:00:00. > :00:00.Two parties dedicated to working together
:00:00. > :00:07.amid claims of a more thoughtful brand of politics.
:00:08. > :00:10.Will the new Executive - and a fledgling formal
:00:11. > :00:11.opposition at Stormont - dramatically alter
:00:12. > :00:16.Or will the old divisive issues re-emerge to derail the partnership?
:00:17. > :00:44.So will there be "a completely new way of doing politics here",
:00:45. > :00:48.Tonight we'll hear from two new Executive Ministers,
:00:49. > :00:51.the two parties in the official opposition, and we'll ask what now
:00:52. > :00:58.Also, the Euros and the EU referendum - one way or another it's
:00:59. > :01:07.But could the football affect the result of the big vote?
:01:08. > :01:17.We would probably think they are more sympathetic to the cause than
:01:18. > :01:19.most, and want to get them on board. Northern Ireland fans enjoy the
:01:20. > :01:21.benefits we get when we go to Europe.
:01:22. > :01:23.And in the football-top-free zone that is Commentators' Corner,
:01:24. > :01:25.we'll hear the thoughts of Professors Deirdre Heenan
:01:26. > :01:31.They said they would do it, and today the new two-party -
:01:32. > :01:33.plus Claire Sugden - Executive held its first
:01:34. > :01:40.It only lasted 20 minutes, but those present did manage
:01:41. > :01:43.to agree on a draft framework for the Programme for Government.
:01:44. > :01:46.So is this the start of a dramatic change
:01:47. > :01:49.Joining me now are the new Education Minister,
:01:50. > :01:54.and the Sinn Fein Finance Minister, Mairtin O Muilleoir.
:01:55. > :01:56.And here to reflect the view from the opposition benches
:01:57. > :01:58.are Philip Smith from the Ulster Unionist Party,
:01:59. > :02:07.and from our Foyle studio, Daniel McCrossan from the SDLP.
:02:08. > :02:14.You are all very welcome to the programme. Mairtin O Muilleoir,
:02:15. > :02:20.first of all, you said you will not be Stormont's Minister for cuts.
:02:21. > :02:26.What are you going to be Minister for precisely? Revenue raising? We
:02:27. > :02:30.have not had one complete day yet in Government, and some are reaching
:02:31. > :02:38.for the lifeboats. What I am saying and I said just a day when I was
:02:39. > :02:41.appointed, I will be the Minister for investment, jobs, who lists
:02:42. > :02:49.people out of poverty and widens access to education. I am a newbie
:02:50. > :02:53.at the table. I thought there was an abundance of talent at the table,
:02:54. > :02:57.who differ on the cause additional question but who are united around
:02:58. > :03:04.the mission of trying to improve the quality of life for people here. I
:03:05. > :03:11.will be a Minister for all the people, who says about his task with
:03:12. > :03:17.a figure, but also in a way to bring people in. One of the first things I
:03:18. > :03:23.did my way into Stormont was to meet with community leaders who are
:03:24. > :03:26.making a difference. What was the message I got? The same as I got on
:03:27. > :03:31.the doorsteps before the election. Will you please unite around the
:03:32. > :03:35.issues that are important to us, jobs, creating hope and providing
:03:36. > :03:44.people with homes. Some people might think that is all a bit fluffy. In
:03:45. > :03:48.terms of policy... No, no, let me just say, I will not accept that. I
:03:49. > :03:56.was at the homeless centre and Roseville house today at noon, and
:03:57. > :04:00.homeless families who desperately need refund. We want to build 10
:04:01. > :04:12.million houses -- 10,000 houses. I was on the ground today, and I am
:04:13. > :04:17.not the Economy Minister, but I want to be the hub which provide the
:04:18. > :04:23.money. You are the man who controls the purse strings. Are we going to
:04:24. > :04:28.see what charges, university fees going up, domestic rates capped
:04:29. > :04:31.raised or abolished altogether? Sinn Fein has a position on a number of
:04:32. > :04:35.issues that are important to us, including that everybody should pay
:04:36. > :04:40.their way in terms of household rates. So you would like to change
:04:41. > :04:49.that situation? That is in our manifesto. We need to find a way to
:04:50. > :04:53.the challenges ahead, make sure we have the money to invest in
:04:54. > :04:56.particular in further education and health, but also make sure if there
