UUP leader Mike Nesbitt writes to Assembly speaker Robin Newton asking him to stand down
Posted By: December 21, 2016
- Maeve Connolly. Irish News (Belfast). Wednesday, December 21, 2016
The DUP speaker had faced unprecedented criticism from fellow assembly members on Monday ahead of a statement by first minister Arlene Foster about the botched Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
Mr. Newton had been repeatedly asked to specify under which assembly rules the special sitting was being held. He had recalled the assembly at the request of Ms. Foster, however, because Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had withdrawn support for the first minister’s statement, assembly members insisted it did not have the necessary support of the joint office and should not be delivered.
In his letter, Mr. Nesbitt said Mr. Newton’s decisions had “risked undermining the joint nature of the Executive Office”.
“On that basis… I regret to say you have lost the confidence of the Ulster Unionist Party. On that basis, may I respectfully urge you to use the break to reflect on whether you are best placed to lead the Assembly in 2017,” he wrote.
Mr. Newton, an East Belfast assembly member, had written to assembly members to explain his decision to allow the first minister to make her statement on the botched heating scheme which has left taxpayers footing a £400 million bill.
Mr Newton has also been criticised in recent weeks over his handling of questions relating to the Charter NI funding controversy,
