James Lawlor: It’s been a long road, but with covenant success we now have equality for our Armed Forces community

​This journey started in 2024 and eventually resulted in me losing the final vote by one at full council. What was not factored in, was that six months later I was allowed to bring the motion back to the standards and business committee.

This committee has powers of adoption, and its present make-up has a majority of councillors who are supportive of the Armed Forces Covenant. The ability to adopt motion means that there is no requirement for the motion to go to full council or any other committee, and it is instead adopted straight into council policy.

I brought the motion committing the council to sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant back to standards and business in March 2026 and won a vote 10-9 with one abstention. Republicans knew that they had no recourse through the call-in process so went back to the drawing board.

They then came up with a motion to rescind the decision to adopt the covenant on the grounds that there was a financial cost attached to signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant. There is no financial cost to signing up the principle that no veteran or member of the Armed Forces should be disadvantaged because of their service.

This position is particularly ironic given their desire to ram through an Irish language strategy with no costings attached whatsoever. A strategy which would cost our council millions to enforce.

Through three separate votes at committee on Tuesday evening, they tried to thwart the council signing up to the covenant. They were defeated on all three votes, 10-9.

Unlike the outrageous 15% threshold for dual language signage which is pushed by the very same parties who oppose the covenant, I have now successfully won five democratic votes at council on my motions.

My desire has always been to provide recognition to our Armed Forces community in the city of Belfast, recognising that they exist, and providing the reassurance that they will not be disadvantaged because of that service when accessing council facilities and services.

I want to ensure that there is a normalisation in terms of our Armed Forces in Belfast. That is why I assisted the Irish Guards with their 125th anniversary celebrations in Belfast. I wanted British troops parading to the cenotaph and in City Hall for that special occasion. That is exactly what happened.

I understand the difficulties certain communities in Belfast have with our Armed Forces, due to the history of our nation. However, in no way should those issues, or indeed the narrow sectarian agenda of certain political parties, stand in the way of the rest of us doing what is right. Signing up to the covenant is right for the council.

The majority of our society wish to embrace normalisation of our Armed Forces in Northern Ireland. A fantastic example of this occurred on Saturday past, where the RAF stepped in to deliver the Gibson Cup to Inver Park after Larne FC’s Irish league success. Something which, years ago, would not have even been possible. The RAF are to be commended for helping NIFL in the delivery of the trophy via helicopter in what was an immensely positive spectacle.

My colleagues and I will continue to support our Armed Forces, in the face of any adversity.

Our communities minister, Gordon Lyons MLA, has also taken steps to provide support for our Armed Forces, establishing a dedicated advice service through DfC to support veterans and service personnel through the everyday challenges they face.

The road has been long, but the goal was always simple. Equality and recognition for our Armed Forces community in Belfast and beyond.

This is what we have achieved.

l Ald James Lawlor, DUP, veterans champion, Belfast City Council