Lyons breached ministerial code over social media post

DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons breached the ministerial code over a social media post which led to complaints he inflamed tensions over immigration in County Antrim last year, Stormont's standards commissioner has found.

An independent investigation said Lyons' actions fell short of standards on leadership, accountability and community relations.

The commissioner found that rather than defusing the situation, his post "may have heightened tensions and contributed to further unrest".

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has rejected the findings claiming much of the commissioner's report is "speculative and conjecture".

Any decision on sanctions will be taken by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr Lyons' post related to the location of migrant families who had fled their homes in Ballymena, County Antrim, in June 2025.

People caught up in the clashes were temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre which was later targeted and set on fire.

The then-standards commissioner Melissa McCullough received 64 complaints from members of the public and one from the leader of Stormont's opposition Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) assembly member (MLA) Matthew O'Toole, alleging the minister had breached the ministerial code.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) contacted a DUP councillor on 11 June asking them to point out there were no people sheltering in Larne Leisure Centre and that the people had been moved from the town.

The commissioner said that during her interview with Mr Lyons he said the "intention of his message on Facebook was to clarify the situation and help calm tensions surrounding the planned protest at Larne Leisure Centre".

He said his aim was to reassure his Facebook followers "that those who had taken refuge at the centre the night before were no longer there".

But the commissioner said "in my view and on the balance of probabilities the post likely had the opposite effect.

"Rather than defusing the situation it may have heightened tensions and contributed to further unrest," she added.

The commissioner said that ministers are senior public figures whose words carry significant weight and what they say and how they say it can shape public reaction, especially during sensitive and tense situations.

"Even small misjudgements can lead to serious consequences. That is why ministers must take extra care when speaking publicly," the report added.

"In this case, I believe there was a clear need for more thoughtful communication, better coordination with authorities, and a stronger sense of responsibility for how the message might be received by the wider public."

The minister said that while the post was drafted by his office, "he took full responsibility for it and that he had personally reviewed" it, removing one reference to the number of people who had stayed at the leisure centre.

But the commissioner said this showed the post was not made in haste, rather it was "deliberate and considered".

She added that: "It is clear to most readers of his message that it included no expression of empathy for those who had been harmed or forced to flee their homes.

"This was an omission that, whether intentional or not, carries real weight. Ministers are expected to lead with compassion, particularly in times of crisis.

"Demonstrating empathy is not a courtesy; it is a fundamental part of responsible leadership.

"In moments of distress, the public looks to those in authority for reassurance and humanity. That was missing here, and it matters."

In response, a DUP spokesman said that Lyons was "fully entitled" to publish the social media post that he did.

They went on to say that the East Antrim MLA had "co-operated fully with the then commissioner and made clear that his social media post was published on the basis of communication from the PSNI – which has now been confirmed".

"The commissioner clearly ignored the significance or weight this would carry for any MLA.

"His post was appropriate, factual, and aimed at de-escalation of a difficult situation in Larne at the time."

The party said it welcomed the fact the commissioner conceded there was "no intention to suggest that the violence at the leisure centre was a consequence of your post; there is no evidence to substantiate such a connection".

It said the DUP would never support a situation where, through "vexatious complaints to the Standards Commissioner, there is an attempt to gag public representatives and restrict their free speech".

"Gordon Lyons is a diligent and hardworking public servant and neither he, nor we, will be deterred by any attempts by political opponents to frustrate work being done on behalf of those we represent," the DUP added.