Stormont political crisis - Stubborness an own goal for Foster

“ALL political lives, unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture, end in failure, because that is the nature of politics and of human affairs.”

The words of the late British politician Enoch Powell could easily apply to the outgoing First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster.

Her handling of the fallout from the North’s now infamous Renewable Heat Incentive scheme is a perfect example of an own goal. Within a short period of time she has managed to turn a personal difficulty into an existential political crisis that could have widespread repercussions not only for the peace process but also for Britain’s Brexit negotiations.