Jim Allister says cuts to the NIO might be 'no bad thing' - and queries whether UK reforms will extend to NI civil service

Speaking ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement – where Rachel Reeves will outline the government’s spending priorities – the TUV leader also said that the government’s position of blaming the last government for problems is certainly true when it comes to the “mess of the Protocol”.

The North Antrim MP told Cool FM’s James Gould: “I think this is a government which came in with much promise, but the reality has turned out to be very different.

“They have assaulted the pensioners, the farmers, and they still haven't got enough money. And now they're talking about cuts, particularly to the civil service. And one of the interesting things will be, whereas those cuts will undoubtedly apply to the NIO, which might be no bad thing, will they also apply to the Northern Ireland civil service and the other civil service of devolved regions?”

“I think that's one of the things we'll be looking out for to see… what the juxtaposition of those are”.

While civil service staffing is a matter for Stormont’s department of finance, cuts in England will reduce the money available to local ministers – who may have little option but to make similar cuts here.

Mr Allister said the government’s “common riposte on all things is to blame the Tories for the last 14 years”.

“And yes, on Northern Ireland, they can certainly blame the Tories for the mess of the protocol. There's no doubt about that. But the disappointment is, I see no inclination on the part of the government to fix the mess of the protocol.

“Their answer, this Labour government's answer, seems to be to a enmesh the whole United Kingdom further back into the EU as a means of ameliorating the distinction which exists for Northern Ireland as being part of the EU.

“I don't think nationally, that's the answer, but that seems to be the path that they're treading” he said.