Alliance Chief Whip Andrew Muir MLA has encouraged other parties to back an Assembly motion submitted by Alliance calling on the UK Government to scrap the proposed re-introduction of double-jobbing.

The move would allow MPs to run for the Assembly while keeping their Westminster seat until the next General Election. However, the motion submitted by Mr Muir states the roles of MP and MLA are full-time jobs, calling on the immediate withdrawal of the motion.

“This is an appalling decision by the UK Government to attempt and reintroduce something which is opposed by the majority of people and parties in Northern Ireland,” said the North Down MLA.

“Alliance has tabled this motion and I would encourage all other parties to put their name to it. Alliance was the first local party to tackle the scourge of double-jobbing and people backed that. There is absolutely no excuse to try and bring it back.

“Far from having sufficient consensus to reintroduce double-jobbing, the overwhelming consensus is the Government should withdraw the amendment. You simply cannot be in two places and doing two full-time jobs at once.

“My colleague Naomi Long MLA has written to other party leaders, asking them to co-sign an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, indicating the strength of opposition here to this move. Alliance is against it, most other parties are, and so are the public. It’s time the UK Government listens to us all on it.”

The wording of the motion submitted to the Assembly by Alliance -

'That this Assembly recognises that the roles of MP and MLA are full-time jobs, is totally opposed to the re-introduction of double-jobbing for MPs and MLAs even on a time-limited basis, notes no consensus exists amongst Northern Ireland parties for this legislative change and urges the UK Government to immediately withdraw the proposed change.'