UUP turns down temporary devolution

The Ulster Unionist Party tonight gave the thumbs down to a proposal for a temporary form of devolution for Northern Ireland.

The scheme, put to the Irish and British governments by the SDLP on Tuesday, would see the Stormont Assembly returning but without ministers from the parties returning to run the devolved departments.

Instead of 10 ministers sitting in an Executive, their place would be taken by appointees, selected by the two governments and probably unelected professionals.

But senior UUP assembly member Dermot Nesbitt said the scheme was a non-starter as far as his party was concerned as it smacked of joint authority.

The proposal has already been dismissed by Sinn Féin but given a cautions welcome by Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party, which is now the major voice of unionism in the North.

But Mr Nesbitt, a minister at Stormont prior to the suspension of devolution, said: “The SDLP plan is a no-go as far as the Ulster Unionist Party is concerned.

"The Republic of Ireland has no right to appoint anyone to run government departments in Northern Ireland, whether they are unelected representatives or not.”

The proposal , he said, suggested Northern Ireland be governed by people who would have a role similar to those of European Commissioners.

“Any seasoned observer of European politics would know that this is a less than ideal way of running things. It is undemocratic,” he added.

There was much more to be concerned about, what was being proposed was effectively joint authority, said Mr Nesbitt.

“This should be anathema to most unionists. That the DUP should give this plan a ‘cautions welcome’ is incredible but unsurprising.

“It merely confirms their absolute desperation for power, no matter what the cost is.”