not2old

Anyone following this?

NI welfare reform was voted down - it did not happen.

Northern Ireland welfare reform bill fails to pass - BBC News

"During the assembly debate, Finance Minister Arlene Foster warned that if the bill failed to pass, "£604m of cuts would have to be made to vital, frontline public services, the services that the most vulnerable in our community need and rely upon".

what does this mean?

Well, the NI government wanted to introduce welfare reforms that are newly in place in the rest of the UK - it wont go ahead

Changes to benefits - Welfare Reform | nidirect

Is it now better for some folks to move to or those considering to expatriate back to the UK, to move to NI?

One that I have been following is the 'Attendance Allowance', which in the rest of the UK requires 2 years residency - in NI its only six months

Attendance Allowance - eligibility | nidirect

'Universal credit' will not be instituted in NI

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/index.htm
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rebeccajo

Why would you think that the reforms won't go through?

Westminster can take back the reforms and run them themselves. Or threaten the entire devolved government................

not2old

I don't think it will happen - do you?

NI welfare reform debate: Ford says Stormont 'in dangerous position' - BBC News

Westminster wouldn't go as far as being so stupid - or would they?

If they did, would it likely lead to further repercussions in Scotland as well as the Welsh assembly on other issues the nationalists have with the strong arm of Westminster?

The SNP would have a field day should they act on Stormont' IMO

rebeccajo

The devolved governments are very different in each country, as are the issues. Experts have been talking about this for over a year, and all agree that what happens in NI has naught to do with Scotland. It was discussed heavily before the In/Out Scottish referendum was held last fall.

Scotland is more robust economically than NI, and certainly more politically stable.

This is not something that has happened overnight. It's been brewing since the welfare reforms came in to play and reached a pitch in December. Stormont accepted the block grant in December but now they can't agree (nothing new here). The DUP would rather have Westminster step in than they would agree with Sinn Fein (again nothing new here).

formula

Yes, on the politics forum on the adults only digitalspy.co.uk site.

The failed experiment that is Northern Irish devolution - Politics - Digital Spy Forums

not2old

interesting link, thanks

I'd wish NI would separate from the UK & why not, after all, Scotland wants its independence, so why not NI - then again who would want them other than Scotland?

So would it be just like Scotland to wish NI go the route of break away from the rest of the UK, then the English & Welsh can get on with their lives without any hangers on, a scrapping of Barnett formula would be a good start.

I don't think the SNP have seen it coming what Westminster is doing too them with all this before an early vote for the EU referendum, which I am hoping is an 'OUT' decision.

Could this be the 'Divide and rule'?

I'm also guessing the Queens speech today, the Cons can carry through will likely see a lot of changes coming in the future

unique_boy

Well from what I have heard, the main reason the bill is being rejected is that it sizeable proportion of SF and DUP (two major parties) votes come from areas that will be heavily affected by benefit cuts. Thus they don't want to jeopardize their power by allowing the reforms to pass.

I don't really see why they can object other than selfish reasons, England has already put them in place an are struggling in some places.