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RHI scandal: Arlene Foster faces no-confidence vote RHI: NI First Minister Arlene Foster 'resists quest to build political gallows'
(about 2 hours later)
NI First Minister Arlene Foster is facing a vote of no confidence over her involvement in a botched heating scheme that could cost the taxpayer £400m. A vote of no confidence in Northern Ireland's First Minister, Arlene Foster, has been defeated in the assembly.
Earlier, MLAs walked out of the Assembly chamber in protest against a statement by the DUP leader into the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme. Stormont's political institutions are under threat of a meltdown in a row over a botched heating scheme.
She said that not introducing crucial cost-control measures in the scheme was her "deepest political regret". Members of the assembly walked out of the chamber twice on Monday morning.
Other parties objected to her being given permission to make the statement. However, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said Sinn Féin - partners in government with the DUP - would not be pulling the plug on Stormont.
The Office of First and Deputy First Minister at the Northern Ireland Assembly is a joint role and the deputy first minister, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, had withdrawn his approval for Mrs Foster to speak on the issue. Mrs Foster, the DUP leader, said she would resist her opponents' "fevered quest" to build her "political gallows".
She exclaimed "trial by television" as she faced a no-confidence vote over the botched Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI) that could cost taxpayers £400m.
In an interview with the BBC's Stephen Nolan on Thursday, Jonathan Bell, a former enterprise minister, broke ranks with his DUP colleagues and made a number of sensational claims about how the controversial scheme was handled.
The RHI was set up by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Deti) under the stewardship of Mrs Foster in 2012 to encourage businesses and other non-domestic users to move from using fossil fuels to renewable heating systems.The RHI was set up by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Deti) under the stewardship of Mrs Foster in 2012 to encourage businesses and other non-domestic users to move from using fossil fuels to renewable heating systems.
But flaws in setting the scheme's subsidy rate left it open to abuse as claimants could earn more cash the more fuel they burned.But flaws in setting the scheme's subsidy rate left it open to abuse as claimants could earn more cash the more fuel they burned.
The scheme was finally halted early this year, by which time its overall cost had reached £1.18bn.The scheme was finally halted early this year, by which time its overall cost had reached £1.18bn.
About £20m a year for the next two decades could be taken from the Northern Ireland budget to cover the overspend.About £20m a year for the next two decades could be taken from the Northern Ireland budget to cover the overspend.
'Political gallows' "They can't gang up and kick out the elected leader of unionism," Mrs Foster told the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The no-confidence motion was tabled by the SDLP and is backed by the UUP, Alliance Party, Green Party, TUV and People Before Profit, but Mrs Foster has decried it as a "trial by television" and "a Carry On film-type coup d'état". "I am here and I will be staying here," she said. "I have acted with the highest level of integrity."
Proposing the motion, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said digging into the RHI scandal had uncovered "staggering incompetence", and that digging deeper "may uncover corruption". She also treated her political opponents in the SDLP, Ulster Unionists, Alliance and TUV, to a razor-sharp tongue lashing. The gloves were off.
He appealed to Mrs Foster to think beyond herself and her party and step aside. She said she was "glad" that Colum Eastwood, SDLP, and Mike Nesbitt, UUP, "aren't very good" at opposition.
In a fiery response, the first minister railed against being rushed to the "political gallows", saying there was a premature and inappropriate race to judge her. The Alliance Party had, in the past, acted in a more "considered and responsible way", she said, "but that was under a different leader".
"They can't gang up and kick out the elected leaders of unionism," she said of her political rivals. "No doubt, at some point, we will hear today this decision is related to the flags protest," she said.
"I am here and I will be staying here... I have acted with the highest level of integrity." Mrs Foster said the motion to bring her down was "doomed" and that this was a "coup d'état more worthy of a Carry On Film".
Three hours have been set aside to allow MLAs to debate the no-confidence motion. Earlier, a series of stormy arguments and walk-outs threatened to lurch Northern Ireland into a fresh constitutional crisis.
Conor Murphy, one of only a handful of Sinn Féin MLAs in the chamber, described the situation as an "unedifying shambles". The row that erupted in the assembly on Monday was over Mrs Foster's decision to "fly solo" .
