OPERATION OPPOSITION

​It really has been quite a week for the Assembly. It looked very much like all change but no change as the results came out from the Assembly elections. However, in the fall out, something important is happening. The smaller Unionist and Nationalist parties - the SDLP and UUP have not been content to nurse their post election wounds and just 'accept' the scraps from the table that the two larger parties are prepared to offer them.



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WHAT HAPPENED?

• Mike Nesbitt made the first move declaring the UUP's move into opposition. This certainly was not in the script and took other parties by surprise. Sinn Fein accused them of undermining the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.
• However, the UUP was soon followed by the SDLP. This too was a bold move and many optimists would hope for a pan unionist - nationalist alliance against the big two. However, could this be a reality?

WHY OPPOSITION?

• The first reason is simple. It is because they now can. John McAllister's Opposition bill was passed in the previous Assembly and it put in place the mechanisms for an effective opposition. For example, it guaranteed, speaking rights on the floor ; financial support for an opposition and many of the rights granted in Westminster. 

BBC: UUP Opposition 1

BBC: UUP Opposition Reaction

BBC: Assembly analysis

BBC: SDLP Opposition

• Secondly, it is a risk to give up Executive seats - especially as smaller parties. There may be accusations of them being irrelevant. However, supporters argue that the irrelevance is being in the Executive with the two big parties - who carve up power. It is almost impossible to form an effective identity as a party when you are in the Executive with the rest. For the UUP and SDLP the gloves can now come off and they can freely criticise the Executive and its decisions

WILL IT WORK?

• It has the potential to work. Every country with any meaningful democracy needs an opposition. Perhaps it is a sign of much needed political maturity. 
• There are many unanswered questions. For example should there be a shadow team of Opposition MLA's as in other oppositions? 
• There are difficulties too. The SDLP and the UUP may of course agree on many issues.  However, they fundamentally disagree on some issues too and this could be divisive as an opposition. They would not agree for example on parades and flags or even Irish language. Social issues like the abortion debate could also be divisive. Even on Europe, while both have been pro EU in the debate, the UUP is undoubtedly much more split on the issue

WHAT ABOUT ALLIANCE?

The Alliance Party also made a principled stand this week. They had been offered the Justice Ministry again by the DUP and SF. This seemed an inviting gesture as the party did not automatically qualify for an Executive seat. However, many in the party regarded it as a patronising gimmick. They put forward a list of demands to be accepted before any post was filled. When these weren't addressed the Party voted to reject the offer. This has caused a flurry of political activity as this is obviously a very sensitive Executive position. The likely candidate is Clare Sugden, an independent Unionist.