Under The Radar
So much going on that it's inevitable some things will slip under the radar. Whilst we were charging around last night reporting on Peter Robinson's return as First Minister, the Press Association reported from the House of Lords that the government had accepted a Conservative amendment banning politicians who are both MPs and MLAs from earning two salaries. So whilst double jobbing isn't yet illegal doubling your money soon could be (in fact politicians only get a reduced proportion of their second salaries).
I haven't yet written about the UUP executive's decision to turn its back on the DUP's advances and run back to its Conservative partner. Either way Sir Reg has headaches, as he now has to deal with the Lady Sylvia problem he has been putting off for so long. The "bogus" unionist unity push (as the UUP called it) may now be on hold but I stand by my previous assessment that it was an impressive tactic by Peter Robinson as it has diminished UCUNF's ability to present itself as an entirely different alternative at the Westminster election.
One aspect of the UUP Executive meeting which hasn't garnered so much publicity is that they reaffirmed the party's opposition to devolving justice at this stage to what they regard as a dysfunctional Stormont. So much for all the recent prime ministerial pressure - it looks like there will be no cloud cover for the DUP there. Of course the government officials who are tut tutting about this did not experience the Fuss at the Bus, the mobbing of the Trimble's at Upper Bann election counts or any of the other rough handling that used to go on between the DUP and the UUP.
Finally Peter Robinson's return to Stormont Castle has been greeted by calls for the publication of his legal advice. The DUP has just said Mr Robinson is "very keen that the advice can be released in as transparent and complete a form as possible and is asking the Minister of Finance who commissioned the advice to examine how this may be done." So watch this space.
Oh and "Disgusted in Derry" - "Made In Ulster" was a quote from Sammy Wilson so maybe you should take your 66% point up with him.
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