Reshuffle of DUP Ministers in the North

Today the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in the North has revealed the details of its ministerial reshuffle, following some criticism of 'double jobbing' politicians.

The decision to restructure the currently largest Unionist party in the Six Counties had been taken already more than a month ago (see my entry of May 26th), but the actual details were only announced this afternoon. And it appears that there have been some internal changes of mind since the reshuffle was first mooted.

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds (left), who was expected to keep his post, is surprisingly stepping-down as the North's Finance Minister and will in the future concentrate on his position as an MP.
His colleague Gregory Campbell is - as expected - losing his job as Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure as well.

Former UUP star MP Jeffrey Donaldson (right), who defected to the DUP when the UUP began to decline, will leave his job as the junior minister in the North's First Minister's office, a position he only took over 16 months ago (when he replaced Ian Paisley Jr. who had been forced to resign over a scandal).

Sammy Wilson (left), who had been expected to leave the Northern administration as well, will actually be promoted, swapping his currently held Environment brief for the more senior job of Finance Minister.

Nelson McCausland (right), a Belfast MLA, is appointed as the new Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure, a rather sensitive job that is more difficult in a divided community like the Six Counties than one might assume.

Arlene Foster will keep her post as the North's Minister for Enterprise, and former Environment Minister Edwin Poots (left), who left the Northern cabinet some time ago under a cloud, is re-called to the front bench and re-appointed to his previous portfolio

The East-Belfast MLA Robin Newtown will replace Jeffrey Donaldson as junior minister to the First Minister.

The changes, which will come into effect after the current parliamentary term ends later this month, mean that the DUP has reduced the number of sitting MPs who also hold a minister's job in the Northern Assembly.

"I indicated at the time of my appointment as First Minister that I would make changes to the ministerial team during the summer of 2009," DUP leader Peter Robinson (right) stated during a press briefing in Belfast today.
"As a party we will continue to work in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland and I look forward to all our new ministers setting about the business of delivering for the community they serve."

Robinson and the new Finance Minister Sammy Wilson remain multi-function holders as MPs, Northern ministers and Assembly members. On top of that Wilson is also a member of Belfast City Council.

However, the DUP leader said that he expects his double-jobbing MPs to choose between sitting in Westminster or Stormont.

Today's move was made with some greater urgency than had been originally expected, predominantly as a result of the recent European Parliament election.

The DUP did win one of the three European seats available in the North, with Nigel Dodds' wife Diane Dodds (left) being elected as the party's new MEP. But overall the result was rather disappointing and the DUP vote plummeted from 32% (in 2004) to 18.2%.

Only time will tell if the new ministers will make any difference to the Northern administration. Somehow I doubt it.

The Emerald Islander

Major DUP Reshuffle in the North

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in the North revealed significant changes to it's present parliamentary representation. This will lead to a major reshuffle of some of the most senior Unionist positions in the Northern Assembly and could provide promotion chances for some of the party's younger generation.

DUP leader Peter Robinson (above), who is the First Minister of the Northern Administration, has announced that six of his party's Westminster MPs will give up their positions in Ulster and concentrate full-time on their work in the British House of Commons.

The Northern Environment Minister Sammy Wilson (left) and his party colleague Gregory Campbell (right), who is Minister for Culture, Arts & Leisure in the power-sharing administration of the Six Counties, will relinquish their current posts and concentrate in future on Westminster politics.

Just two of the DUP MPs - Mr. Robinson himself and either Nigel Dodds or Jeffrey Donaldson - will stay in ministerial positions in the power-sharing executive.

Iris Robinson (who is Peter Robinson's wife), David Simpson and Willie McCrea, who all chair committees in the Northern Assembly, will also step down from their positions. This large DUP reshuffle will put the stability of the power-sharing executive to the test.

The changes are made partly in anticipation of a change in British law, which still allows dual mandates. It is expected that a ban of such arrangements will be introduced in the UK in the near future, and Conservative Party leader David Cameron (left) has already stated that he would do exactly that if he wins the next general election (which could take place within the next twelve months). Cameron also said he would favour preventing Sinn Féin MPs from claiming their expenses and allowances at Westminster, unless they take their seats in parliament (which they currently don't, because they refuse to swear the 'Oath of Allegiance' to the Queen, which is demanded from every MP).

Dual mandates for political representatives, which were fairly common in the past, have been already abolished in Ireland and most other EU countries.

At present 16 of the North's Westminster MPs are also members of the Stormont Assembly.

The current media storm over British MPs' expenses claims is causing a massive controversy at Westminster, and in the wake of this frenzy, questions are also being asked about the validity of politicians holding two - and sometimes even three - official jobs and mandates at the same time.

There are currently only two exceptions to the North's double mandate 'rule': the sole Ulster Unionist MP Sylvia Hermon, and the SDLP's Eddie McGrady.
Five Sinn Féin MPs and two SDLP representatives at Westminster are also members of the Northern Assembly.

It is quite possible that the DUP's reshuffle will trigger similar moves in other parties, and this can only be good for the democratic process and politics as a whole.
People who hold public office for too long, or hold too many positions at the same time, tend to make the process of government slow and inefficient. Some new blood ever so often is necessary, for political bodies quite in the same way as it is for families and dynasties.

The Emerald Islander