Finance: Autumn Statement-regional impact
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011More capital spending and extra support for business are the main positives from the autumn statement but further cuts are expected in public service budgets. Northern Ireland is to receive an extra £142 million (including £134 million for capital projects) up to 2015 following the Chancellor’s autumn statement but may lose £150 million in current expenditure. Those reductions are expected in Barnett consequentials i.e. cuts in UK Government departments being matched by the Executive. The whole UK is expected to experience lower growth in 2012 (0.7 per cent) with the Government borrowing...[full story]
Finance: Robert Chote-forecasting ahead
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Office for Budget Responsibility Chairman Robert Chote explains its forecasting approach to Peter Cheney and how corporation tax devolution would expand its remit. Whatever you think of its estimates, the Office for Budget Responsibility has established its independence as a professional forecaster, according to Robert Chote. agendaNi spoke to him at the Northern Ireland Economic Conference on the first anniversary of his appointment. “The key thing we needed to do on arrival,” he stated, “was to establish the reputation of the OBR as a source of rigorous, well-explained coherent...[full story]
Europe: Diane Dodds – time for an exit
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Rising costs and interference mean the UK is better off outside the EU, according to Diane Dodds. The DUP MEP discusses Northern Ireland’s place in Europe and her priorities with Peter Cheney. Diane Dodds is in the conflicting position of wanting the best financial deal for Northern Ireland in Europe and also wanting the UK to quit the EU, therefore cutting off those funds. However, she sees no such contradiction when the point is put to her. As part of a net contributor, Northern Ireland must “get more back out of Europe than it currently does” and leaving the EU would ultimately...[full story]
Politics: South Belfast by-election?
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Alasdair McDonnell’s leadership win opens up the possibility of a poll in his constituency. Voters in South Belfast may be back at the polls early next year, due to Alasdair McDonnell’s election as SDLP leader. He will become its only double-jobbing MP when Margaret Ritchie leaves Stormont in January. The party has a commitment to end dual mandates (after backing a UUP Assembly motion in November 2009) and has confirmed to agendaNi that McDonnell will make his decision “soon”. The move is already overdue as the motion set a deadline of 2011. The new leader effectively faces three...[full story]
Politics: DUP conference – a new direction?
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Traditional DUP conference rhetoric stood in stark contrast to Robinson’s appeal to moderate voters. Meadhbh Monahan reports. “There can be no greater guarantee of our long-term security in the union than the support of a significant part of the Catholic community,” Peter Robinson told delegates at the party’s annual conference on 26 November. Sammy Wilson’s comparison of Sinn Féin members’ children to hunger strikers and Nigel Dodds’ criticisms of all Irish nationalists, including Enda Kenny’s call for a Pat Finucane inquiry while “trying to neuter” the Smithwick...[full story]
Politics: UUP Conference – looking forward
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Ulster Unionists are weighing up their place in the political system and considering how to reverse a long decline. Peter Cheney reports on the conference. ‘Common Sense Government’ seemed the right slogan for a longstanding conservative party, again settling into the Executive but several Ulster Unionists see their future outside that fold. Around 400 UUP delegates gathered for the party’s annual conference in Armagh on 22 October. For now, though, the party is focused on improving government from within. Most parties want smaller government and have gone into detail about...[full story]
Politics: SDLP conference – seeking recovery
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Peter Cheney sums up the SDLP conference, where Alasdair McDonnell got off to a shaky start as leader. The party has dipped to a new low but members are determined to increase its standing again. Posters of Patsy McGlone and Conall McDevitt greeted arriving delegates along the approach roads to the Ramada Hotel, while inside McGlone’s team was conspicuous in their green T-shirts. This promised to be a livelier SDLP conference than the norm. In her final speech as leader, Margaret Ritchie claimed that “the people at the top have lost touch,” accusing Peter Robinson of being “too...[full story]
Politics: Westminster Notes
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Winter fuel cut challenged A DUP motion calling on the Government to review its plans to cut winter fuel payment was defeated, with 205 MPs voting for and 280 against. The annual tax-free payment was introduced in 1998. In 2008, Labour introduced a top-up of £50 for over 60s to £250 and £100 for over 80s to £400. These were cut by Chancellor George Osborne in the March 2011 Budget, despite David Cameron denying in opposition that he would cut the allowance if elected Prime Minister. The coalition has claimed that it is only following the previous Government’s policy. Pensions Minister...[full story]
