Dictatorship in Northern Ireland

I am surprised so little is made of the fact that Northern Ireland is a dictatorship.

Because its legislative assembly cannot agree on an executive, it is suspended and the UK imposes direct rule. This does not mean that NI is treated as an integral part of the UK, given adequate representation in Parliament and subject to laws passed their along with the rest of us.

It means, in fact, that their Secretary of State rules by diktat. Smoking in public places, for example. In devolved Scotland, the act outlawing it was debated and agreed in a democratic manner. Similarly in England and Wales. In Northern Ireland, Peter Hain just signed a piece of paper.

to anyone who believes in constitutional procedure this is quite obnoxious. And quite unnecessary. It seems to me that the government does not understand the fundamentally separate functions of an executive and a legislature. Government does not have to be parliamentary, as in Britain and Canada. Look at the US.

Let's accept that NI should have a devolved government, let's accept that it has to be based on power-sharing, let's accept that the politicians there are not yet capable of forming one. But why are the NI assemblymen, elected, paid, and idle, not told to do the job of legislating if not governing. Peter Hain would still have the power to veto and to introduce legislation.

Who knows. They might learn to work positively together.