Stormont MLAs' pay could be cut while joint Dublin-London rule of NI dismissed

Chris Heaton-Harris MP said people in Northern Ireland “deserve locally-elected decision-makers who are working for them” and that he would now look at the pay MLAs receive, saying: "At a time when so many are struggling with the cost of living and fearful of what is to come, I understand people’s frustration that MLAs continue to draw a full salary when they are not performing all the duties they were elected to do. So, I will be considering my options to act on MLA pay.”

He was speaking in an address to people across the north on Friday after the deadline passed to form a new Executive. It was widely expected he would immediately set the date for the election but this did not happen in what some parties have branded a ‘u-turn’.

The Secretary of State said he was now “duty-bound by law to call new elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly as set out in the New Decade, New Approach agreement” within 12 weeks.

It is believed that election, which will cost in the region of £6.5m, could happen as early as mid-December.

The north is now without any caretaker Ministers after the DUP again refused to nominate ministers to form an Executive on Thursday.

Sinn Féin emerged as the largest party in the last Assembly election back in May, and Michelle O’Neill was due to become First Minister as a result.

Mr Heaton-Harris said on Friday: “Having spoken with the various Party leaders this week, I know no one in Northern Ireland is calling for an election - but nearly all Parties signed up to the Agreement that put us in this position only a couple of years ago.

“Today I also met the Chief Electoral Officer to discuss operational considerations to inform my decision about the election date.

“It was particularly disappointing to see yesterday that the Assembly was still unable to elect a Speaker, despite all the time that has passed.

Right now, the Executive no longer has Ministers in post to act for the people of Northern Ireland. That means no Ministers to deliver the public services you rely on. That means no Ministers to manage the budget pressures affecting the funding of your hospitals, your schools, your doctors and nurses.

“So in the absence of an Executive I will take limited but necessary steps to protect public finances and the delivery of public services.

“I’ll soon outline our plan of action to make sure that the interests of the people of Northern Ireland are protected," he said.

Speaking about proposals mooted by some parties for a joint Irish and British government interim caretaker arrangement, he added: “To those who have called for ‘joint authority’ of Northern Ireland in recent days, let me say this: this won’t be considered. The UK Government is absolutely clear that the consent principle governs the constitutional position of Northern Ireland. We will not support any arrangements that are inconsistent with that principle.”

Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney T.D. said he noted Mr Heaton-Harris’ statement.

Mr Coveney added: “It is deeply regrettable that it has come to the point where the Secretary of State is under a legal obligation to call an election. This is due to a political choice by one party to block the formation of the Executive, and to prevent those MLAs elected in May from exercising their fundamental democratic role.

“My position, and that of Irish Government, remains unchanged. I want to see an Executive formed in Northern Ireland and, separately, I want to see early substantive progress in the EU-UK talks.

“I spoke with the Secretary of State yesterday. We were in contact again today and will remain in close contact.”

Sinn Féin Leas-Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill meanwhile branded the decision of Mr Heaton-Harris not to set a date for an election as a “bizarre U-turn by the British Secretary of State” which “adds to the uncertainty and instability which has left society in a political limbo”.

Michelle O’Neill said: “Today’s indecision by the British Secretary of State is a bizarre U-turn. “We are now in a political limbo as a result of this announcement.

“This further adds to the uncertainty and instability in our politics. We are now with no Executive in place, no Assembly in place, and not even caretaker ministers at the helm in the face of an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis.

“We now have no way to help families and workers, no way to protect our health service and our health workers.

“Responsibility for this lies entirely with the DUP who have refused to take part in an Executive because they didn’t like the result of the last election.

"This is a completely unacceptable situation. It cannot continue, that will be my message to the British and Irish governments and to the US administration.”

DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson was also critical.

He said: “The Government and the NIO talked up an election and now no one knows what is happening. Parliament is sovereign and can of course legislate to keep Ministers if it so wishes. It is now clear the Secretary of State’s boss, the Prime Minister, has not yet decided how to proceed.

“The Government should focus its time and energy on ensuring the Protocol problem is dealt with and Northern Ireland’s place in the U.K. internal market is restored.

“We are ready to fight an immediate election if one is called. An election will not solve the problem which is that until the Protocol is replaced there will not be a sound and solid basis to see a return of devolved government.”