Belfast News: DUP & SF In Coalition?

Speculation continues that the Ulster Unionist Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, could resign their posts when the final budget is put to a formal vote.

It is possible that the Employment Minister Danny Kennedy and Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, who both voted against the budget in the Executive, could resign when the budget goes before the Assembly, a vote which is expected to take place on Wednesday.

The Ulster Unionist Party is reported to have been in talks with the government to form an opposition within the Stormont Assembly, much to the annoyance of other parties and should they resign their Ministerial posts, the consensus will in essence be at an end, with the Northern Ireland Executive viewed by some, as a coalition government between SF, the DUP and the Alliance Party. 

Editorial

Coalitions seem to be the order of the day, with a coalition government in Westminster and a coalition government in Southern Ireland and given the SDLP are likely to vote against this budget and that the UUP could quit their ministerial posts within the Northern Ireland Executive, would the public be right if they were to view the NI Executive as 'SF DUP Alliance'.

Even though their departure from Ministerial office, may only be for a matter of weeks, it could well be a political coup, exposing the weaknesses in the Stormont System and its lack of necessary opposition which ever democratic parliament possesses. The public's view of the Executive itself could change, should the second largest unionist party quit, it may well look like an opposition is being formed, leaving an unholy alliance in its wake.

Last Updated: 6th March 2011