Member

We are told that there is a now a Stormont brake. That is a great improvement. Since it was introduced, we have not had a single example of it being operated in Northern Ireland. We were told by many Members of your Lordships’ House, and others, that this would be a massive improvement, that it was a major step forward for democracy. Well, it is not much of a democratic right when all you can do is say yes and no for a law that applies to your country. You cannot formulate it, you cannot amend it, you can only say yes or no to somebody else’s law. But even on those very restricted terms, there has not been a single example of it being operated yet. That is something that needs to be seriously examined.