He said the motion needed to be about more than the career of one individual, adding that it needed to investigate the roles of civil servants in setting up the scheme, as well as those who benefited from it. She prepared to make a ministerial statement without the support of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin, with whom she shares the joint office.
Analysis - BBC News NI political correspondent Enda McClaffertyAnalysis - BBC News NI political correspondent Enda McClafferty
When it works, it shows politics in Northern Ireland is moving in the right direction but when it goes wrong it reopens old wounds and leaves the institutions hanging by a thread.When it works, it shows politics in Northern Ireland is moving in the right direction but when it goes wrong it reopens old wounds and leaves the institutions hanging by a thread.
Joint ministerial authority means Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have equal power and cannot work in isolation. They have no choice.Joint ministerial authority means Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have equal power and cannot work in isolation. They have no choice.
That's why Arlene Foster's decision to make a statement without the support of her partner in office today has plunged Stormont into a fresh crisis.That's why Arlene Foster's decision to make a statement without the support of her partner in office today has plunged Stormont into a fresh crisis.
Joint office is the bond which holds Stormont together, it now appears to be melting fast in this heating scandal.Joint office is the bond which holds Stormont together, it now appears to be melting fast in this heating scandal.
Earlier, Opposition politicians had been highly critical of Stormont Speaker Robin Newton for allowing Mrs Foster's statement to proceed. The other parties walked out of the chamber and stormed to the press microphones to voice their anger.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Mr Newton's decision came perilously close to ripping up the joint nature of the Executive Office. Mr McGuinness made it clear that Mrs Foster did not speak for him or with him. He said she would be acting without his approval or authority.
But after hearing objections from a number of MLAs, Mrs Foster finally told the depleted chamber no-one in government nor industry had picked up on crucial failings in relation to the overgenerous tariff offered by the RHI scheme. Earlier, he had warned that a DUP-established inquiry into the so-called "cash for ash" affair would have no credibility.
She said she had not imposed the scheme on the people of Northern Ireland, adding that while she was setting out a plan to deal with the fall out, others were trying to use the situation for political gain. He also said that there would be grave consequences if the DUP took a unilateral approach and Mrs Foster made a ministerial statement without his support.
Sinn Féin wanted Mrs Foster to step aside during an investigation by an independent judicial figure, but the party's proposed amendment to the SDLP motion was ruled inadmissible. Speaker Robin Newton, DUP, found himself at the eye of the storm, facing a barrage from politicians over the right of Mrs Foster to make the statement without the support of her deputy first minister.
The DUP supports an investigation, but rejected calls for the first minister to step down. But he went ahead and called on Mrs Foster to speak.
No credibility? She ended up preaching to the converted as nearly all of the MLAs from the other parties left the chamber again.
In an interview with the BBC's Stephen Nolan on Thursday, Mr Bell, a former enterprise minister, broke ranks with his DUP colleagues and made a number of sensational claims about how the controversial scheme was handled. Her DUP colleagues heard her say that not introducing cost-control measures in a botched heating scheme was the "greatest political regret of my life".
He said DUP advisers had delayed his plans to close down the scheme. It was not clear whether she was speaking in her capacity as first minister or whether it was personal.
The party denies this, and Arlene Foster has criticised Mr Bell's handling of the matter. The DUP accused the other parties of "running away" when they left the chamber and Mrs Foster asked: "Where are they? The people of Northern Ireland deserve better than this."
Mr Bell had said a whistleblower civil servant had told him references to Mrs Foster were removed from a document as the ending of the scheme was being considered. The other parties rolled their eyes.
Economy Minister Simon Hamilton released documents on Sunday which he said questioned Mr Bell's version of events, although he conceded serious allegations made by Mr Bell warranted investigation. Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit, said there was "no shortage of clowns but no ring master" at Stormont.
Mr Bell was suspended from the DUP over the weekend for speaking to the press without permission. "We are now in La La land and limbo land," he said.
The Treasury, which was due to cover the cost of the RHI scheme, said the executive would have to find the money for the enormous overspend. TUV leader Jim Allister said: "I know it's pantomime season but what has happened today is beyond farce."
But Mrs Foster said that the executive believes at least half of the scheme's projected £400m cost to the Stormont budget can still be saved.