Member's statement: Borderland Podcast: Michelle Gildernew
Member's statement by Ms Diane Forsythe on .
- MLA
- Ms Diane Forsythe
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 13 October 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Borderland Podcast: Michelle Gildernew
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5175395
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Last week, we heard some deeply disturbing comments from the former Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew, who stated on a BBC podcast that IRA murders were "justified". No murder is ever justified. Sinn Féin's relentless justification of IRA murders and its glorification of IRA murderers and terrorism is disgraceful and scoffs at innocent victims across this country. For the self-proclaimed First Minister for all to state that there was no alternative to IRA violence is pure hypocrisy. I apologise for quoting Sinn Féin member Michelle Gildernew, Mr Speaker, but, on the same podcast, she went on to say that Northern Ireland is a "shithole". The mask truly slipped. Michelle Gildernew's outburst tells us everything that we need to know about Sinn Féin. The shock and disgust on the faces of the young people in front of whom she said that was clear. Her comment was unprofessional and disrespectful and showed outright hatred for our wee country, proudly spouted by a senior Sinn Féin member. It set out clearly what Sinn Féin thinks of this place and of the people here, including many of its own voters. Is that why its Ministers do not bother? Is that why the Minister for Infrastructure is happy to let the roads fall apart or why the Minister for the Economy fails to champion Northern Ireland, promote and support our businesses and celebrate their successes? Is that why the Minister of Finance sits back and blames British austerity for everything yet seeks to do little for people here himself? Let me be clear that Northern Ireland is an amazing country, which I am proud to call my home. From its natural beauty to its boasts of amazing tourist attractions — the Mountains of Mourne, the Giant's Causeway, Titanic Belfast, the Fermanagh lakelands and many more — it is a special place with good people. There are many key facts that Sinn Féin chooses to ignore in its opinion of this place. In education, our pupils lead the way, outperforming their peers across Britain and the Republic. In healthcare, our NHS is free at the point of need, unlike in the Republic, where a visit to a GP costs €80. The Northern Ireland economy exported £65 billion worth of goods last year. It has attracted world-class investors and, with its strong agri-food sector, is leading the way in farming and fishing. Unemployment is Northern Ireland stands at 2·6%, which is lower than the Republic's 4·6%. Housing in Dublin is in crisis, while homeownership here is still within reach for our working families. Northern Ireland benefits from being part of the world's sixth-largest economy, that of our United Kingdom. That is what Sinn Féin refuses to acknowledge. Northern Ireland works, and it works for everyone. I will always be proud to defend Northern Ireland and its place in our United Kingdom.
474 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism
Jev’s structured answers met every documented threshold for flagging as culture-war activity.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.81 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- Criteria met: Identity framing (0.84); Dog-whistle messaging (0.61); Controversy escalation (0.81).
- The text adopts the identity-based framing in its own voice (0.85).
- Subject area: Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism.
- The text adopts an antagonistic or dog-whistle framing, which is flagged even alongside legitimate scrutiny.
What a flag means. A flag means the activity contains at least one instance of culture-war framing that met the published test. It does not mean the whole activity is divisive, or that its substantive arguments are wrong.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.84 | Yes |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.57 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.22 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.61 | Yes |
| Controversy escalation | 0.81 | Yes |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.12 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.81 | Above flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.03 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.12 |
| Adopts it (chosen) | 0.85 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.70 |
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.27 |
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.02 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:27 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
A second, larger AI model can read this record again, without being told the MLA’s name or party, against the same published rubric. It also asks whether the activity mainly serves the public interest or mainly advances division. Its verdict replaces the current one, whichever way it goes, and its reasons are published here. Each record can have one second assessment.
If you still think the record or its classification is wrong after that, or the record itself has a factual error, you can challenge it. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.