UK government department handling Northern Ireland affairs
Northern Ireland faces a volatile weekend after the High Court allows a Protestant Drumcree procession to proceed through Garvaghy Road under strict limits. Protests fill Portadown as authorities seek calm while the Parades Commission’s determination is implemented amid legal challenges.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has appointed Lindy Cameron as its permanent secretary. She has led international diplomacy and development roles and is moving to steer the department through restructuring and budgetary pressures. The appointment comes as other top civil-service moves reshape Whitehall.