Jonathan Buckley criticised the decision jointly-authorised by Emma Little-Pengelly to treat injured children from Gaza
By John Manley, Politics Correspondent August 20, 2025 at 4:32pm BST
By John Manley, Politics CorrespondentAugust 20, 2025 at 4:32pm BSTDUP MLA Jonathan Buckley is at odds with party colleague and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly over the signing-off of approval to provide medical treatment of seriously ill Palestinian children.
The Upper Bann representative said the health service is for “our children, our men and women, and our elderly”.He also accused the British government of being “dangerously naive” by agreeing to take part in the so-called medivac scheme that could see up to 300 children receive urgent care. The Irish News revealed on Monday that Stormont ministers had agreed to a small number of Gazan children receiving emergency clinical attention in Northern Ireland as part of a UK-wide initiative.
While the numbers of children involved has yet to be confirmed, it’s understood that less than a handful will receive treatment at hospitals in the north.Supported by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, the move was approved jointly by First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly by way of an ‘urgent procedure’, avoiding the need for a full executive meeting.But Mr Buckley has criticised the decision, repeating his previous assertion that the regional health service should treat residents only.“I firmly believe that Northern Ireland’s sole and primary focus must be on the treatment and care of its own people – our children, our men and women, and our elderly,” the Upper Bann MLA posted on Facebook as reports of agreement on the treatment for children emerged on Monday.“This is not about being incompassionate, it’s about being responsible.”
Mr Buckley, who alongside fellow DUP MLA Trevor Clarke, was critical of Ms O’Neill when she recently floated the idea of joining the UK-wide scheme, said the north faced “many challenges” and did not “need additional refugees – vulnerable or otherwise”.
“The UK is being dangerously naive – make no mistake, what begins as small numbers will ultimately become big numbers,” he said.“What Northern Ireland does need is politicians who are prepared to ALWAYS put our own people first,” he wrote.DUP headquarters has yet to comment on Mr Buckley’s remarks.Alliance deputy leader Éoin Tennyson said two DUP representatives had opposing views on the issue and that the party leadership needed to “clarify just who speaks for the party on this matter”.“We all just play our part in ending the horrible scenes emanating from Gaza – taking fewer than a handful of children for specialist medical treatment is the least we can do to help alleviate some of that suffering,” he said. “Whilst it is welcome the deputy first minister has finally made the right call and signed off on the scheme, it is deeply depressing to see the DUP so split and devoid of compassion on this issue.”
by askmac
38 comments
No surprises there , they the DUP have always an inward looking bunch . Permanently looking backwards to their glorious past when King Billy (a Dutch man) fought at the Boyne . & nothing ever good has happened to the cretins ever since.
Reminder that Jonathan Buckley was investigated [by the Electoral Affairs Committee ](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-44969471) over visits to Israel along with 5 other members of the DUP. That [Israeli lobbies fund over a quarter of British MP’s](https://www.declassifieduk.org/israel-lobby-funded-a-quarter-of-british-mps/) .
There’s a DUP Friends of Israel group as well as at least one other NI Friends of Israel lobby group.
So this apparent “look after ourselves first” argument masquerading as pragmatism is bought and paid for by a genocidal regime.
This is for 3 people by the way
They dont want to help sick kids? What is wrong with people
Any human being arguing about helping 3 sick children should be far from government.
Pretty putrid form. At least I know who not to vote for.
It’s seems absolutely insane to me anyone would be up in arms about kids from Gaza getting treatment anywhere – even more so the people who are against it are using it as an issue to shout about because they think it will help WIN them votes next election – says a lot about the mindset of people and our MLAs here. Shocking stuff.
It should be a non-issue, especially given the numbers involved.
The party of “pro-life” is against helping children. Shocker.
Fucking ghouls.
Absolute cretins
Pure evil.
For a christian Mr Buckley is not very Christian
Any vote for Jonathan Buckly is a vote for the wanton removal of life saving medical treatment for children who are the victim of genocide. Shame on anyone who votes for this pitiful excuse of a human being, shame.
