Who Guards the Guard? Timothy Gaston MLA on the Battle for Accountability in Stormont

In the Slugger Cato Project, our mission is clear, and even a little bit ambitious. It’s not simply to spotlight voices you might not typically hear from – though we often will. Our true purpose is to delve into the often frustrating interface between the public and the democratic institutions that were established under the Belfast, or Good Friday, Agreement.

It’s a system designed for peace, which often struggles with the practicalities of good government (see Brian’s Panto analogy below). People in Northern Ireland tend to prioritise peace as the optimum product, with good government coming a very a distant second or third.

There’s good academic evidence suggesting this dynamic is particularly prominent within the nationalist voting bloc, where lessening electoral competition reduces the impetus for change. Conversely, in the unionist community, the competition for votes is far more intense and often as much about Stormont’s lack of delivery as it is about “defending the union.”

The irony, as we’re discovering, is that this competition for resources is far more evident in the prosperous east of the Bann River than it is in the more economically challenged areas to its west. Regions like Derry and Strabane, home to some of Northern Ireland’s most deprived communities, find themselves on the periphery of this political jostling for cash and resource.

What’s becoming increasingly clear from our interviews is a consistent pattern: regardless of party loyalty, what truly distinguishes the most effective representatives – the challengers from the conformists – is a relentless willingness to play the long game. They take time to master the intricate machinery of government, to patiently pursue the information they need or pushing for the outcomes they want, refusing to take “no” for an answer.

Claire Sugden, for example, brilliantly illuminated some of the tools she employs – Assembly Questions (AQs), Assembly Chamber debates, Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, and strategic press campaigns. As an independent MLA, she demonstrated how she can raise crucial issues often ignored by the larger parties, even as the sole independent voice in the chamber.

But Claire is just one example. We are committed to digging deeper, to unearthing more of these dedicated scrutineers – the individuals who embody an unwavering commitment to change. As a reminder of the core mission:

The Slugger Cato Project seeks to inspire, and yes, even demand, nonconformity, independence, honesty, and courage from our backbenchers. Not as mere moral virtues, but as the essential tools required to challenge and ultimately fix a floundering government system.

If you know of an MLA or Councillor who fits this bill, drop me a line at editor AT Slugger O’Toole DOT Com.

Now, let’s hear from our next witness, the TUV’s MLA for North Antrim, Timothy Gaston, as we continue our quest for those who dare to challenge.

Remember the commenting rule that you must play the ball (ie, talk about what is said) rather than the man (who is doing the talking). I’m asking the moderator group to be ultra stringent on these threads to encourage the sharing of actionable insights.