Double or Quits?
Dawn Purvis's council/MLA double jobbing bill has been through several debates at the bill, as covered previously on this blog. Now with the final stage due in the next couple of weeks, Ms Purvis has got wind that the DUP is planning to table a "petition of concern" requiring both a unionist and nationalist majority for the measure to proceed. This will mean that the DUP can block the private member's bill.
Ms Purvis is furious, accusing the DUP of "outrageous behaviour" and using the special procedure "to support their own interests as a political party".
DUP sources say their offer of a compromise on phasing out council/assembly double jobbing was spurned and those who rejected it "have only themselves to blame". They insist that if the bill is blocked the DUP won't be acting purely in its own interests, but in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland in general.
Given the bad odour attached to "double jobbing", blocking the bill might not be the most popular course of action the DUP could take. Nevertheless it seems to be under serious consideration.
I'm 
Comments