25/08/2026
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ **๐๐๐๐** ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ **๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐** ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐.
Alongside quashing the โclearly unlawfulโ determination Mr Justice McAlinden ordered the Commission to pay the full costs of the proceedings.
McAlinden J absolutely dismantled the Commission. Absolutely scathing.
A seismic victory. For the first time, a victory over the Parades Commission. Huge questions will follow about the Commission, its members, and resignations should also occur. They know why.
This Commission cannot survive. The members- and their Secretary (who provided false evidence under oath)- should each do the right thing and resign before they have to be metaphorically dragged out of office. If they do not, then they should be removed by the Secretary of State.
In this case- as set out in the Applicantโs Order 53 statement which is a publicly available document- there has been: false evidence given under oath; clear bias, hostility and predetermination on the part of the Commission exposed; incredibly, reliance in decision making on a divisive online troll who regularly posts hostile material against the Loyal Orders; the legally illiterate application of the ECHR, disproportionately denying the rights of the Orangemen; the abject failure of the Commission to comply with their own guidelines, much less their statutory functions; the active efforts to in bad faith deprive the Loyal Orders of any parade (a Commissioner- Billy Gamble- literally wrote down they wanted to ensure they prevented the Loyal Orders from having any โangleโ to secure the completion of the Drumcree Church parade).
The Portadown District will now be proceeding with a fresh application, and the Commission will have to consider it within a proper legal framework. If that occurs, then there is only one outcome.
I am proud to have been part of the team working on this case, none of which would have succeeded without the collective efforts. Itโs an honour to work with John, Emma and the rest of the team. People do not see the hours and hours of preparation; drafting and strategy sessions that go in to a victory like today.
Winning on Drumcree really means something. Huge credit to the applicant Alan Hynes, and in particular the District Master Nigel Dawson and Deputy Master Alastair Power.
Last but not least, itโs important to recognise the cross party political support (in particular TUV and DUP). But itโs fair on this occasion to single out Carla Lockhart MP who sat through every minute of proceedings, attended every consultation giving hours of her time and answered dozens of email queries and requests for material from the team. She has really represented and stood up for the Portadown District.
The beat of the drum which exists deep inside us all, but for too long in our community has been muffled or drowned out by the siege and demonisation, is now beating louder.
We are only getting started. We are systematically going to go after every aspect of the two-tier system which operates on the basis โunionism must give, and nationalism must getโ. No more.
Enjoy today, but tomorrow, right back at it. This is a staging post; itโs a hugely symbolic victory, but it is not the end. We have many battles to still fight, on many fronts. We are well up for that and ready to go.
The PUL community has got up of its knees
