Is it legal to decide you will not work?

If a person puts him or herself forward for election to be part of the political process in the running of Northern Ireland and then within a few short months in office decides that they don’t like others in the work place, because their beliefs are different, can this be fair, appropriate or even legal?

Considering they knew who would be in the work place with them before taking the position, can this not be deemed abdication of duty in public office?

I believe there are people dying in Northern Ireland as we speak because clinicians don’t have the authority to make big decisions that are beyond their gift.

If the people tasked with the running of the country decide they don’t want to go to work, and people die needlessly as a result, are these politicians not guilty of manslaughter?

I would like a legally binding opinion based in employment law and am hoping that this note can be picked up by some people with the moral fibre to help this country before many more people have to die.

Parties are talking about wanting special status for Northern Ireland regarding Brexit, yet ignore the special status they have already granted themselves.

I don’t know anywhere else in the world where you are elected to office with a very decent rate of pay but where you can decide not to work without suffering a loss of wages.

That such behaviour is considered OK seems very cushy to me.

Patrick Rice, Castlewellan