Peter Robinson has today said:
The Tory leader David Cameron is today in Ulster. He is a putative Prime Minister and as Northern Ireland’s First Minister I warmly welcome him to this part of the United Kingdom….In particular I note that in advance of his visit it was trailed that if he is successful in becoming Prime Minister he favours ending what is described as double jobbing. This is another area where we share a common view.
On 10th March 2009 the DUP voted against a UUP motion on double jobbing in the Assembly.
Michelle McIlveen said “It is unnecessary to request the UK Government to bring forward legislation to prohibit dual mandates. Such legislation would be grossly unhelpful … The motion is premature”.
Gregory Campbell said “It will cost more to have single-mandate MLAs … There is a considerable amount of work to be done before we can proceed to impose single mandates”.
Peter Weir said “I do not have a problem with dual mandates; Mr Elliott is seeking to abolish them”.
Simon Hamilton said, “I agree with Mr McLaughlin: I can understand why we have got this anomalous situation as he described it. The instability of political arrangements in Northern Ireland over the past few years has generated such a situation and, as it took time to create that situation, so it will take time to rectify it.” On banning double-jobbing, he said, “is not something that I consider to be democratic … I suggest that it is also anti-devolution”.
I used to write and get paid, now I read and don’t.
Former UUP staffer, currently living in London. @mjshilliday
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