The UUP-SDLP Hokey Cokey
Regular readers will remember the "Daithi McNarry Hokey Cokey". This afternoon UUP and SDLP backbenchers performed their own "Hokey Cokey" when they voted with the Alliance in criticising the Executive's plans for new laws as lacking in innovation. This left them both in and out of the Executive, whilst retaining the right to shake its plans all about.
Alliance's amendment fell but the support of so many backbenchers from parties nominally in the Executive pointed once again to the development of an "opposition within".
Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd has accused the SDLP and UUP of "ludicrous" behaviour in voting against their own ministers' legislative plans. The ministers did not take part in the vote.
The UUP Assembly team is meeting as I write to discuss its attitude to government and opposition. The new rules drawn up at St Andrews make it impossible for them to follow the DUP's old "empty chairs" policy. But it will be interesting to see how they resolve the tension between some of their restless backbenchers and their leader's determination to fulfill his ministerial responsibilities.
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It would be nice if they could pull out and form an opposition without wrecking the whole thing, but it's probably better if we go for a period of stability. Just in case.