Decided to start one for NI to see how it goes. A couple of recent stories of interest to start with...
Earlier this week, Gerry McHugh MLA (Fermanagh-South Tyrone) resigned from Sinn Féin. He cited problems with the controlling nature of the leadership and his concerns as to the direction of Sinn Féin post the St. Andrew's Agreement. The leakage of members from SF because of policing issues and St. Andrew's seemed to have stopped some time ago; McHugh is the first MLA since the election to do so (all the previous one's having lost their seats). His issues with the leadership seem to be the more pressing concern, though it's almost certainly his lack of personal political progress which distresses him moreso than anything else.
McHugh is now an Independent and claims he will seek to defend his seat in the next Assembly elections. If the election was held tomorrow, McHugh would have next to no chance of retaining the seat, but if things become rocky for the DUP & SF led administration...who knows?
New Composition of the Assembly| Democratic Unionist Party | 36 |
| Sinn Féin | 27 | (-1) |
| Ulster Unionist Party | 18 |
| Social Democratic and Labour Party | 16 |
| Alliance Party | 7 |
| Independents | 2 | (+1) |
| Green Party | 1 |
| Progressive Unionist Party | 1 |
Potentially a more serious party dissident is Jim Allister MEP (Ind; N. Ireland). Allister was a hardline DUP member but left after the party went into coalition with Sinn Féin. Today, he has announced the establishment of a new anti-St. Andrew's Unionist group, the "Traditional Unionist Voice". Like SF, the DUP lost a series of members earlier in the year (mostly at Councillor level). There's no doubt that there is a section of the Unionist community that will be at least sympathetic to Allister's new group. Whether or not they can be electorally successful is another matter. Only time will tell...
Meanwhile, today First Minister Paisley and Deputy First Minister McGuinness will continue their US tour with a trip to the White House to meet President Bush. They're also expected to meet Senator Clinton later today. The meetings complete their trip to the US which sought to project their newfound positive image and try and drum up inward investment in NI, while the image of them at ease with each other retains lustre.
Back in Belfast, the draft Budget has caused trouble in the coalition. The consternation of the UUP (and to a lesser extent the SDLP) is becoming more and more clear. Elements of the UUP support removing themselves from the executive but it seems unlikely Empey will take that course right now. The Budget must be finalised in January at which point all the cards will have to be played and we'll see whether things can be resolved.
