Opposition

John O'Dowd has come under fire over the budget

Finance minister accused of being 'in horizontal mode' in budget crisis

Matthew O’Toole argued that both the reform of the institutions as well as a cultural shift in the Executive are needed. The SDLP representative made the points to Westminster’s Northern Ireland Affairs Committee which is looking at potential Stormont reform.

Impact of lack of delivery from Stormont is ‘toxic’, says Opposition leader

UUP leader Jon Burrows with the leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch in London.

UUP boss Burrows says Windsor Framework is 'unfinished business'

TUV councillor Ron McDowell says opposition to extended Sunday trading hours is not just about religion, but the impact it would have on shop workers.

'Not just about religion' - TUV man demands council halt Sunday trading bid

The Labour government's Troubles legislation will bring despair for veterans, writes Alex Burghart

Alex Burghart: Bill will not give comfort to veterans – it must be opposed

A general view of the derelict grounds of the Casement Park stadium

First Minister ‘working night and day’ to ensure Casement Park is built

Matthew O’Toole made the point that costings are provided in the Irish Parliament where John O’Dowd’s party make up the Opposition.

Stormont Opposition leader challenges SF Finance Minister to ‘open the books’

Education Minister Paul Givan has urged MLAs to back his proposal for a £1.7 billion Executive-led SEN Capital Investment Programme

£1.7bn programme needed to meet spiralling demand for special education – Givan

31 per cent of adults still calling shotgun to bag the front passenger seat

Rules of common car game 'shotgun' revealed - how many do you know?

The most over-subscribed schools are not formally integrated – they are excellent schools, which have typically achieved integration within them

William Kitchen: It's more important a school is outstanding than integrated

Irish housing minister James Browne has accused the Opposition of whipping up “false anger” over his housing proposals during a Dail debate on extending rent controls nationwide.

Irish minister warns against 'pact with far-right' during housing crisis

SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP (right) with Stella McMullan (fourth from left) mother of Caitlin-Rose McMullan, Bob Hogg (sixth from right) father of Caitlin Hogg, Amelia O'Neill (third from right) mother of Fintan and Mary O'Neill, with Dr Mark Terris (fifth from left), and Dr Damien Gates (seventh from right), and families who have been impacted by crashes at school bus stops in Northern Ireland, during a press conference at Parliament Buildings at Stormont, ahead of an SDLP Opposition Day motion calling for a legal requirement for vehicles to stop when a school bus is picking up or dropping off pupils. Picture date: Monday June 2, 2025. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Mother of crash victim backs safety calls as school bus legislation announced

Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole says the Executive parties are "inviting the contempt of citizens by saying one thing and doing one another on gambling harm".

O'Toole: Executive parties 'saying one thing and doing another' on gambling

Thousands of properties have been refused a foul drainage connection - a dreadful situation for anyone hoping to build a new factory, buy a new home or move into a social house

Letter: Economic car crash for construction and housebuilding industry

Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole said that SDLP's own Plan for Change included "meaningful targets and positive ideas to deliver for families".

Opposition: Executive plan has a ‘shocking lack of targets’

SDLP MP Claire Hanna and SDLP MLA and Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole launching the party's 'Plan for Change' at Stormont Hotel in Belfast. Picture: David Young/PA Wire

SDLP ‘plan for change’ aims to halve childcare costs in five years
Cutting the cost of childcare by at least 50% in five years and the removal of the two-child cap on benefit claims are among proposals in a new SDLP blueprint for Stormont.
By David Young and Rebecca Black, PA

Claire Hanna, SDLP

Claire Hanna confirms bid for SDLP leadership

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald spoke to the media as the election count progressed. She admitted she was 'disappointed' by her party's performance

Letter: Sinn Fein made mistake of forgetting about their supporters

SDLP’s leader of the Opposition, Matthew O’Toole, said 100 days after the resumption of Stormont that it was now time for delivery in tackling deteriorating public services and financial challenges

Assembly backs motion calling for Executive to publish programme for government

The first of the motions on Tuesday calls for the removal of the two-child limit for a key benefit payment.

Stormont parties urged to back Opposition motion to stop two-child benefit limit

SDLP leader Matthew O'Toole says Executive parties are passing motions implying that action is being taken on issues - when it isn't.

SDLP calls out Executive parties on motions with no legal effect

Jim Allister was addressing MLAs during an Opposition Day debate on reform of the institutions to prevent future collapse.

Allister questions motivation of Stormont reform

The SDLP's Stormont leader Matthew O'Toole is now the leader of the Official Opposition.

Opposition focus on Stormont reform

Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole at Parliament Buildings in Belfast ahead of the first Opposition day in the Northern Ireland Assembly

First official Opposition day to be held at Stormont

Matthew O'Toole leads both the SDLP and the new official opposition in Stormont.

