A “seismic political shift” following last week’s elections has been hailed as exciting by Northern Ireland’s First Minister.
Michelle O’Neill was speaking after the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru topped the polls in Scotland and Wales.
She said that she and Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald have spoken with Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth who is set to become first minister of Wales.
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth who is set to become Welsh first minister (PA)
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She said they spoke of “the potential that we have to find the common ground to work together to build towards a brighter, better future for our respective people”.
“We have had a seismic political shift in terms of the outcome of the election,” she told reporters in Parliament Buildings in Belfast on Monday.
“I think it’s quite an exciting juncture, the very first time we have nationalist first ministers in Scotland, Wales and here with myself.
“I think that is quite an exciting journey in terms of where we pivot to next.
“We want better for our people, we want a better arrangement for our people, and we have committed to work together on that common ground, to work out how we can bring about positive change for our people, and at the core of that change is about independence for our people, free from the limitations of Westminster, free from the disregard from Westminster and towards a bright, more positive future.”
SDLP leader Claire Hanna said the UK is “changing substantially”, adding her party is determined that Northern Ireland “won’t just be a passenger in that”.
“The symbolism of the first ministers is significant, but we’ve got to use the power that we have here, and we’ve got to do the work of persuasion,” she said.
However, she also pointed out that “symbolism doesn’t put bread on anyone’s table”, and emphasised the need to “use power responsibly and change people’s lives”, adding her party in Opposition is “working every day” to press ministers in terms of their responsibilities.
(left to right) Jonathan Buckley MLA, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, DUP leader Gavin Robinson MP and DUP deputy leader Michelle McIlveen (Liam McBurney/PA)
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However DUP leader Gavin Robinson dismissed the view, describing a vote against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and not for the dismantling of the United Kingdom.
He also described “two and a half” nationalist first ministers, referring to the joint office at Stormont shared by his colleague Emma Little-Pengelly.
“The First Minister of Northern Ireland is in a joint office with this unionist,” he said, motioning towards Ms Little-Pengelly standing beside him.
“Nothing has changed, Scotland had a First Minister that believed in Scottish independence last week, and the week before, votes for nationalism in Northern Ireland have not increased by one iota in percentage terms since 1998.
“More importantly, right throughout the United Kingdom, unionist parties got more votes than anywhere else, and anybody else in the elections last week.”
He added: “People in Scotland were voting against Keir Starmer, not the union, people in Wales were voting against Keir Starmer, not against the union, and when we get our chance, people in Northern Ireland have their say next year, I guarantee that unionism will win that election, and if unionists can bring themselves to co-operate they will win in a way that cannot be ignored.”
Justice Minister Naomi Long and Alliance deputy leader Eoin Tennyson speaking to the media during a press conference in The Great Hall of Parliament Buildings at Stormont, Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)
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Meanwhile Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said it is “clear that people are fed up with politics”, across the world.
She called for reform of political systems, and particularly criticised the first-past-the-post election system as “biased towards extreme views”, adding it “doesn’t give the narrative of the majority”.
“We need to reset the dial.
“People are not wrong to be frustrated at politics, though I may not agree at how they express their frustration, if we as politicians don’t step up and make the difference that is required, the public are going to make a difference, whether that’s a difference that will lead to better outcomes for them, I think is highly questionable,” she said.
