Alliance MLA asked to ‘withdraw’ from Assembly chamber

An Alliance Party MLA was ejected from the Northern Ireland Assembly chamber on Tuesday after clashing with the deputy speaker.

Steve Aiken asked Nuala McAllister to apologise after she called him “patronising”, but she refused and left the chamber shortly afterwards.

McAllister was asked to withdraw from assembly business for the remainder of the day, however, it is understood that she may return to the chamber on Monday.

It follows a clash between McAllister and the DUP Education Minister Paul Givan, who she accused of making “misogynistic comments ” toward her Alliance party colleague Michelle Guy.

She challenged Givan during a debate on educational standards.

He replied: “If the member is going to challenge me on what I do for pupil welfare, where was the concern for pupil welfare when it came to keeping them out of schools? (during Covid) It wasn’t there.

“So, the member, if she wishes to continue to challenge me, and she’s entitled to challenge me, but I love the kind of ‘pity me’ approach that the member takes.”

McAllister tried to interject to make a point of order before the deputy speaker said: “Just a second, just a second, just a second”.

Making a point of order, Nuala McAllister asked: “Mr Speaker, is it appropriate for the minister to make what amounts to misogynistic comments in this chamber?”

“It is an absolute disgrace that he just distracts, and attacks doesn’t bother us, but people see through it, and it is an absolute disgrace that a minister would act like that,” she added.

Givan replied: “That is not remotely the case.”

The Speaker Edwin Poots, who was in the chair, said he would review the minister’s remarks “in the calm of day”.

When McAllister subsequently tried to intervene with another point of order, the deputy speaker, Steve Aiken, asked her to sit down, and she accused him of being “patronising”.

He added: “You have the opportunity to apologise for making that statement right now because I believe that was directed at me.

“There was no patronising I was waiting for the minister to finish in accordance with what he is supposed to do. Would you care to make an apology member?

“Member, you have an opportunity to retract and make an apology for the statement you made, or you can remove yourself from the chamber.”

She replied: “I won’t make an apology because you do need to look at the way you do speak to many of the women in this chamber… so I will not make an apology.

“You can ask me again and my answer won’t change.”

In a statement, an Alliance party spokesperson said: “Everyone, including the speaker and deputies need to treat MLAs with courtesy. Sadly, that convention is being eroded.

“Patronising and shouting at any member is not acceptable, particularly from those responsible for chairing and upholding those standards. The deputy speaker needs to reflect on his conduct.”