Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.MPs from Northern Ireland will be banned from sitting in the Stormont Assembly as well as Westminster, the Government said yesterday.
The Northern Ireland Secretary, Owen Paterson, vowed to crack down on "double-jobbing" politicians who are paid to sit in Parliament as well as the devolved Belfast institution.
Mr Paterson said: "I don't believe anybody can be a full-time MP and a full-time Assembly Member, and so I will give you this commitment today – by agreement, if possible, but by law if necessary, we will end double-jobbing."
Mr Paterson believed that now peace had largely been restored to the six counties, it was time for Stormont to focus on rejuvenating Northern Ireland's economy.
"The next step is to move beyond the peace process and build a prosperous Northern Ireland in which everyone has a genuinely shared future," he said.
"We are living through very tough times, but we can't ignore the fact that as a result of Labour's legacy the UK as a whole is borrowing £232,000 a minute and Northern Ireland has to play its part in reducing the deficit." PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments