MLA pay will be cut from tomorrow - but is the 15% reduction in salary fair on the 41 MLAs who aren't in DUP or Sinn Fein? Should they be penalised when a return to Stormont is out of their hands?

Oct 31, 2018, 09:58 AM

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MLA pay will drop by 15% from tomorrow. But should we be offering sympathy to the 41 politicians who, as one academic puts it, are largely blameless for the current hiatus? The MLAs who are not part of the big two - Sinn Fein and the DUP. Professor Jon Tonge makes that point in today's Belfast Telegraph. Secretary of State Karen Bradley confirmed her plan to cut MLA pay last month. From tomorrow the salaries will be reduced by around £7,500. That will be followed two months later by a further cut of just over £6,000. Stephen spoke to Jon Tonge, commentator Chris Donnelly and DUP MLA Jim Wells.