Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA has said recent announcements by the British government undermine power-sharing arrangements and drive a ‘coach and horses’ through the legislative basis of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Junior Minister was speaking today after discussions with the British, Welsh and Scottish governments.

Declan Kearney said:

“I made my position very clear to Michael Gove today that recent announcements by his government undermine the legislative basis of the Good Friday Agreement and the operation of power-sharing in the north.

“I reiterated that the power sharing Executive and the Assembly are the only bodies with a mandate to make decisions for the people of the north.

“Locally elected ministers should be making decisions on spending priorities and regional public services, not a Tory government which has no mandate in the north. 

“The approach of the government in England towards the government here in the north, and administrations of Scotland and Wales is nothing short of an attempted power-grab. This is more about the narrow interests of Boris Johnson and the Tories, than the interests of people who actually live here.

“That fact is reinforced with the Tory announcement to open an office in the north. These decisions drive a coach and horses through the political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, and treat the citizens here, who elected local ministers with a mandate to govern on their behalf, with absolute contempt.”