UK government U-turns on ‘double jobbing’ for Northern Ireland politicians

All major parties except the DUP opposed the change, which has not been dropped

The parliament buildings at the Stormont Assembly in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA) (PA Archive)

The UK government is to drop controversial plans to reintroduce "double jobbing" for Northern Irish MPs, following an outcry.

Ministers had been planning to change the rules to let MPs also sit as MLAs without the need to step down from their seats.

But the move was opposed by all of the main parties in Northern Ireland except the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Critics of the change pointed out that the change would allow DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson to stand for the assembly while remaining MP for Lagan Valley.

This would avoid a potentially difficult by-election for Sir Jeffrey's party, which has been struggling in the polls. The DUP has denied that it has struck any agreement with the UK government over the issue.

Following a question from a Tory MP, Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that the government was dropping support for the double jobbing amendment.

The chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Simon Hoare, had asked the prime minister: "The vast majority of people and indeed politicians across Northern Ireland believe that whatever the question, double-jobbing is not the answer, could I urge my Right Honourable friend to listen to the majority and ask him not to move the Government amendment in the other place later today?"

Mr Johnson replied: "I'm grateful to my honourable friend and I'm advised that I think the amendment in question is indeed going to be withdrawn."

Under the plans, MPs would have been elected MLAs and remain as Members of Parliament until the following general election - only quitting their parliamentary seats at that point.

The current law banning double jobbing in Northern Ireland came into effect in 2016.

In an open letter to Mr Johnson on Tuesday six parties called for the plan to be dropped. It was signed by Alliance leader Naomi Long, Green Party NI leader Clare Bailey, UUP leader Doug Beattie, People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill.

But DUP leader Sir Jeffrey said: "I've had a lot of people saying we want you to remain our voice at Westminster but we also want you to lead your team into the Assembly elections." He added: "To be absolutely clear, there was never any question of any deal around any of this issue."