Division inside UUP on integrated education - Mike Nesbitt MLA rules out blocking Integrated Education Bill
UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt states he will not sign a Petition of Concern
Integrated education campaigners welcome Mike Nesbitt’s stance.
Integrated Education Bill could be blocked by undemocratic Assembly ‘Petition of Concern’ mechanism
Integrated Education Bill enjoys huge support from public, consultation respondents and majority support of MLAs
Former Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt MLA has confirmed in writing to a constituent that he will not sign up to an undemocratic Assembly mechanism to block the Integrated Education Bill that is currently moving through the Assembly.
The Integrated Education Bill, approaching its final reading in the Assembly after passing the ‘Further Consideration’ Stage last week, would place modest duties on the Executive to support Integrated education. The Bill is being proposed by Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong.
Despite enjoying the majority support of MLAs since it was first proposed last year, the Bill could be blocked at Final Stage due to an Assembly mechanism known as the ‘Petition of Concern,’ which was originally designed to prevent discrimination of one community over another. The DUP have proposed a Petition of Concern to block the Integrated Education Bill, but with less than the 30 MLAs required to trigger the mechanism, the DUP need the UUP to join them.
The UUP have remained tight-lipped on whether they will join the DUP in signing a Petition of Concern - but when a concerned constituent wrote to him vowing not to vote for the UUP if the party blocked the Bill, Nesbitt confirmed replied he would not sign a Petition of Concern, even though he opposes the Bill.
Former UUP leader Robin Swann has also spoken out in the past about the ‘abuse’ of the Petition of Concern mechanism.
Nesbitt’s comments were welcomed by campaigners for integrated education.
Michael Lynch, Chair the of Integrated AlumNI group, made up of past pupils of integrated education: “We welcome Mike Nesbitt ruling out signing a Petition of Concern to block the Integrated Education Bill.
The onus is now on Doug Beattie and the UUP as a whole to rule out using the undemocratic Petition of Concern mechanism to block this Bill. The Bill has huge public support and the support of a majority of MLAs.
We live in a democracy, if it has majority support, it should pass.
Doug Beattie said in January that “we need to end educational apartheid which is taking place here in Northern Ireland.” He needs to live up to those words and commit his party to not blocking the Integrated Education Bill.”
A constituent wrote to Mike Nesbitt on Friday 25th February, saying:
Dear Mike, I am concerned that the UUP will back a Petition of Concern that will in all likelihood be put forward against the Integrated Education Bill, by the DUP. As it stands the DUP are 1 short of the 30 required. The unlikely alliance of the Catholic Maintained Schools lobby and the DUP are clearly protecting their own interests (vote).
I would be very disappointed if the UUP assisted this alliance. If this happens, I will not be able to give any UUP candidate a vote of any preference in the upcoming election. I'm sure that the vast majority of moderate voters will feel the same.
Regards,
[NAME REDACTED]
Mike Nesbitt MLA replied:
Thanks for contacting me, [NAME REDACTED].
Factually the DUP need two more signatures for a POC. It strikes me as I grow increasingly older that facts do not matter anymore. I shall not sign a PoC but this is not good legislation
Best wishes
Mike Nesbitt
MLA for Strangford
Sent from my iPhone
The Integrated Education Bill has been the subject of a campaign of misinformation, with lobby groups scaremongering about Catholic Maintained and Controlled schools losing funding.
END
Notes for editors:
Integrated AlumNI is a registered charity, forming a network of past students and supporters of integrated education in Northern Ireland.
A poll last year found 71% of people in Northern Ireland believe integrated education should be the ‘main model’ for education here.
The Integrated Education Bill is expected to reach its final stage in the Assembly in the next few weeks, which if it passes, will then become law. https://www.integratedalumni.org/