Recall of Stormont a piece of pre-Christmas pantomime says MLA whilst Allister states EU 'colonialism' is barrier to reviving devolution

Whilst the stated reason for recalling MLAs to the Assembly is for a debate on the cost-of-living, MLAs from the DUP and UUP indicated that its true purpose is to distract the public from Sinn Fein’s travails – particularly the ongoing Hutch gang trial.

It will be the fourth time the Assembly has been specially recalled this year to debate cost-of-living matters.

The DUP’s refusal to enter government with Sinn Fein has left the Province without anyone in overall command of the government since the May election, although ministers retained control of their departments on an interim basis.

But this too ended at the start of November, leaving civil servants in charge of the entire rudderless apparatus of government (albeit with interventions from the Tories in Westminster, who have so far stepped in to set the Province’s budget and force through the widespread availability of abortion).

The DUP’s stance has long been that there will be no chance of resurrecting Stormont as long as problems with the Protocol persist.

And on Tuesday Jim Allister of the TUV reiterated this, saying that Northern Ireland currently finds itself under the “colonial” yoke of the EU thanks to the Protocol, and that this must be resolved if there is to be devolved government in the Province.

"There should be no prospect of these institutions operating, so long as the basis for their operation is the Union-dismantling Protocol,” he said.

"It’s just another stunt, pure and simple. You do need to understand that, as confirmed in the Supreme Court by the government last week, the Protocol has ‘disapplied’ a key provision of the Union.

"Northern Ireland is now subject to a third legislature – namely the European Parliament – which is just pure colonialism. Much of the laws that govern us are made not in Belfast or London but in Brussels, over which we have no say.

"That is naked colonialism that no self-respecting democrat, unionist or nationalist, should be willing to accept."

The Supreme Court hearing he was referring to saw the government’s lawyers argue that the Protocol entailed merely a “modest disapplication” of Article 6 of the Act of Union 1800 – an article which guarantees all citizens of the UK be on “equal footing” as regards trade matters.

More on that here – Northern Ireland Protocol latest: 'The EU is giving us a punishment beating and is enjoying it' says Brexiteer businessman

‘THIS IS JUST DEFLECTION’:

Steve Aiken, MLA for South Antrim and the leader of the UUP from 2019 to 2021, said when it comes to Wednesday’s recall, “it’s a clear piece of Sinn Fein trying to deflect from the Hutch trial and the other travails they’re having at the moment”.

In that trial (a murder case against alleged gang boss Gerry Hutch) a secret recording was played of a conversation between Mr Hutch and former SF councillor Jonathan Dowdall.

In it, Dowdall complained SF president Mary Lou McDonald had not attended the funeral of Mr Hutch's brother, killed as part of a gang feud.

"But yas were good enough to use Gerard for votes, yas were good enough to use for money," Dowdall was recorded saying.

Ms McDonald strongly denies doing “anything improper"​​​.

SF itself has stressed she has taken a “strong stand against gangland crime in Dublin” and that the claims made on the tape “cannot be taken seriously”.

Mr Aiken added that, concerning the debate in Stormont on Wednesday: “Bearing in mind everyone knows what the outcome will be, it’s just a pantomime that further undermines the people of NI’s confidence in our institutions.”

Meanwhile Gordon Lyons, MLA for East Antrim and former economy minister, said: “I don’t think this recall is going to achieve anything. It’s a waste of time.

"The Protocol hasn’t been resolved, and our position remains unchanged.”

He said that, when it comes to one of the hottest aspects of the cost-of-living issue – namely, the promised £600 payment to NI householders to help with electricity bills – it lies within the gift of the London government to ensure the money is delivered.

As to whether Wednesday’s recall is a decoy measure, he said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re trying to distract people from what’s going on right now in Dublin” – likewise meaning the Hutch trial.