Belfast Sinn Fein says Queen’s upcoming 70-year jubilee celebrations ‘must be equality screened’

Belfast councillor Ciaran Beattie has asked for proposed celebrations for the monarch’s 70 years on the throne, as well as proposed centenary celebrations for the Ulster Memorial Tower in France, to be screened to see if they are likely to have an impact on equality of opportunity, with reports to be made public by the council.

At the recent meeting of the council’s strategic policy and resources committee, two motions were tabled by the DUP.

The first stated: “This council acknowledges the unique achievement of Her Majesty the Queen as our longest serving monarch in history ... and agrees to organise in 2022 a programme of events to celebrate her platinum jubilee, including a funding programme for events organised by local communities across the city, as permitted by the Covid restrictions at that time.”

The second stated: “This council notes that this November marks the centenary of the opening of the Ulster Memorial Tower, on 19th November 1921, near Thiepval in France, as a lasting tribute to the men of Ulster who served and who gave their lives during the First World War.

“Its position, opposite Thiepval Wood, is a particular reminder of the officers and men of the 36th (Ulster) Division who fell during the Battle of the Somme ... This council notes the various historic connections between the Ulster Memorial Tower and Belfast City Council and agrees to include recognition of this connection in our centenary programme this year.”

The council uses an equality impact assessment (EQIA) to do a “thorough and systematic analysis” of each of its policies – making sure it “promotes equality”. It involves nine catagories – religious belief, political opinion, racial groups, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, and dependency.

Mr Beattie said: “I think it is important we do see equality screening before reports come to us. We have a decade of centenaries, and the central principle to that is balance, and when we keep having events coming in from the side, that creates an imbalance.

“These events should go for a discussion to party group leaders in the context of the principles of the decade of centenaries. We are happy enough to talk to the other parties in relation to this.”

DUP Alderman Brian Kingston, who forwarded the Ulster Memorial Tower motion, said: “Whilst her majesty’s reign has been remarkable, it’s not a centenary yet, so I don’t think we can include it in our decade of centenaries programme. But we look forward to a report coming back, and we look forward to working with other parties to discuss how we mark this remarkable occasion.”

Elected representatives agreed to officer reports on how both commemorations would be facilitated, resourced and managed. Both will be screened.

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