Best of Nolan

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Stephen Nolan's no nonsense approach to confronting the biggest issues of the day: an unmissable mixture of news, phone ins and entertainment. From BBC Radio Ulster

BBC Radio Ulster


    • Mar 24, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 18m AVG DURATION
    • 1,408 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Best of Nolan

    Justice for Natalie McNally as her former partner and father of her unborn child is found guilty of her murder

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2026 77:44


    Also, Belfast City Council takes down Union flags and Jesus saves flags in East Belfast

    Alliance Party and DUP in war of words over wasteful public spending

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2026 77:02


    Strabane business cancels plans for Easter Market over rising energy cost pressures.

    Why did NI Secretary of State suggest 81-million-pound electricity fund could be used elsewhere?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2026 78:42


    Also - should electric vehicle drivers be allowed to use bus lanes to boost uptake?

    Young people ‘radicalised by ongoing hostility to the Irish language' – Irish language Commissioner Pól Deeds

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2026 77:41


    Also, gas prices rise, fly tipping, and will pensioners see a boost from inflation?

    Belfast City Centre could be closed to traffic for a week this summer for the Fleadh festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 80:04


    Also, NI student admitted to hospital with suspected disease that can lead to meningitis

    Pensioners afraid to put the heating on - meanwhile MLAs argue over how to distribute money to support them

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2026 77:46


    & does NI have too many public sector workers? Also Nolan talks about one pothole hotspot

    Sinn Féin and DUP clash in Economy Committee row - what does it say about relationships between the two biggest parties?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2026 78:30


    Also, how should home heating oil support be divided out?

    MLAs get their £14K pay rise - but why were politicians consulted, and not the public who will pay for it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2026 78:33


    Plus, price of oil hits over £1K for 900 litres - doubling in the space of a month.

    Row over £81M to help with energy bills rumbles on as Sinn Féin and DUP squabble

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 77:52


    the DUP's Philip Brett and SDLP's Claire Hanna react & are fat jabs just for the rich?

    DUP call out Sinn Féin's Economy Minister over lack of plan to distribute £81M to people in NI to reduce energy bills

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 78:12


    Also, the PSNI are set to introduce a new taser. Nolan talks to former firearms officer

    Nolan understands Police Ombudsman investigating more than 100 incidents of alleged serious offences by former officer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2026 78:13


    Also, NI gynaecology waiting lists are worst in UK - is there a crisis in our services?

    Weight loss jabs and the potential side effects - what are the risks? And the benefits?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 78:57


    Also, the price of oil passes $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022.

    First Minister Michelle O'Neill says MLA pay rise of £14k is ‘excessive' but will she take it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 78:25


    Also, Iranian man speaks about Belfast protest and a former catholic PSNI officer talks

    A reduction in people on waiting lists for the first time in recent years - but surgeons raise questions about the drop

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 80:38


    Also, potholes, a vandalised statue and Nolan speaks with a man in Doha

    Hostility to Irish language does unionism no favours - Irish Language Commissioner Pól Deeds

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 76:07


    Also, dropping off at Belfast International Airport? From next Monday it will cost you £5

    Oil and fuel prices hike - are big companies profiteering and exploiting US-Israel war with Iran for profit?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 79:59


    Don't panic buy home heating oil - says the Consumer Council

    US-Israel attacks and Iran's retaliation - PM says he will allow US to use UK bases to strike Iranian missile sites

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 78:38


    Nolan talks to UUP's Steve Aiken, PBP's Gerry Carroll - and travel expert Simon Calder.

    MLA pay - why aren't any of our politicians publicly backing the proposed pay hike?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 78:25


    Also Former Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde says 50 /50 recruitment ship has probably sailed

    Questions remain for the PSNI after they admit to illegally obtaining a journalist's information

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 77:30


    MLA pay rise - no public consultation says Stormont - so the public were consulted on Nolan today

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 77:14


    Also, callers across NI tell Nolan about hearing a late night 'big bang'. What was it?