And to think these people call themselves Christians..
Where’s the Christianity in refusing to help those in need?
“*For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.*”
**Matthew 25:35**
Buckley and Lockhart are the two biggest extremists in that party, for anyone who thinks things will get better with the younger generation. Two right wing fanatics masquerading as Christians.
A party that claims their a christian party not supporting the treatment of seriously ill children.
What a surprise their not following what jesus would have done.
Only christian when they want to say things against the gays
It’s time that Buckley’s political career was scuppered. Come on Sunday World, do your thing.
No doubt this guy considers himself a Christian as well.
>The Upper Bann representative said the health service is for “our children, our men and women, and our elderly”.
Just like the message of the good Samaritan.
> “The UK is being dangerously naive – make no mistake, what begins as small numbers will ultimately become big numbers,”
You know… there just might be a way to stop the number of children in Gaza getting injured from continuing to increase. I don’t think Mr. Fuckley will like that option though, as it involves not blowing up the children in the first place.
Imagine if the ukraine refused to help the young girl from co.Down with the brain operation. There be uproar. No Christian morals. J.B should really hang his head in shame
What a cunt.
Exactly what Jesus would have said……..
“The DUP, pro-life, unless that life is a child under military occupation”
Buckley is part of the new wave of young(ish) “evangelicals” who populate the DUP.
It’s performative Christianity, no genuine compassion at all.
Matthew Chapter 25 vv 41-45
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”
Sounds like Jonny Boy isn’t that familiar with the book he claims to like so much.
DUP giving off strong US republican vibes in recent years. It’s a bad move. People here are not stupid enough to support that kind of moral degradation and twisted logic (for the most part)
“Wont somebody please NOT think of the children?”
Have to be a proper wanker to imply that treating these children is dangerously naive
The main unionist party that isn’t handline enough for over a third of unionist voters. Sweet suffering fuck
“Sir, we’ve agreed to treat a comparatively miniscule number of extremely sick, terrified children in our hospitals, almost certainly snatching them from the cold jaws of Death itself.”
“No. Fuck ’em childers. We got loads of sick, desperate childers here that we’ve spent years making bloody well certain they remain sick and desperate so they’ll keep in fear of themmuns somehow taking what little they do have away from them.”
Fucking rotten cunt
Dupers on the wrong side of history every. single. time.
Buckley is the father dougal of the DUP
Of course they are
Does this party run a competition in the background to see who can come across as the thickest, most racist, bigotted, hypocritical c**t?
Are there bets changing hands? How does it keep on happening otherwise? How is it they still have a political following? I don’t understand.
I imagine this plunker self identifies as a “good Christian family man”
Evil.
Imagine being such a hateful, bigoted c*nt that you can’t find it in your wee “Christian” heart to help kids who are experiencing some of the most horrific things I have ever seen recorded. What is it? Are they not white enough to help? Is it because your paymasters, the Zionists, will stop giving you under the table handouts?
Let me tell you how it is. The DUP, and every other bigoted ignoramus in today’s society who parade their hateful rhetoric proudly because they’ve been emboldened to do so only care about themselves and themselves alone! It’s never about “our own”. If it was there wouldn’t be years long hospital waiting lists, homeless on the street, and a crumbling society because the time, effort and resources would have been allocated to address said issues. If they really gave a shit they wouldn’t ignore those in need. Instead they preach of how great a Christian they are, they eat the altar rails, all while actively dividing society further. That’s their bread and butter politics.
The amount of hatred I have seen online in the last few days alone has been staggering. And that’s on both sides of the divide here! This xenophobia has been taken to the next level. Never in my life did I think we would be at this point as a society. Where’s the compassion? Where’s the empathy? I understand folks are upset. But placing the blame on foreigners when it is the governments of the world that should be held accountable is easier I guess. Pity the bigoted won’t spend as much time and effort thinking critically as they do being hateful scaremongers. Grim times we live in indeed.
Some in the DUP if they had their way would ban Taigs n Catholics from getting medical treatment as well.
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