Pressure Drop 2
Having tested 70 MLAs and assembly staff, the Chest and Heart Stroke Association referred nearly 10% (I presume that means 6) of them to their GPs. But I can't give you a party political breakdown of who is feeling the strain as that's private medical business.
The pressure seemed fairly high in our Stormont Live studio - the DUP's Peter Weir accused Sinn Fein of reneging on an agreement to leave the policing debate to the Assembly Executive and Review Committee. John O'Dowd retorted that his party wanted progress on the timescale of the handover.
In the Chamber, Peter Robinson said he'd be deeply disappointed if there is no Executive on Thursday, but didn't seem to be turning the screw any more so far as the "serious consequences" of not holding a meeting are concerned.
Gordon Brown is due at Stormont tomorrow (why didn't the nurses stick around to test someone who is really under pressure?). With that in mind the NIO has released another survey suggesting 58% support for the devolution of justice in the next year. Strangely they didn't (so far as I know) ask anyone where the transfer of powers sat on their list of priorities alongside, say, lower gas and electricity bills.
I'm 
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Why doesn’t the DUP call in the remaining favours owed to them over the vote on the 42 days from June when they effectively saved Browns job? The DUP especially Peter Robinson have already been able to defer water charges for another year but what about the Army bases? If they were handed over by the Government to the Executive then they could be sold off to raise the £32 million Margaret Ritchie wants in order to give 160,000 households £200 to help towards their electric bills.
Government always talks about reducing waste and about being less inefficient. What about the £285,000 spent on redecorating the Assembly chamber when there was nothing wrong with it? As well as MLA's being inefficient they are simply ineffective. How can any of them have been referred to their GP's? Surely it is not stress has they dont live in the real world?
With them all earning £44,000 each they will not have to scrape and hunt for a £1 for food. If Sinn Fein did then they would not carry on like they are. All Gordon Brown has to do is stop their wages. Maybe Sinn Fein is angling for an early Assembly Election. After all who has more to lose? McGuiness or Robinson? My pension is on Robinson. Firstly he will lose seats to Sir Reg. Secondly he will lose seats to the Alliance and then the SDLP. Possibly even Mr Expenses (Allister). What happens then? What if Sinn Fein is the largest party? Will Robinson sit down in Government as a deputy?
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So Mark, how many of the MLAs tested had a heart then?
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The country is facing a huge downturn in the ecomomy, why are our MP's not addressing this problem.
Of course they should come to an agreement in the policing debate but I'm sure they can find time to have a look at the rest of the problems we are facing.
Winter is nearly here, fuel and food are high on peoples agenda right now.
Debating is all well and good, but now is the time to look at the basics and take action.
Do you know that there is a housing meltdown here, or that business are going down the drain.
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