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| I cannot overturn Belfast Orange parade decision, says Villiers | I cannot overturn Belfast Orange parade decision, says Villiers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers has insisted she has no powers to overturn a ruling that bans Orangemen and their supporters from returning past a flashpoint in Belfast on 12 July. | |
| The body that adjudicates on controversial parades in the province, the Parades Commission, has ruled that a feeder parade from Ligoniel past the nationalist Ardoyne area cannot return by the same route after the main Twelfth of July celebrations in the city. | The body that adjudicates on controversial parades in the province, the Parades Commission, has ruled that a feeder parade from Ligoniel past the nationalist Ardoyne area cannot return by the same route after the main Twelfth of July celebrations in the city. |
| The secretary of state said she could only intervene if Chief Constable Matt Baggott of the Police Service of Northern Ireland requested her to do so, which appears unlikely at this stage. | |
| The commission decision has come under fire from the Orange Order and loyalists who now have to decide how to react to the ruling. | The commission decision has come under fire from the Orange Order and loyalists who now have to decide how to react to the ruling. |
| Despite calls from unionists for a U-turn on the ruling, Villiers said: "The only power I have to intervene and override a Parades Commission determination is if I receive an application asking me to do that from the chief constable. | Despite calls from unionists for a U-turn on the ruling, Villiers said: "The only power I have to intervene and override a Parades Commission determination is if I receive an application asking me to do that from the chief constable. |
| "He has not sent me such an application and so I don't in this case have any power over the decision. | "He has not sent me such an application and so I don't in this case have any power over the decision. |
| "He [the chief constable] certainly made it clear he had no intention of sending me such an application. The chief constable is very confident about his ability to police the situation." | |
| An extra 630 police from other UK forces have been drafted into Northern Ireland to help the PSNI cope with the security pressures caused by a handful of contentious Orange marches during loyalism's most important day of the year. | An extra 630 police from other UK forces have been drafted into Northern Ireland to help the PSNI cope with the security pressures caused by a handful of contentious Orange marches during loyalism's most important day of the year. |
| On Thursday North Belfast Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds was expelled from the House of Commons while protesting about the commission ruling. He was asked to leave the chamber after accusing the secretary of state of being guilty of "deliberate deception". | On Thursday North Belfast Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds was expelled from the House of Commons while protesting about the commission ruling. He was asked to leave the chamber after accusing the secretary of state of being guilty of "deliberate deception". |
| Over recent years there have been serious clashes at this sectarian flashpoint with dozens of police officers injured while separating the two sides in rioting. | Over recent years there have been serious clashes at this sectarian flashpoint with dozens of police officers injured while separating the two sides in rioting. |
| Last year dissident republicans produced an AK47 from a mob of rioters and directed gunfire at police lines. | Last year dissident republicans produced an AK47 from a mob of rioters and directed gunfire at police lines. |
| Among those who will march along with the Orangemen on their morning parade past Ardoyne will be former EastEnders star Ross Kemp, who is in Belfast making a film about Northern Ireland for Sky 1. | Among those who will march along with the Orangemen on their morning parade past Ardoyne will be former EastEnders star Ross Kemp, who is in Belfast making a film about Northern Ireland for Sky 1. |
| Kemp was at PSNI headquarters on Tuesday where he watched the chief constable give a press conference ahead of the Twelfth. | Kemp was at PSNI headquarters on Tuesday where he watched the chief constable give a press conference ahead of the Twelfth. |
| Yesterday it is understood he also spoke with Catholic residents from Ardoyne who are vehemently opposed to the annual Orange parade past their area. | Yesterday it is understood he also spoke with Catholic residents from Ardoyne who are vehemently opposed to the annual Orange parade past their area. |
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