    New bye-laws for buskers and street preachers for Belfast blasted by some councillors and performers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2026 79:10


    And, reaction to SF's call for 50:50 police recruitment to be re-introduced in the PSNI.

    When does the cut & thrust of political discourse go too far? New report highlights abuse & intimidation faced by politicians

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2026 78:16


    Also, weight loss jabs, puberty blockers trial & MLA pay

    Silence from the main parties at Stormont over a proposed £14K hike in MLAs' salaries

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 78:44


    and is it time NI followed others in introducing minimum pricing on alcohol?

    Lowest number of Catholics apply for PSNI in over a decade - what will police, political and community leaders do about it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2026 79:35


    Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris and UUP's Doug Beattie give analysis

    Older people no longer feel protected by the health system which they've paid into all their lives - Commissioner

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2026 77:50


    Commissioner for Older People for NI Siobhan Casey speaks with Nolan.

    Protection Money - Justice Minister Naomi Long says it's not ok for businesses to have to price in extortion

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2026 78:13


    Also, disruption to Royal Mail deliveries.

    When is a Sinn Féin billboard not a Sinn Féin billboard?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2026 77:46


    Mystery over illegal sign in Newry continues.

    UK Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation explains proposed new law change to help police deal with paramilitary flags

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2026 78:41


    & should people convicted of benefit fraud be named and shamed?

    PSNI officers will now remove public displays of sectarian flags and emblems when it's safe to do so

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2026 78:29


    & Treasury gives Stormont £400m to ensure it can balance the books - but needs repaid.

    Nigel Farage rips into working from home culture - should the days of working from home be numbered?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2026 77:44


    And another person whose luggage was stolen while travelling talks to Nolan

    Police say they will no longer stand by and ignore flags flying illegally on lampposts - a new dawn for Northern Ireland?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2026 78:09


    & plans to redevelop Boucher Playing Fields into full time sporting use are put on hold

    Belfast City Council 'restrict' report as they consider stopping gigs at city's largest outdoor concert venue

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2026 75:53


    Also, BBC TV licence fee set to rise to £180 a year from April - is it worth the money?

    Police staff compensation claims over PSNI data breach - is £7,500 for those impacted justified?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2026 78:19


    Ex-senior police officer Alan Mains and political commentator Mick Fealty give analysis

    Names of PSNI officers published on court website in error

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2026 78:24


    & NIPSA union warn they will strike if proposed changes to education system are adopted

    Timothy Gaston MLA suspended from Assembly for two days - he fights back on Nolan

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 78:14


    Commentators Newton Emerson and Emma De Souza give their analysis

    New leader of the UUP Jon Burrows on Nolan

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 78:53


    Also, the ongoing problem of potholes damaging cars in NI - a motorist talks to Stephen.

    Pubs and hotels relief as rates revaluation process is paused by Finance Minister O'Dowd. But what next?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 79:09


    Also, is the Department of Infrastructure doing enough to fix NI's pothole problem?

    Ban politicians from pubs in Northern Ireland if proposed rates hike isn't stopped - Hospitality Ulster warning

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2026 79:43


    Also, should all schools in NI give girls the choice to wear trousers as uniform?

    Children ‘screaming in fear' - family intimidated out of home in sectarian attack. What are the police doing about it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 80:22


    Also, NI pubs call on Finance minister for rates help & callers on Nolan's tinted hair.

    Inspirational 24-year-old woman told she might never walk again following car accident has ‘no regrets'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2026 78:46


    & should new younger drivers face a limit to how many late night passengers they have?

    Standards Commissioner finds Communities Minister Gordon Lyons breached ministerial code

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 80:04


    Also, fears over impact higher business rates could have on pubs and hotels across NI.

    Should the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 to 14 in NI. At what age does a child know right from wrong?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 77:38


    And-ahead of the BBC final of the Traitors contestant Matthew talks about his experience

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