Your weekend long read from Sam McBride, News Letter political editor.

Dec 5, 2020

Good evening

Your weekend long reads from the News Letter.

Sam McBride writes about Billy Hutchinson's memoirs and his involvement in the murder of two Catholics on their way to work in a sectarian attack in 1974.

And Ben Lowry talks about the Archbishop of Canterbury's involvement in the thorny issue of Northern Ireland’s legacy.

Have a good weekend

Michael Cousins

Deputy digital editor


	Inside the self-deception an unrepentant killer needs to stay sane – but at what price? Ex-UVF man Billy Hutchinson admits: My life is full of contradictions

	Consider these facts: Billy Hutchinson murdered two Catholics on their way to work in a sectarian attack in 1974, spent 15 years in jail, consistently backed the peace process, became the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, chose a Catholic writer and a Kildare publisher for his memoir, would accept a vote for Irish unity – and still justifies his murders.

Unionist lord Ken Maginnis ‘not showing proper contrition’ after refusing ‘behaviour training’ course: SNP MP

A Scottish Nationalist MP has pledged to contact the House of Lords’ Standards Committee because Lord Maginnis has refused to undergo “behaviour training”.

Irish state involved in secret legacy talks ‘as partners of UK’

The Irish government has admitted to being party to the hidden talks about how to deal with the unsolved issues from the Troubles, convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Sam McBride: Farcically, Boris Johnson’s government is denying there will be an Irish Sea Border – even as it builds it with days to go

We are about to live through the implications of what happens when a prime minister misleads the public on an issue of profound societal significance and other parts of government desperately attempt to rectify the damage caused by that message.

US politician silent as News Letter questions him on claim ‘government ran UVF and UDA’

An American politician who claims both the UDA and UVF were run by the government has declined to respond to the News Letter when challenged over the issue.



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