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The Nolan Show: DUP councillors are fined for going against their party position in the council chamber

Money 2

13/06/2018

DUP councillors are fined for going against their party position in the council chamber

BBC Radio Ulster - The Nolan Show, DUP councillors are fined for going against their party position in the council chamber

Another Nolan exclusive - DUP councillors are fined for going against their party position in the council chamber - is that what you expect in a democracy?

Yesterday we revealed how the DUP fines MLA's and MPs if they say what they think, without having the prior permission of the DUP press office. Today, we have further revelations. The Nolan Show can reveal this morning that the DUP has also threatened local councillors with fines if they express their opinions against the party line in the council chamber. The Democratic Unionist Party has told councillors that they will face £100 fines if they disagree openly with other members of the party. Is this what you expect in a democracy? Or is that a party implementing good discipline? That it actually costs local councillors money if they want to speak openly? And if they cannot afford it, Arlene Foster and her party are essentially muzzling some councillors from speaking freely. These people spoke to us on the condition of anonymity, but we do have a number of sources for this story. Stephen got reaction from Newsletter political editor Sam McBride, commentator Malachi O'Doherty and former Tony Blair spin doctor Lance Price.
 
Also on the programme, Theresa May has survived to fight another day after escaping a Commons defeat on Brexit yesterday. But at what price? And who now has the upper hand - the hardline Brexiteers or the pro-Remain rebels? It was a day of high drama and last minute deal-making, with Remainers claiming the Prime Minister has given them a veto on a so-called "no deal Brexit". But pro-Leave MPs insist that's not the case and that the government's hands will not be tied by Parliament. The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg tweeted: "One of the Tory rebels told me earlier - 'if she f**ks us, she's f**ked'". Stephen spoke to the SDLP's Claire Hanna and the Conservative MP, Nigel Evans.

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