DUP leader Edwin Poots has announced his new team at Stormont. The changes will not come into immediate effect as Arlene Foster is expected to remain First Minister until after this Friday’s British Irish Council summit in Fermanagh. The ministerial changes will not be official until they are made in the Assembly, where the renomination of First and deputy First Ministers will also occur.
- First Minister – Paul Givan
- Junior Minister – Gary Middleton
- Economy Minister – Paul Frew
- Education Minister – Michelle McIlveen
- (and presumably no change with Agriculture Minister – Edwin Poots)
In other news …
- Gordon Lyons moves from being Junior Minister to vice chair of the Health Committee
- Christopher Stalford remains Principal Deputy Speaker and gains vice-chair of the Standards & Privileges Committee
- Deputy leader Paula Bradley will chair the Communities committee
- Mervyn Storey, once tipped for the First Minister post, will chair the Justice committee
- Pam Cameron – chair of Assembly & Executive Review committee
- Jonathan Buckley – chair of Infrastructure committee
- William Humphrey – chair Public Accounts committee
- Tom Buchanan – vice chair of Procedures committee
- Keith Buchanan – vice chair of Finance committee
- David Hilditch – vice chair of Infrastructure committee
- William Irwin – vice chair of Audit committee
While there are some small nods to different wings of the party, these changes will be largely be seen as rewarding supporters of Poots’ leadership bid.
.@Gary_Middleton is Junior Minister. That’s the reaching out
— Gareth Gordon (@BBCGarethG) June 8, 2021
The soon to be outgoing ministers have not been reticent about commenting on the changes …
It is regrettable however that the new team announced today does not match the rhetoric about healing and bringing the party together.
— Diane Dodds (@DianeDoddsMLA) June 8, 2021
There are some great appointments but disappointed to leave education, and in the balance of appointments it is sad there is little sign of healing or reaching out
— Peter Weir (@DUPpeterweir) June 8, 2021
Alan Meban. Tweets as @alaninbelfast. Blogs about cinema and theatre over at Alan in Belfast. A freelancer who writes about, reports from, live-tweets and live-streams civic, academic and political events and conferences. He delivers social media training/coaching; produces podcasts and radio programmes; is a FactCheckNI director; a member of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland; and a member of the Corrymeela Community.