Stormont Assembly Speaker Robin Newton
By Anthony Neeson
The man that North Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness sent his formal resignation to Monday had already heard from Mr. McGuinness’s party Sinn Féin.
And it wasn’t a New Year greeting.
Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker, Robin Newton, was the recipient of a Sinn Féin motion of no confidence prior to the McGuinness resignation letter - across the top of which McGuinness penned in ink, “Robin a chara.”
The motion followed the debate in Stormont before Christmas on the botched Renewable Heating Initiative scheme during which the DUP man was heavily criticized by all parties – except his own – when he allowed First Minister Arlene Foster to make a statement without the support of Deputy First Minister McGuinness.
The First and Deputy First Minister hold joint office at Stormont, and Sinn Féin had not given Mrs. Foster permission to speak as First Minister.
Robin Newton, an East Belfast MLA, faced resignation calls from Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Ulster Unionist Party after chaotic scenes in the Assembly chamber on December 19.
Now Sinn Féin say that that when the Assembly returns after its Christmas break next week they will be calling on Mr. Newton to resign from his post.
The party’s chief whip, Carál Ní Chuilín, said a motion of no confidence has been lodged against the speaker.
“We have lodged our motion of no confidence in Speaker Robin Newton,” the North Belfast MLA said.
“The performance in the Assembly on 19th December was a shambles, and totally compromised the independence and integrity of that office.
“The speaker should be above reproach and independently accountable to the political institutions. However, he is acting without regard to the integrity of the office and as such his position is now untenable.
“He is now part of the problem and an integral part of the unfolding crisis and he should resign immediately.”
Meanwhile, an SDLP MLA has branded the impending Assembly showdown between Sinn Féin and the DUP a “soap opera.”
South Belfast MLA, Claire Hanna, said: “Whether the DUP and Sinn Féin play out this sham fight or they go to an election, we need a plan for Brexit… and we need them to get on with it.”
Part of Hanna’s question was answered Monday with the resignation announcement by Mr. McGuinness and its primary potential political consequence: an election.
Hanna’s reference to Brexit is pertinent, however.
Sinn Féin and Foster’s DUP were on opposite sides of the issue in last June’s referendum with the majority of voters in the North ultimately backing the “Remain” position held not just by Sinn Féin, but by all the other parties bar the DUP.
In an upcoming election, the DUP could find itself in difficulty having defend its pro-“Leave” stance, especially in the face of competition from the UUP, which backed the “Remain” campaign.
