New arrangements needed for governing province says Jones

The government will need to look at new arrangements for the governance of Northern Ireland, Councillor David Jones of UKIP has said.
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“It is not simply a question of giving out some of Stormont’s powers to local councils as an interim measure. It goes well beyond that. Two things are clear. First Sinn Fein’s departure from the Executive, with Martin McGuinness’s promise that there will be no return to the status quo, marks the abandonment of the power sharing strategy which has been operational since 1998.

“Second, it is quite clear that the three weeks allocated for negotiations to form an Executive after these pointless elections, will fail - which is a betting certainty, This will lead to an indefinite period of suspension for Stormont.”

“It’s time people smelt the coffee and worked for new structures which can deliver better government for Northern Ireland.”

“The model of devolution should be people-centred and delivery-focussed rather than the Ruritanian pretend-parliament that Stormont had become, filled with hot air and self-importance,” he concluded.