MLAs are sleepwalking into a dangerous error, Arlene Foster’s ex-spad Richard Bullick warns

Richard Bullick, who for almost 20 years was the DUP’s key backroom strategist until leaving his role in 2017, said that the Executive Committee (Functions) Bill would undo a key DUP victory at the St Andrews Agreement when it curbed the power of Sinn Féin ministers.

Writing in today’s News Letter (in the print edition and to be put online later, in a link below), Mr Bullick said that it seems “there is no appreciation of the implications of some of the proposed changes” and that “instead, MLAs are sleepwalking into making profound amendments to important constitutional arrangements”.

He said that the bill “will fundamentally affect decision-making in Northern Ireland and will amend Northern Ireland’s constitutional statute”.

Mr Bullick sets out how the DUP policy of which he was a key architect is now being dismantled.

Mr Bullick also says that one of Mrs Foster’s central claims – that unionist ministers would retain a de facto veto over other ministers’ decisions – is utterly wrong.

The bill, which has been jointly tabled by Mrs Foster and Michelle O’Neill, is being rushed through with minimal scrutiny, at their request. The final vote will be on Tuesday and only one MLA – the UUP’s Doug Beattie – has tabled an amendment which would remove the part of the bill which gives more unilateral power to individual ministers.

Thus far, Arlene Foster has neither addressed criticisms of the bill nor altered course on what her former spad describes as a “dangerous” bill.

Significantly, as the man who for years was central to the DUP’s strategy to overtake the UUP as Northern Ireland’s biggest party and someone who has until now been loyal to the party, Mr Bullick today endorses the UUP amendments.

He said: “All is not yet lost. Doug Beattie MLA has put down amendments to remove the dangerous aspects of the bill...these should be supported”.

Richard Bullick’s full essay: The DUP won key safeguards for unionism, yet seems to be sleepwalking into removing them

• Morning View: There must be no dilution of the constraints on Stormont ministers to be able to engage in solo runs

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