Irish Examiner view: Slow progress

Northern Ireland elections

Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O'Neill and President Mary Lou McDonald at Belfast City Hall as results continued to come in for the Northern Ireland local elections. 

Sinn Fein’s greatly increased haul of seats from the 2019 council elections in the North makes it the largest party in local government for the first time and, by the logic of democracy, should lead to a resumption of power sharing at Stormont.

But logic has nothing to do with it, and despite Michelle O’Neill’s joy over what she describes as a “momentous” result on a 54% turnout it is likely that the tectonic plates will need to move at Westminster before we witness significant momentum to break the deadlock. Northern Ireland’s councils set rates, and manage planning, waste collection, leisure services and parks. They have no impact on Brexit.

Change could depend on the likely schism and loss of power in the Conservative party and its replacement in government, possibly by a Lab/Lib coalition. 

That process will be accelerated this week when new net migration figures are released for the UK. Making progress in Belfast may yet depend on Keir Starmer and Ed Davey. And that will be next year.