Member's statement: Poppy Appeal 2025
Member's statement by Mr John Stewart on .
- MLA
- Mr John Stewart
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 21 October 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Poppy Appeal 2025
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5197180
Read the official Assembly record
Text
This week marks the official launch of the 2025 Poppy Appeal by the Royal British Legion, a campaign that holds a special place in the hearts of people across Northern Ireland and, indeed, the entire United Kingdom. Each year, as we approach Remembrance Day, the poppy becomes a symbol of remembrance, gratitude and our shared commitment to support those who have served and sacrificed for our freedom. Since 1921, the Royal British Legion has stood by the armed forces community, providing vital welfare and financial and emotional support to serving personnel, veterans and their families. Whether it is helping someone to find a new career after leaving the forces, supporting a family in times of hardship, or offering a listening ear to those who are struggling, the legion continues to make a profound difference every single day. In East Antrim, we are fortunate to have some of the most dedicated and energetic branches anywhere in the country. I pay tribute to the members, committee members and volunteers from our branches in Larne, Carrickfergus, Whiteabbey and Whitehead. Their tireless efforts, year after year, ensure that the Poppy Appeal thrives in local communities, and I am sure that I speak, on behalf of all Members, to each of the local branches across the country. From organising remembrance parades and coffee mornings to standing in town centres in all kinds of weather collecting donations, their commitment is nothing short of inspirational. Those men and women give freely of their time and energy, motivated not by recognition but by gratitude to those who have served and a desire to ensure that the legacy endures. As the 2025 local Poppy Appeal begins, I urge everyone across Northern Ireland to support it. Buy a poppy, attend a fundraising event, volunteer for a few hours. Every contribution, large and small, helps the vital work of the British Legion in supporting our veterans and their families. As we wear our poppies this year, let us do so not only as a symbol of remembrance but as a promise that we will never forget the sacrifice and service of those who defended our freedoms and that we will continue to stand by our veterans and their families.
368 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
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 | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.03 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.04 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.62 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.20 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.10 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.06 |
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:31 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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