The British Conservative Party spokesman on Northern Ireland yesterday called on the Orange Order to follow the Apprentice Boys of Derry and negotiate with local residents' groups to resolve contentious parades. Mr Quentin Davies MP, who carried out a series of private engagements in Derry in Nationalist and Unionist areas, said the Orange Order should "take the risk" and meet with Nationalist residents.
During his visit to Derry, Mr Davies met the city's two bishops as well as the deputy mayor, Ms Mary Hamilton. He visited the interface Fountain and Bishop Street area, the scene of sectarian disturbances in recent weeks, and met community groups in the Bogside. He also met senior police officers.
Mr Davies said the way that the Apprentice Boys had negotiated agreements in recent years with Nationalist residents groups prior to their annual August 12th parade, was "a wonderful example" to the Orange Order. "I very much hope that the Orange Order will follow the example of the Apprentice Boys and agree to negotiate with local residents an amicable solution so that the traditional parades can take place and no-one need feel upset or insulted in any way about that."
Man's death arouses suspicions
A retired fire-fighter, who died in suspicious circumstances on the outskirts of north Belfast had suffered internal injuries, it has emerged, writes Monika Unsworth, in Belfast.
The body of Mr David Spence (47) was found by relatives at his home in King's Drive, Newtownabbey, just before midnight on July 12th. He was last seen around 24 hours earlier leaving a British Legion Club on the Shore Road in Whiteabbey.
Following a post-mortem police said they were treating his death as suspicious. PSNI Det Chief Insp Roy McComb said police were keeping an open mind as to how Mr Spence had met his death.