PROMINENT loyalist Winston 'Winkie' Irvine has been arrested by police investigating a hoax bomb alert targeting Irish government minister Simon Coveney. A leading member of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), an umbrella group which represents the UVF, UDA and Red Hand.
Jimmy Birch
The summit came amid growing unease in loyalist communities about the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland, and concerns about empty supermarket shelves and lorries stuck at shipping ports.
A UVF source said: The UVF and UDA leaderships have to carry the can for this in loyalist communities, the DUP as well. They all advocated for Brexit and voted to leave the EU. They told people the union was safe and that Brexit secured Northern Ireland s position within the UK. Now they are running to the NIO complaining about what they have voted for. They were warned about the threat of a customs border dividing Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK, but dismissed it, which was a big mistake to make.