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PM 'retains' confidence' in Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Theresa May has given her backing to Karen Bradley despite her comments about a lack of knowledge of Northern Ireland politics when she took the job. | |
The Northern Ireland Secretary said initially she did not know nationalists did not vote for unionist parties or vice-versa in elections. | |
Mrs Bradley also said she did not fathom some deep-rooted NI issues. | |
Downing Street refused to be drawn on the criteria used by the Prime Minister to appoint ministers. | |
Mrs Bradley told House magazine, a weekly publication for the Houses of Parliament. that Northern Ireland was "a very different world from the world I came from" and she did not realise campaigns are generally fought within each part of the community. | |
"I didn't understand things like when elections are fought for example in Northern Ireland - people who are nationalists don't vote for unionist parties and vice-versa." | |
"So, the parties fight for election within their own community. | "So, the parties fight for election within their own community. |
"Actually, the unionist parties fight the elections against each other in unionist communities and nationalists in nationalist communities," she added. | "Actually, the unionist parties fight the elections against each other in unionist communities and nationalists in nationalist communities," she added. |
'Working hard | |
Mrs Bradley was appointed in January to replace James Brokenshire. | |
Mr Brokenshire stepped down for medical reasons. | |
"The Northern Ireland Secretary is working incredibly hard to restore devolved government to Northern Ireland," a Number 10 spokeswoman said. | |
Asked if the PM remained confident that Ms Bradley was able to do the job, the spokeswoman replied: "Yes, she is working very closely with the parties there." | |
Asked how voters in Northern Ireland could have confidence in Ms Bradley, the spokeswoman replied: "I would point to all of the work that she is doing to restore devolved government to Northern Ireland." | |
'Slow learner' | 'Slow learner' |
The South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Máirtín Ó Muilleoir criticised Mrs Bradley: | The South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Máirtín Ó Muilleoir criticised Mrs Bradley: |
"I knew that Karen Bradley moved particularly slowly when it came to delivering rights and justice to our community, but I didn't realise she was such a slow learner as well." | "I knew that Karen Bradley moved particularly slowly when it came to delivering rights and justice to our community, but I didn't realise she was such a slow learner as well." |
However, the East Antrim DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said Mrs Bradley's lack of knowledge was understandable. | However, the East Antrim DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said Mrs Bradley's lack of knowledge was understandable. |
"Obviously it is going to be a steep learning curve for anyone who is coming into the Northern Ireland brief," he said. | "Obviously it is going to be a steep learning curve for anyone who is coming into the Northern Ireland brief," he said. |
"I think actually Karen Bradley was giving an honest answer about what she understood about Northern Ireland before she came in here" | "I think actually Karen Bradley was giving an honest answer about what she understood about Northern Ireland before she came in here" |
Labour's former Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward told the BBC that Mrs Bradley should have been better informed. | |
He said it was a dangerous thing that Mrs Bradley went into the job "without understanding the basics". | |
'A very different world' | 'A very different world' |
Northern Ireland has been without an executive since January 2017 after a bitter row between the governing parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin. | Northern Ireland has been without an executive since January 2017 after a bitter row between the governing parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin. |
On Thursday Mrs Bradley announced that she intended to cut Stormont Assembly members' pay. | On Thursday Mrs Bradley announced that she intended to cut Stormont Assembly members' pay. |
Karen Bradley has also ruled out calling a fresh Assembly election and she is to bring forward legislation to allow civil servants to make decisions in the absence of devolution. | Karen Bradley has also ruled out calling a fresh Assembly election and she is to bring forward legislation to allow civil servants to make decisions in the absence of devolution. |
MLA pay will fall in November from £49,500 to £35,888. | MLA pay will fall in November from £49,500 to £35,888. |
In her interview with House Magazine she said: "I had no idea how wonderful Northern Ireland was. I was slightly scared of Northern Ireland because of my impression and images from 20 years ago. That is not the place that it is today." | In her interview with House Magazine she said: "I had no idea how wonderful Northern Ireland was. I was slightly scared of Northern Ireland because of my impression and images from 20 years ago. That is not the place that it is today." |
"I freely admit that when I started this job, I didn't understand some of the deep-seated and deep-rooted issues that there are in Northern Ireland." | "I freely admit that when I started this job, I didn't understand some of the deep-seated and deep-rooted issues that there are in Northern Ireland." |