UK government set to legislate for language, culture and identity package for Northern Ireland

By Q Radio News

The UK government is expected to bring legislation through Westminster this month to deliver an identity, language and culture package for Northern Ireland. 

It has not provided a definitive timeline for introducing the controversial package of culture laws, however Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has previously said the move would come at some point in October.

In June this year, Mr Lewis said it remained his preference for such a bill to be passed at Stormont. 

However, Mr Lewis said if progress hadn't been made by the end of September 2021 he would intervene.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis 

The September deadline has come and gone and Stormont ministers are yet to make progress on the issue. 

Since Mr Lewis made that pledge in the summer, the Government has faced calls from the DUP not to press ahead with the legislation while unionist concerns about Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol remain unaddressed.

Mr Poots’ successor, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, has since warned that passing the laws, which are a key Sinn Fein policy objective, would further undermine devolution in Northern Ireland at a time when unionists are so opposed to Brexit’s Irish Sea border.

Sir Jeffrey is threatening to collapse Stormont within weeks if major changes to the protocol are not secured.

The Government agreed to table the language laws at Westminster after Sinn Fein threatened not to re-enter the powersharing administration after failing to secure a firm timetable from the DUP on implementing the legislation at Stormont.

The culture package was a key plank of the 2020 New Decade, New Approach deal that restored devolution.

Today, a UK government spokesperson said, "It is disappointing that the Executive has not progressed legislation to deliver the balanced identity, language and culture package as agreed in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.

"This legislation will recognise Northern Ireland’s rich diversity. 

"In accordance with this Government’s commitments, and in the absence of progress on this matter, we will take the necessary steps to introduce the legislation through the UK Parliament.”

Many within the DUP reacted angrily to the Government move in June, characterising the decision as giving in to a Sinn Fein ransom demand.

However, Mr Poots still decided to press ahead with reconstituting the Executive, nominating Paul Givan as first minister.

That was despite a significant majority of his MPs and MLAs being vociferously opposed to re-entering government with Sinn Fein on that basis.

The decision would cost Mr Poots his leadership as he was forced to quit within hours of Mr Givan being confirmed as first minister.