Political News
UUP: Doug Beattie will not be selected as Upper Bann candidate for next election
Doug Beattie will not be selected as the Ulster Unionist Party’s Upper Bann candidate in the next election. The BBC are reporting that he will stand either as an independent or for another party.
Economy Minister is ‘stepping in’ to fund place-names project after row between Sinn Féin and DUP
Sinn Féin have accused DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons of not funding the place-names project, something he denies, saying that responsibility was transferred to his department without funding being made available.
John O’Dowd commits to introducing Jade’s Law equivalent in Northern Ireland
The finance minister has confirmed that officials are working towards the introduction of a Jade’s Law equivalent early in the next Assembly mandate. It follows campaigning by human rights advocate Edwin Duggan, who was key to the law being introduced in England & Wales.
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Councils are responsible for local services such as waste collection, leisure centres, parks, planning, environmental health and community development. They cannot make laws. Councillors are elected using Single Transferable Vote (STV) every four years.
The Assembly is the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland, based at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. There are 90 members that are elected from 18 constituencies. The MLAs make laws on devolved matters such as health, education, justice, infrastructure and agriculture. MLAs are elected every five years using STV.
The UK Parliament is the highest legislative authority and NI is represented by 18 Members of Parliament. MPs make decision on reserved and excepted matters, which include defence, foreign policy, immigration and taxation and welfare. MPs are elected every five years in a general election using First Past the Post (FPTP)