Northern Ireland secretary says he will ban Drumcree parade

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant said he is to ban the Drumcree parade.

The parade has led to a stand-off between Orangemen and nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road in Portadown lasting almost two weeks.

Sir Chris said he had been "trying to find a solution to that stand-off" having heard "both sides of the argument", but "unfortunately, we've not been able to do that".

The Parades Commission ruled two weeks ago that the march could pass along the Garvaghy Road with restrictions in place.

But the parade, from Drumcree Church into Portadown, did not happen because of a large protest on the road.

Sinn Féin leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill have said there is an "enormous sense of relief" on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown after the announcement that the Parades Commission determination to allow the Drumcree parade has been overturned.

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Sir Chris said in a statement: "I have spent the last fortnight trying to get a mutually acceptable agreement between the two sides, hosting several rounds of negotiations at Hillsborough Castle last week and maintaining frequent contact with both sides since then.

"Unfortunately it has not been possible to achieve a local resolution. I have therefore been intensively considering all options for bringing this dispute to an end."

He added: "Consequently, and in the interests of wider public interest and safety, I've come to the conclusion that the circumstances under which that decision was made have now changed considerably.

"As a result, the procession cannot go ahead as it was determined. I have not taken this decision lightly."

Asked if he was worried he had surrendered to lawlessness and rewarded those who blocked the road in Portadown, Sir Chris said: "I warmly commend everybody at the Portadown Lodge for the way that they've co-operated with the police over the last fortnight and for that matter cooperated with me and spoken very openly about their concerns and the way they would like to be able to accommodate others."

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Sir Chris needs to "explain what his Government intends to do to restore confidence in the rule of law".

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