DUP’s Phillip Brett: “My brother was murdered by loyalist terrorists...they have no place in NI"

At 34, Phillip Brett is one of Stormont’s younger MLAs. The North Belfast Assembly man has seen his profile grow since being elected to Stormont in 2022 – before that, he served as councillor on Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough council. He says he joined the DUP after Peter Robinson called him over at a Freshers fair, and that much of his politics has been shaped by his close relationship with Nigel and Dianne Dodds, who he calls his ‘political mother and father’. Philip Brett’s family life was torn asunder when his 19-year-old brother Gavin was murdered by the UDA in 2001 – he says he wants justice for his mum. In an exclusive interview with The BelTel podcast, the MLA joined Ciarán Dunbar in the studio to talk politics, ambition and the work involved in being an MLA. 01:10 - 07:00 Why Phillip Brett got into politics and the DUP 07:00 - 10:20 Relationship with Nigel Dodds 10:20 - 13:30 His vision for Northern Ireland 13:30 - 15:10 Loyalist paramilitaries "have no role in Northern Ireland" 15:10 - 24:30 Education in unionist areas 24:30 - 27:30 Does Stormont work? 27:30 - 29:12 Pedestrianisation of Hill Street, Belfast 29:12 - 33:10 Nationalist and Unionist relationships 33:10 - 35:00 Thoughts on Alliance 35:00 - 36:10 His ambitions 36:12 - 41:00 The 2001 murder of his brother 41:00 - 42:00 Paramilitaries as 'stakeholders' 42:00 - 43:25 Will there be a border poll?