A court ruling cannot be the basis for removing essential legal constraints on ministers in an abnormal system of mandatory coalition

There has now been a week to consider rushed legislation that would curb constraints on Stormont ministers going on ‘solo runs’.
News Letter editorialNews Letter editorial
News Letter editorial

The reform has caused concern given that Sinn Fein, which sometimes uses destabilising tactics, could make ministerial decisions with major ramifications that Stormont as a whole cannot stop.

One way this reform might be justified was if it was possible for a decision of one minister to be ‘called in’ to the executive, if three other ministers thought that necessary.

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Arlene Foster said that call-in was possible but Richard Bullick, her former advisor, wrote an essay in Friday’s News Letter explaining his view that it was not (see link below).

This newspaper said that if he was wrong on the three ministers, the DUP should explain why. Yesterday it did not do so. Therefore the Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie’s amendment to the legislation on Monday needs unionist support.

As Jim Wells says of Mr Bullick (see link to news story below), he is not only respected, he has been loyal to his former DUP colleagues. For him to break ranks confirms that this is a grave development.

The DUP says it has to pass this reform after a court over-turned an incinerator planning approval. That judgement caused alarm in some political and legal circles.

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In any event, the UK government says it does not want judges making law. The case did not go to the Supreme Court.

The ruling cannot be the foundation for such a significant dilution of constraints on ministers.

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Alistair Bushe

Editor