Lebor: Born in London. A janitor for ABM Industries.

36. Michael William Lomax, 37: From Heaton Moor, Stockport. Studied maths at Oxford; 93rd floor, South Tower.

37. Mark Ludvigsen, 32: UK citizen born in Canada. Bond salesman at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, 89th floor, South Tower.

38. Gavin McMahon, 35: Often recorded as Gavin MacMahon. Born in County Durham. Aon Corporation, 105th floor, South Tower.

39. Simon Percy Maddison, 40: Originally from Harlow, Essex. Cantor Fitzgerald, 103rd floor, North Tower.

40. Keithroy Maynard: British:born FDNY firefighter, Engine 33/Ladder 9. A naturalized US citizen and father of a six:year:old son.

41. Colin McArthur, 52: From Glasgow. Senior Vice President of AON Inc.

42. Christina Sheila McNulty, 42: From Peterborough.

43. John Christopher Moran, 38: Born in Kent. Worked for Accenture; at the Risk Waters conference, Windows on the World, 106th floor, North Tower.

44. Stephen Philip Morris, 31: Parents lived near Denbigh, Wales. Worked for a finance company at the WTC.

45. Alex Napier: A trade credit managing director at Aon, South Tower. Husband and father of three.

46. Marcus Neblett: Born in Lambeth. Aon Corporation, 98th floor, South Tower.

47. Christopher Newton:Carter, 52: A banker with Sandler O'Neill; near the top of the South Tower.

48. Avnish Raman Patel, 28: Born in London. Research analyst, Fred Alger Management, 93rd floor, North Tower.

49. Hashmukh Parmar: Listed among the British dead and also remembered in Indian memorial material.

50. David Alan James Rathkey, 47: Born in Eton, Berkshire. Sales executive at IQ Financial Systems, South Tower.

51. Sarah Anne Redheffer, 35: From Enfield. Risk Waters conference operations manager, Windows on the World, 106th floor, North Tower.

52. Rick Rescorla, 62: Born in Hayle, Cornwall. VP security, Morgan Stanley. Credited with saving around 2,700 lives before being killed in the South Tower.

53. Karlie Rogers, 25: Of London. Sussex University graduate, Risk Waters Group.

54. Howard Selwyn, 47: From Leeds. Money broker/VP at Eurobrokers, 84th floor, South Tower.

55. Jane Louise Simpkin, 36: ASCAP music:licensing manager. Passenger on United Airlines Flight 175.

56. Michael James Stewart, 42: Born in Belfast. Carr Futures, 92nd floor, North Tower.

57. Derek Sword, 29: From Monifieth, near Dundee. Investment banker, 89th floor, South Tower.

58. Rhondell Tankard, 31: Educated in Bermuda. Aon broker, seconded from Aon Bermuda two days before the attack.

59. Ian Clive Thompson: Reported age 43, born in Hampshire.

60. Nigel Bruce Thompson, 33: From Sheffield. Cantor Fitzgerald, 105th floor, North Tower.

61. Simon James Turner, 39: Financial publisher for Risk Waters, Windows on the World, 106th floor, North Tower. His son was born two months after his death.

62. Benjamin James Walker, 41: Born in Buckinghamshire. Marsh & McLennan, North Tower.

63. Dinah Webster, 49: From Dorset. Risk Waters advertising department. Engaged to Neil Cudmore; died with him at Windows on the World.

64. Vincent Wells, 22: From Ilford, Essex. Cantor Fitzgerald, 105th floor, North Tower.

65. Kathryn Wolf: 97th floor, North Tower. Husband Charles Wolf became a prominent advocate for 9/11 families.

66. Martin Wortley, 29: From Woolpit, Suffolk. Dealer for Cantor Fitzgerald, North Tower.

67. Neil Robin Wright, 30: Raised in Tilbury, Essex. Options broker for Cantor Fitzgerald.

This account draws on official British lists, press reports, memorial records and family tributes. Some details differ between sources, especially where victims had dual nationality, long:term US residence, or multiple national and family ties.

10/09/2026

Register to vote to take part in elections in the UK. Includes how to get on the electoral register and how to update your address on the register.

09/09/2026

The home heating oil support scheme opened today for households who use oil as main source of heat. You can apply online for your £100 voucher at the link attached.

If you live in Northern Ireland, you may be eligible to apply online for a £100 digital card to help with the cost of home heating oil. Only one pre-paid digital card will be allowed for each eligible residential address.

08/09/2026

Last night I endured three hours of subjective whataboutery as Paula Bradshaw introduced her Private Members’ Bill on the Display of Flags and Emblems.

If passed in its current form, it will create a Parades Commission Mark 2 for policing flags through the Department for Infrastructure.

The National Flag of the United Kingdom should never be limited in where it can be flown based on someone’s opinion of how they feel about it.

Glad to see the Union Flags flying over Stormont today to mark the anniversary of King Charles III’s accession to the throne in 2022. 🇬🇧