Green Party leader Steven Agnew told the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme that contentious issues should be taken away from Stormont’s political parties and opened up to a “citizens’ assembly”. The public have voted for parties, not on specific issues, he said. Mr Agnew continued: “I think we are beyond the point of parties representing the people, they are representing their own vested interests.” Northern Slant Deputy Editor, Jamie Pow explored this topic recently in his blog: If politicians fail to govern, send in the citizens instead.

SDLP MLA Justin McNulty claimed there has been too much ambiguity in Sinn Féin’s statements that “no one should be marginalised” for joining the PSNI, an accusation rejected by Sinn Féin’s policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly. In a Sunday Independent interview, former PSNI officer Peader Heffron, who was seriously injured by a dissident republican bomb, said he was hurt by the reaction he received from his former GAA club when he joined the police. Mr McNulty said: “Young Irishmen and woman who join the Garda are Irish police. Young Irishmen and women who join the PSNI are Irish police.”

Home Secretary, Amber Rudd called for MPs guilty of harassment or abuse to face potential dismissal from parliament. Defence secretary, Michael Fallon resigned amid claims of inappropriate behaviour; Prime Minister Theresa May’s deputy, Damien Green and junior trade minister Mark Garnier are among numerous Conservative Party MPs being investigated by the Cabinet Office. Mrs May promoted her chief whip, Gavin Williamson, to replace Mr Fallon. Numerous Labour Patty MPs have also had to respond to accusations; Shadow chancellor John McDonnell called for party leaders to agree new procedures on addressing harassment.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the UK was misled over former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s access to weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). In an extract from his upcoming memoir, Mr Brown said US intelligence, which challenged the extent of Iraq’s WMD arsenal, was not shared with the UK before it joined the war. “We were not just misinformed, but misled,” he said. Only after leaving office, he added, did he become aware of the “crucial” paper.

Catalonia’s sacked leader Carles Puigdemont and four former advisers turned themselves in to Belgian police. They fled Spain after Madrid imposed direct rule on Catalonia following an independence referendum. He has said he will not return to Spain unless he is guaranteed a fair trial. All five individuals are wanted on charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds, disobedience and breach of trust following the referendum which a Spanish court deemed unconstitutional.


Also published on Medium.