Poots and Wells miss out as DUP confirms Diane Forsythe for South Down

A personal message from News Letter editor Ben Lowry

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Subscribe              I N S I D E R           Jan 29, 2022             Ben Lowry Editor January is almost out already. We are approaching both the coldest month of winter, and yet also the spring. But politics is not in hibernation. Our breaking story last night, on our front page and with several stories on the inside pages and online, is Edwin Poots and Jim Wells both losing out to Diane Forsythe in their bid to be DUP Stormont candidate in South Down https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/poots-and-wells-miss-out-as-dup-confirms-diane-forsythe-for-south-down-3546918 Mr Poots is also in the news over the Irish Sea border, and in these comments to the News Letter insists the DUP is standing firm against it, and not merely talking tough https://www.newsletter.co.uk/business/poots-pledge-we-are-now-in-the-end-game-of-stopping-irish-sea-border-checks-i-will-not-let-this-slip-away-3546822 Mr Poots was on our front page on Monday past, and prominent in our news coverage all week, over yet another story, the Doug Beattie crude tweet joke. Here, Henry McDonald urges people not to lose perspective about the relatively minor scale of online wrongdoing compared to physical violence https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/henry-mcdonald-if-we-can-be-generous-towards-politicians-who-have-killed-we-can-be-generous-towards-those-who-have-sent-bad-tweets-3547007 And this is my analysis of last night's South Down DUP selection, and the current play of unionism https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/ben-lowry-dup-seems-to-be-staking-out-the-centre-of-unionism-3546987 Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. It is sobering for the privileged generation to which I belong (in my case born weeks before the horrific killings in Londonderry) to think how much worse Northern Ireland was back then. David Cameron here recalls his spontaneous apology after the Bloody Sunday inquiry https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/crime/cameron-talks-of-huge-responsibility-in-delivering-bloody-sunday-apology-to-families-3546979 Meanwhile, unionist politicians are among those highlighting the other killings that happened just before that tragic day in the Northwest on January 30 1972 https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/letters/remembering-50-years-since-the-murder-of-two-ruc-officers-in-londonderry-3545354 The director of Belfast, Sir Ken Branagh, reflects on the current hard won peace in NI in this interview today from our weekend section https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/people/sir-kenneth-branagh-the-peace-which-has-to-be-won-every-day-is-hard-earned-3546501 And George Jones talks here about being a Christian (the main interview with him will be in Monday's paper) https://www.newsletter.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/george-jones-im-proud-to-be-a-christian-but-i-wont-tell-others-how-to-live-their-lives-3546204 I talked about the season at the top of this mail. Farming Life have this story on how to make the most of the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend https://www.farminglife.com/country-and-farming/are-you-taking-part-in-the-big-garden-birdwatch-this-weekend-heres-how-to-make-the-most-of-it-3545457 Farming Life also has a report on Carla Lockhart MP attacking red diesel rule changes that put charity runs at risk https://www.farminglife.com/country-and-farming/putting-charity-tractor-runs-at-risk-by-changing-red-diesel-rules-is-scandalous-3543932 And the much-loved John Deere raises £40,500 for deserving causes https://www.farminglife.com/country-and-farming/much-loved-john-deere-raises-ps40500-for-very-deserving-causes-3544829 In sport, there is this report on Paul Doolin on his first week as Portadown boss https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/northern-ireland/messages-miles-and-memories-paul-doolin-on-his-first-week-as-portadown-boss-3546980 And Kyle White a statue in memory of the Ulster road racing star William Dunlop will be unveiled next month https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/william-dunlop-memorial-statue-set-to-be-unveiled-in-ballymoney-3544363 As ever there is too much to say but I don't want these mails to turninto War and Peace. Go and enjoy our 136 page bumper edition in the shops until tomorrowor delve through all the stories online. Thank you for your continued interest in The News Letter. If we can interest you, there's huge value in a subscription to The News Letter, through which you can secure unfettered access to our news, sport, opinion and lifestyle journalism, all produced for you here by our team across Northern Ireland. Ben Lowry Editor             Cameron talks of 'huge responsibility' in delivering Bloody Sunday apology to families   Read more +     'No prospect' of Jim Wells joining TUV after deselection in South Down   Read more +           Poots and Wells miss out as DUP confirms Diane Forsythe for South Down                     Read more +     Subscribe today             Full access   Subscribe for unlimited access to all our articles, 70% fewer ads, daily puzzles and our desktop & mobile app. From just £1 . 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