Sinn Féin Leas-Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill has said the Tories should ‘abandon’ plans to bring back double-jobbing for MPs and MLAs.

The Mid Ulster MLA has today written to the British Secretary of State criticising the Tory/NIO cynical attempt to prop up the DUP.

Michelle O’Neill said:

“I have today written to Brandon Lewis and told him that his government should abandon plans to bring back double-jobbing for MPs and MLAs.

“The reality is that all of the Assembly parties, with the exception of the DUP, are opposed to this backward policy.

“This is a cynical move and a desperate attempt by Boris Johnson’s Tories to prop up the DUP and give Jeffrey Donaldson an each way bet to both contest the Assembly election, yet retain his Westminster seat.

“This amendment is sponsored by Jonathan Caine, the NIO Under Secretary of State and shows to what lengths the Tories will go to shore up unionism, despite their endless talk of a balanced approach.

“I also made it clear to the British Secretary of State that it will be viewed as disgraceful interference in the democratic process and the upcoming Assembly election.

“Individuals should not be allowed to hog elected positions and deny people their right to elect more representatives. These plans should be abandoned now.”