LCC chairman David Campbell seeks clarity over 'tough' budget comments

The call was made by David Campbell, chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC).

Last week, a leaked briefing paper for NI Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said that some Stormont departments were facing cuts of up to 10% under his pending budget.

DUP MP Ian Paisley hit back at the budget “threats”, saying: "The Windsor Framework undermines the Northern Ireland economy and our position within the UK yet the Secretary of State threatens us to accept it or face punishing cuts to our services."

He added: "The Secretary of State must think the people of Northern Ireland are daft, that they can’t see through his threats and his punishment attack on the British people of Northern Ireland."

However, a spokeswoman for Mr Heaton-Harris responded that NI is itself responsible for its own financial difficulties and affirmed that he would indeed impose a "tough" budget.

"Due to long term financial mishandling of the finances in Northern Ireland, the next budget will be tough, but the UK Government is committed to helping the people of Northern Ireland," she said.

Mr Campbell said he thought those comments should be withdrawn to avoid “a serious crisis of confidence” in Mr Heaton-Harris himself.

Mr Campbell said: “These are astonishing claims which need to be substantiated or withdrawn. I am sure each of the former Ministers will want to know who the Secretary of State feels was responsible for the financial mishandling and I am certain the electorate which elects the MLAs will most definitely want to know.

“Given that the same Secretary of State was earlier in the week hectoring the DUP for refusing to take office and reform an Executive it would appear to be contradictory for him to want an Executive to be re-formed if they have previously made such a poor job of managing the Northern Ireland budget.

“Despite the many political differences I have with some former Executive Ministers I believe they all act with an honest desire to manage their Departments and budgets sensibly and prudently. That was certainly my experience when I advised former First Minister David Trimble. Over the past budgetary cycle the Executive has had to deal with a major pandemic, and a European conflict which has resulted in an unprecedented cost of living crisis. These two events are direct causes of the current fiscal difficulties in Northern Ireland but are well outside the responsibility of any Northern Ireland politician.

“These claims from Mr Heaton-Harris's spokesperson need to be withdrawn before they precipitate a serious crisis of confidence in the Secretary of State himself.”