UUP leader calls for end to mandatory coalitions at Stormont
Ulster Unionist Party leader Tom Elliott has called for an end to the statutory obligation for coalition government in Northern Ireland, and for there to be an official opposition.
Northern Ireland
Has the UUP/Tory link hit the rocks?
Is the Conservative Party’s electoral link with the Ulster Unionists about to come to an end? Ed Jacobs reports on the latest developments in Northern Ireland.
SDLP: Our progressive vision of an all-island, high tech economy
SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie discusses her plans for the future of the party and progressive politics in Northern Ireland ahead of the 2011 Assembly elections.
Pay freeze chill reaches Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland’s draft budget will seek to address the £4 billion of cuts to be imposed following the Comprehensive Spending Review, reports Ed Jacobs.
Gerry Adams accused of “brazen audacity” over Northern Bank raid
Did Gerry Adams have advanced warning of the Northern Bank raid? That is the question now swirling around Northern Ireland following the release of the latest WikiLeak files. In December 2004, the Provisional IRA were blamed for the raid which saw those responsible take £26.5 million from the Donegall Square headquarters of the Northern Bank in Belfast, one of the largest robberies ever seen in the UK.
IFS: Northern Ireland faces being hit hard by tax and benefit changes
Northern Ireland faces being hit harder by changes announced to the tax and benefit systems due to come into force between Jan 2011 and Apr 2014, the IFS says.
As Scotland gets greater taxation powers, is Northern Ireland next?
On the day the coalition unveiled its formal legislative proposals to give Holyrood greater tax varying powers, a group of business leaders in Northern Ireland have called for Stormont to be given the power to set its own corporation tax.
Unionists attack SDLP opposition to Housing Benefit cuts
Senior members of the DUP and UUP have attacked SDLP social development minister Alex Attwood’s opposition to reforms being introduced on housing benefits by the coalition government in Westminster.
Northern Ireland’s cuts double whammy
In further evidence that the coalition’s claims the NHS budget is ring fenced are questionable at best, Northern Ireland health minister, Michael McGimpsey, has warned that without protection for his department’s budget, the NHS across Northern Ireland faces the prospects of significant job losses.
Political Innovation – coming soon to Edinburgh and Belfast
A quick note to thank Left Foot Forward for helping us with the Political Innovation essays; see here for more about the project and a list of all the essays so far, with a few more to come in the next few weeks. We would like to invite LFF readers to a couple of events that we’re doing in Edinburgh (13th November) and Belfast (20th November) – both are Saturday get-togethers – details can be found here.