As Northern Ireland is getting close to the Stormont elections, political parties compete over several issues. Northern Ireland Protocol and the cost of living crisis are among the key issues to focus on.
Northern Irish Political Parties Compete in Stormont Election
The Northern Ireland Assembly was dissolved and the Stormont Election will take place on 5th May 2022. Dissolution means that there are no committee and business meetings in the Assembly. Northern Ireland Assembly consists of 90 members where different political parties participate in the legislating organization. Members of the Legislative Assembly are MLAs, and they select ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive. There are 18 constituencies across Northern Ireland and each sends 5 MLAs to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The devolved legislature in Northern Ireland makes laws in many areas, independent from London. The Northern Ireland Assembly makes decisions on areas such as employment, health, housing, environment, and agriculture. It consists of Alliance Party, Democratic Unionist Party, Green Party, the People Before Profit Alliance, and Sinn Fein. Other parties are Social Democratic Party, Labour Party, Traditional Unionist Voice, and Ulster Unionist Party.
Sinn Fein Is Leading Over Other Political Parties
Northern Ireland is getting closer to new Assembly elections or Stormont elections. Nominations have officially closed, with 239 candidates competing for 90 seats. Sinn Fein nominated the most with 34 candidates, and the Democratic Unionist Party has filed 30 candidates. Sinn Fein is the leading party, according to the Stormont election polls. The party is close to maintaining 28 per cent of the popular vote they received in the 2017 elections. Sinn Fein’s gap has widened with its nearest rival, and it extended its lead over the Democratic Unionist Party. By the beginning of electoral campaigns, the DUP had said Sinn Fein was running away from its campaign for a border poll. The next Assembly should help people who are struggling with the cost of living crisis rather than a struggle for unionism. Sinn Fein should come clean with the people without hiding its real intention from the voters.
Political Parties Should Focus on Solving Economic Issues
Stormont election is about real change and about the future of Northern Ireland. Political parties should be committed to tackling the cost of living crisis. Many families have faced an economic crisis in Northern Ireland and a shaky economy is essential to help people. The 2017 election did not cause new developments, and the political parties spent three years working out their differences. Brexit, the pandemic, and the global energy crisis have added to the cost of living crisis in Northern Ireland. A group of protesters has called for 1000 pounds extra help to help families in Northern Ireland. Political parties should focus on economic issues to support workers and families and cut their households bills. Nearly 30 percent of households in Northern Ireland cannot afford their bills. Most of these people may have to borrow money or cut back on other expenses to cover high costs.
Poverty Will Hit Most Regions in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland needs a functioning executive as many households need protection from rising costs. According to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, the rising inflation has surged the number of households in poverty. All regions in Northern Ireland will face extreme poverty in the coming year. The combined impact of higher prices and higher National Insurance contributions have pushed many households into poverty. Low-income households cannot tolerate these rising costs and will suffer significant social consequences. When the pandemic hit Northern Ireland, around one in five people lived in poverty. One in fourteen households was in food security, and more than 100 thousand children were living in poverty. The cost of living crisis is the main concern among the people of Northern Ireland. This crisis is the top concern for Northern Irish consumers, with energy and goods costs increasing.
Northern Irish People Struggle to Pay their Bills
Nearly 70 percent of people in Northern Ireland have said they have had to pay rising energy bills in December 2021. This number is above 55 percent in other nations of the UK. As a result, 46 percent of households have put the heating on less. Around 42 percent have reduced their use of lights and appliances, and many people have chosen cheaper shopping. Unfortunately, 9 percent of people in Northern Ireland have had to skip meals to afford the cost of living crisis. The Northern Ireland Protocol has also added to the economic difficulties. The UK and the EU have not resolved the issues, but they may solve them after the May elections. The UK and the EU had agreed on the Protocol during Brexit negotiations. Both sides have decided to safeguard the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.
The UK Should Resolve Northern Ireland Protocol’s Issues
The UK government did not want a hard border between the North and the Republic of Ireland. Under the protocol, there are checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. Such checks require more paperwork and cause a delay in goods delivery to Northern Ireland. The protocol should have enabled a smooth function of trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland. In fact, there is a border in the Irish Sea to avoid an EU border with Northern Ireland. As a result, Northern Ireland does not have the same place inside the UK’s internal market as the other nations. Although the protocol aims to prevent disputation on the island of Ireland, it has caused dissatisfaction in Northern Ireland. The leading political party in Northern Ireland is running its campaign for a border poll. But people need better economic plans in the next Northern Ireland Assembly.
Conclusion
On 5th May, people in Northern Ireland go to the polls to elect 90 members to the Northern Ireland Assembly. A total of 239 candidates from several political parties will contest the Stormont election. There are many factors involved in the Northern Ireland Elections. Economic issues and the cost of living crisis are some of the important factors for most voters. The global soaring energy prices, the pandemic consequences, and Brexit rules have created economic difficulties. According to the surveys, Sinn Fein is the leading political party in Northern Ireland. Its rival has revealed it is planning for a border poll following the Stormont election. Now, many people of Northern Ireland are engaged with the cost of living crisis. Their priority is eating and heating while they struggle to pay their bills. Sinn Fein needs to concentrate on economic issues and come clean about its intentions.
