Doug Beattie under fire for 'whine like a girl' remarks

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie has been criticised after accusing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of wanting to "scream, whinge and whine like a girl from the sidelines".

Mr Beattie made his comments during a recall of the Northern Ireland Assembly on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, Mr Beattie apologised for a number of historical tweets as well as for a joke he tweeted about the wife of DUP assembly member Edwin Poots.

Mr Beattie apologised for his remarks in the Stormont chamber but Mr Poots told him that "whenever you are a repeat offender, repeat apologies don't cut it".

He went on to label Mr Beattie "a disgrace to unionism".

Alliance member Sorcha Eastwood said the comments fell short of the standard of language that assembly members should use, adding that it was unparliamentary and that "women do belong in this chamber".

7 December 2022

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