Sinn Féin “cannot continue to peddle fantasy economics and simply ignore the fact that Northern Ireland is part of the UK”, Mark Brotherston, NI Conservatives’ spokesman, has warned, as discussions on welfare reform and budget cuts looked set to falter, at Stormont.
“The situation has become critical, as the Executive parties continue to fail to carry out the most basic tasks of government”, Mark stated. “Sinn Féin in particular has point blank refused to take fundamental decisions, or even acknowledge that Northern Ireland has to live within its budget in the first place. The party is living in a fantasy world, where it doesn’t have to make difficult choices and where the situation in the rest of the UK is completely irrelevant to what happens here.”
“The choice for the Stormont Executive couldn’t be clearer. It has to reform welfare, so that it is largely in line with the rest of the UK, or it has to make cuts elsewhere, in order to pay for its own, more expensive system. NI Conservatives believe that it would be crazy to keep a broken, unfair, failing system and reject reforms which are already helping people into work and out of poverty in Great Britain. However Stormont has every right to make that choice, if it wishes. What the Executive cannot do is spend money it doesn’t have.”
“The economics are so basic they could be understood by a six year old child, yet Sinn Féin, in particular, either doesn’t ‘get it’ or doesn’t want to ‘get it’. In fact, their point blank refusal raises questions as to whether the party has any sincere desire to contribute constructively to the governance of Northern Ireland, or do what’s best for people here. Even Labour has ruled out restoring the old, failed welfare system. It seems the only party prepared to push for that outcome is Sinn Féin. Unfortunately, the repercussions will be felt by the people of Northern Ireland, as other services are cut, if the devolved institutions do not break down altogether.”