Northern Ireland’s political leaders have voiced growing concern that the Prime Minister has yet to respond to their request for urgent talks on Stormont’s strained budget, amid claims that internal turmoil within the Labour Party is causing a distraction.
Budget Crisis in Northern Ireland
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly called for a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer a month ago, warning that the powersharing Executive’s budget was at “breaking point.” Ministers have still not agreed a budget for the current financial year and insist they need additional financial support from the Treasury to avoid severe cuts to public services.
Concerns Over Westminster Distractions
Speaking separately at the Balmoral agricultural show near Lisburn, both leaders highlighted that events at Westminster were hampering efforts to secure a budget. Ms O’Neill stated, “There’s a calamity happening in Westminster and for me that underlines the fact that why we need to take control of our own fortunes here at home.” She added that the ongoing “mess” in Westminster, under both Labour and previous Conservative governments, shows Northern Ireland is never prioritised.
The First Minister specifically pointed to the cost of fuel as a major issue for farmers, noting that the UK Government holds the levers to reduce taxes. “We have not had a response from the Prime Minister in relation to the cost-of-living issues that we have raised directly,” she said, vowing to keep pressing the case.
Ms O’Neill emphasised that the distraction in Westminster prevents meaningful discussions on increasing the budget allocation. “We’re asking for fairness for people here… but because of the debacle that’s happening in Westminster, their minds aren’t focused,” she added.
Deputy First Minister’s Perspective
DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly echoed these sentiments, saying there is “a lot of distraction happening at Westminster” which is not good for Northern Ireland. She stressed the need for a stable UK government to collaborate on important issues, including a sustainable budget.
Ms Little-Pengelly acknowledged a “very sizeable gap” between what is needed to maintain frontline services and what has been received in the budget. She called for collaboration with the UK Government to drive efficiency and transformation, particularly in health and education, while ensuring service improvements.
Asked whether the Westminster situation diminishes the prospect of agreeing a budget at Stormont, she replied, “I think it’s very difficult. We do need that support from Treasury to enable us to get that agreed budget. The sooner those discussions can happen, the sooner we can get to the position of taking a look at how we can get that budget in place.”
UK Government Response
A UK Government spokesperson responded: “The Prime Minister is getting on with the job at hand and delivering change for people across the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State formally responded to the first and deputy first ministers on April 28, and dialogue is ongoing between the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive.”
The spokesperson highlighted that the UK Government has provided a £19.3 billion per year average funding settlement for the spending review period, the largest in real terms in the history of devolution, and added that over £750 million in additional Barnett consequentials has been announced.
