Politics

Colum Eastwood: Talks should be suspended until after general election

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the general election announcement has scuppered power-sharing talks. Picture by Mal McCann
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the general election announcement has scuppered power-sharing talks. Picture by Mal McCann SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the general election announcement has scuppered power-sharing talks. Picture by Mal McCann

TALKS aimed at restoring power-sharing "aren't happening" and should be suspended until after the general election, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said.

The Foyle MLA said British Prime Minister Theresa May's announcement last week of a snap election had scuppered the discussions and there was no chance of a deal before the June 8 poll.

The parties will decide on Thursday, when leaders will meet Secretary of State James Brokenshire and the Republic's foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan, whether to suspend the talks.

Mr Eastwood said: "I think we need to give up this pretence that there are some kind of intensive negotiations occurring.

"The prime minister has put an end to any possibility of that happening. We need to be honest with the public that these negotiations aren't happening and these negotiations should be paused until after the election."

Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said the general election announcement had ruined any chance of an agreement before the poll.

"A resolution was doable at any stage of the talks if there had been political will on behalf of the British government and the DUP," he claimed.

"Instead the Tories continued to pander to the DUP's agenda of blocking progress on equality and refusing to give the Lord Chief Justice the funding for legacy inquests."

However, Mr Brokenshire told the House of Commons yesterday he believed a deal can still be agreed to restore power-sharing.

He set out legislation to deal with outstanding matters caused by the collapse of the executive and made provision for the creation of an executive by June 29 if talks are successful.

Mr Brokenshire also published indicative figures for a budget which will be introduced if the parties do not reach a deal.

The figures include a 2.5 per cent cut in education spending but a 3 per cent increase for health.

The Department of Communities will also see a 9 per cent increase in its budget which will reflect welfare reform mitigation measures agreed by the executive before power-sharing collapsed in January.

Mr Brokenshire said he has been "working closely" with the head of the civil service, Sir Malcolm McKibbin, in conjunction with the Civil Service Board, to "explore the most appropriate means by which to provide further assurance around the budget for Northern Ireland departments in the absence of an executive".

Some commitments made last year will be honoured, including funding for the A5 and A6 road projects, the Belfast Transport Hub, and the Mother and Children's Hospital.

Mr Brokenshire said the indicative budget would "give clarity" in the absence of a new executive.

"These allocations seek to reflect, as far as possible, their assessment as to the priorities of the political parties prior to the dissolution of the assembly and the further allocations they consider are required within the budget available," he said.

"By so doing I intend to give clarity to Northern Ireland departments as to the basis for departmental allocations in the absence of an executive, so that permanent secretaries can plan and prepare to take more detailed decisions in that light."

Laurence Robertson, a former shadow Northern Ireland minister, told the Commons that people in north would choose direct rule over "chaos".

But he said direct rule does not mean Westminster as a whole decides everything. Instead, committees consisting of around 20 MPs - including very few from Northern Ireland - will make decisions.

"That is the reality of direct rule and I'd say to those who are getting in the way of the institutions being set up again, is that how you want Northern Ireland to be governed?" he said.