Ritchie warned over UDA disarming deadline

Stormont Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie was today warned that her credibility would be damaged if she lets a deadline slip for loyalist paramilitaries to disarm.

Her Assembly scrutiny committee chairman, Gregory Campbell sounded the warning amid claims that the minister will not be making a statement on the future of a £1.2m fund for the renewal of loyalist communities next Tuesday – the day she ordered the Ulster Defence Association to disarm.