More Executive stress..

Mick pointed to the missing administration on Saturday and yesterday I added the UUP leader Reg Empey’s comments on the not “sufficiently mature” performance of the Assembly and Executive. Today the BBC’s Martina Purdy, picking up on the on-going threats from Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, starts by referencing policing and justice powers, adds examples of other cancelled meetings, and gathers together some pertinent quotes – although Rick Wilford’s quote should probably be measured against the recollection of Mitchell Reiss. From Martina Purdy’s report

Professor Rick Wilford, from Queen’s University’s politics department, said problems are being posed by the fact the DUP cannot be sure of Sinn Fein’s commitment to power-sharing. He pointed to recent implied threats by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams who, concerned by the failure to implement an Irish language act as promised at St Andrews, spoke of meltdown.

Professor Wilford said: “We’ve seen a variety of signals particularly from Gerry Adams that he is prepared, I think, to pull the plug. “That is going to increase and enhance the pressure to try and get agreement on some sticky problems fairly quickly. “If Adams is true to implied threats being voiced we could be in for a very sticky period indeed over the new few months and it is not inconceivable (the executive) could unravel.”

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