Robinson wants Assembly to be a ‘Soviet-style Congress’ says McNarry
Ulster Unionist Party Chief Whip David McNarry today said Peter Robinson’s threats about no government if no unanimous agreement on the programme for government and draft budget showed his desire to make the Assembly into a soviet style congress.
In a statement Mr McNarry said,
“Mr. Robinson obviously has a desire to turn the Northern Ireland Assembly into a soviet-style congress that merely nods its head, asks no questions and is forbidden from opposing any Executive measures. The Ulster Unionist Party wants a Northern Ireland Assembly based on the values of British parliamentary democracy – in which there is robust debate and scrutiny, in which the Executive is held to account.
Peter Robinson’s intemperate outburst last night, during which he threatened to collapse devolution, is further evidence of the DUP-Sinn Fein control-freakery that is undermining the role of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Scrutinising the Draft Budget and the Draft Programme for Government is the duty of MLAs. During yesterday’s proceedings, both UUP and SDLP MLAs felt duty-bound to express their opposition to aspects of Peter Robinson’s Draft Budget. In any normal political context such scrutiny, questioning and opposition is accepted as part and parcel of the parliamentary process. But what does Peter Robinson do? Loses his temper and hits out at the people of Northern Ireland by threatening to collapse devolution.
“It is time for the Finance Minister to calm down. He is well aware that his party and his colleagues in Sinn Fein have enough votes within the Assembly to ensure that his Draft Budget and Draft Programme for Government are passed. The Ulster Unionist Party in the Assembly will continue to scrutinize, question and – where necessary – oppose the Draft Budget.”