Opposition want greater accountability

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood says the past 12 months have been a waste and that progress must be made on "serious crises" facing communities in Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

SDLP leader 'hopeful' of Stormont return early next year

Michelle O’Neill commissioned the Bengoa Report, which made the same recommendations for hospital reform as past reviews, yet Sinn Fein is already campaigning to keep all local services open. The idea it will support what needs to be done to modernise the NHS is risible. Conor Murphy's budget was judged to lack "a coherent strategy and failed to set out its priorities properly" Pic: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker

Owen Polley: A restored Stormont will be a shambles unionists can easily oppose
Last week, local businessman and my fellow PoliticalOD podcast host, David Hoey, suggested in a News Letter column that the DUP should consider going into opposition at Stormont.
Owen Polley

Diametrically opposed parties are permanently in government at Stormont as long as they secure a quota of votes

Letter: No point being in opposition in a one party state

Ulster Unionist leader won't rule out opposition - saying a return to the Executive is dependent on the Programme for Government. Pic: David Thompson

Beattie: Executive return is conditional

The DUP should consider the benefits of choosing not to go into the executive, and instead be the assembly’s principal opposition, if Stormont returns, writes David Hoey

David Hoey: Opposition is noble, and DUP should consider the benefits

Belfast Docks, where implementation of Windsor Framework trade checks began last month.

Unionist opposition to Protocol 'entrenched'

Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald, former leader Gerry Adams and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill at the funeral of the IRA terrorist Bobby Storey in west Belfast. The lockdown breaching funeral, which happened without any sanction, showed that Sinn Fein is allowed to have special influence. Photo Pacemaker Press

Ben Lowry: Unionists have not been alone in not wanting Sinn Fein at the helm

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

Lttle faith in Keir Starmer OR Rishi Sunak when it comes to handling Brexit

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged health leaders at an emergency meeting to take "bold and radical" action to alleviate the winter crisis in the NHS. Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

How to watch Prime Minister’s Questions live

The DUP is unwilling to form an executive until the protocol is resolved

Letters: Unionism must unite against NI Protocol

The DUP’s Paul Givan and Carla Lockhart after meeting with the NI secretary

DUP pair set out abortion opposition 'forcibly' in meeting with NI Secretary

Kwasi Kwarteng has cut his trip to the International Monetary Fund in Washington, USA short.

Will Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announce a budget U-turn today?

Mr Ellis suggests flying the Irish and British flags jointly

My vision for NI’s future as a lapsed Protestant who supports Irish unity

Letter to the editor

The DUP are more comfortable behaving as if they are in opposition

Demonstrators (left to right) Fidelma O'Kane, Cormac McAleer and Emmet McAleer take part in a protest outside the Crown Estate Commission, in central London, against gold mining in the Sperrin mountains in County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland.

Residents opposed to NI gold mine take protest to London

‘If your telescope is really good, perhaps you’ll even make out the swirling clouds of Jupiter’s upper atmosphere’ (Photo: JPL/NASA/Getty Images

Jupiter will be in 'opposition' this week and will appear bright in the sky - he...

The 98th Regiment of Foot at the attack on Chin-Kiang-Foo (Zhenjiang), 21 July 1842, effecting the defeat of the Manchu government. Watercolour by military illustrator Richard Simkin (1840–1926). Picture: Wikimedia Commons

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Opposition to opium trade heard at Belfast meeting

Jean McKillen, left, and Georgina Graham keep the pot warm for visitors to Unlimited Refills, a Christian coffee shop which opened in October 1989 on Great Victoria Street in Belfast to combat “the boozy pubs and clubs of the city's 'Golden Mile'”. Stephen Gilmore, a member of the organising committee behind Unlimited Refills told the News Letter: “We are offering people a better environment than the pub, one free of the influence of alcohol and one promoting a friendly atmosphere.” Picture: News Letter archives

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: From the News Letter of November 1835

(Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images)

MPs have voted against maintaining food hygiene and animal welfare standards in ...

News Letter editorial

Labour’s struggles are not good for democracy in UK

News Letter editorial

Nigel Dodds is a key voice for Northern Ireland at Westminster

Jupiter and its moons will be visible without a telescope (Photo: Shutterstock)

This is how to see Jupiter and its moons without a telescope tonight

Generally brightly coloured and featuring cartoons, should confectionery packaging be redesigned to lessen its appeal? (Photo: Shutterstock)

Should sweets and soft drinks be sold in plain packaging to protect kids? Have y...

Prime Minister Theresa May. Photo: BBC News/PA Wire

DUP accuses PM of ‘sub-contracting out’ Brexit arrangements

Alex Kane

Alex Kane: Arlene Foster, and Stormont, left in a horrible limbo

Chris Moncrieff

May's speech was easily best since becoming PM

Dalradian says the mine is good for 25 years and could employ 350 people

No decision on gold mine while Executive down

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is joined by Fine Gael party colleagues at Merrion Square, Dublin, ahead of the referendum on the 8th Amendment of the Irish Constitution, in Dublin. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Irish cabinet to sign off next steps in abortion law

Jeremy Corbyn at Queen's

Corbyn denies snubbing IRA victims

Jeremy Corbyn at Queen's

Corbyn pledged border poll in line with Good Friday Agreement

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