DUP opposed extent of Northern Ireland’s new Covid-1 9 restrictions says Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots

Dear reader
Divisions in the Stormont Executive around some of the coronavirus restrictions announced earlier this week were laid bare on Friday.
DUP minister Edwin Poots said his party opposed several of the new restrictions but added that the DUP were essentially outnumbered by other parties when it came to imposing measures that will see the hospitality sector closed for four weeks and schools for two.
In a dramatic intervention on BBC’s Talkback, Mr Poots claimed some of his colleagues at the executive “don’t seem to care” that people would lose their jobs as a result of what he portrayed as excessive steps.
Mr Poots has since attracted criticism from the other political parties who sit on the Executive, with Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood both slamming his comments.
The row broke out as Northern Ireland recorded yet another day of record Covid-19 infections, with another 1,299 people recording positive tests in the last 24 hours.
It all represents another sobering day of news as the strict new coronavirus restrictions begin to take effect, with schools to close for a fortnight.
Stay safe and I hope you can enjoy your weekend
Alistair Bushe
Editor

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