:04:57. > :05:01.is wastage in the system to cut that. If there are people you are
:05:02. > :05:05.paid more than is correct, we need to tackle that as well. I think
:05:06. > :05:09.people at home want to know if you're going to be raising revenue
:05:10. > :05:12.or if you're going to be borrowing more money. I gather you have been
:05:13. > :05:16.in touch with your counterpart at the Treasury in London and you want
:05:17. > :05:24.to borrow more money? We are not going to impose water charges. But
:05:25. > :05:31.you will raise rates? It has been in our manifesto for a while now, we
:05:32. > :05:44.will not raise rates. There is a cap. But some people's rates will be
:05:45. > :05:51.raised. Peter Weir, do you agree with that? We are thinking about
:05:52. > :05:55.round the edges, because I think what you're talking about in terms
:05:56. > :05:58.of money is relatively small. We are Executive focused upon delivery of
:05:59. > :06:05.the key issues of health, the economy, and trying to ensure that
:06:06. > :06:09.education and that people... Households are not squeezed. There
:06:10. > :06:14.has been an officer at a imposed, because of the national situation at
:06:15. > :06:17.the moment. -- there has been enough austerity imposed. All of us are
:06:18. > :06:22.trying to deliver on a tough and tight budget, but I think we are
:06:23. > :06:27.united in a desire to deliver for people. That is what people voted
:06:28. > :06:29.for in this election. But the point there are clear differences in
:06:30. > :06:36.manifesto terms and some these issues. There is an element where
:06:37. > :06:40.I'm sure media commentators will try to pick apart the differences. There
:06:41. > :06:46.will clearly be differences between us and Sinn Fein. There will be
:06:47. > :06:50.differences between all the parties. The point of the coalition is trying
:06:51. > :06:54.to work together to deliver a range of the issues to the best of our
:06:55. > :07:00.ability, and I think there is a clear determination to do that. Will
:07:01. > :07:04.you be happy with what you are given by Mairtin O Muilleoir, or will you
:07:05. > :07:09.be lobbying him saying, education is very important? Education is very
:07:10. > :07:15.important, and I think all ministers will fight for their departments.
:07:16. > :07:17.Part of the old demarcation lines between departments, I think there
:07:18. > :07:21.is a clear desire across the Executive to work to deliver
:07:22. > :07:25.together. Some will have to be joined up solutions that go beyond a
:07:26. > :07:29.single department, and that is why for instance, whenever the programme
:07:30. > :07:34.for Government framework is published, we will be looking at
:07:35. > :07:37.outcomes, not how it impacts on an individual departments but what
:07:38. > :07:41.delivery people want to see on the ground on the key issues. How much
:07:42. > :07:49.do you want to borrow from wandering? Can be clear that up? --
:07:50. > :07:53.from London. I have asked for an urgent meeting. There are two big
:07:54. > :07:59.discussions with abundant, and I think the DUP would agree with us.
:08:00. > :08:03.One is we do not have enough flexibility. Belfast City Council
:08:04. > :08:08.can borrow more money to invest. How much money do you want to borrow? I
:08:09. > :08:14.don't know how much we need to borrow. You are in the Finance
:08:15. > :08:21.Minister you must know. It is the first days. I want the power to
:08:22. > :08:28.borrow money. And to invest in new homes. I would love to add it as a
:08:29. > :08:34.priority for me to expand campus. The last time we borrow money at was
:08:35. > :08:38.700 million for voluntary redundancies. Is that something you
:08:39. > :08:42.would borrow money for again? We didn't actually borrow 700 million.
:08:43. > :08:46.I think you missed the point, because it is not the quantity, it
:08:47. > :08:50.is the ability. It is to remove the shackles of London on our ability to
:08:51. > :08:56.make decisions. So you don't know the amount yet. What would you want
:08:57. > :09:02.to spend it on? You're missing the point. It is not the amount. I've
:09:03. > :09:12.accepted you don't know the amount, but what is it for? It is impossible
:09:13. > :09:16.to know how much. I am seeing two things -- saying two things. We need
:09:17. > :09:19.the right as an Executive to borrow money, and London should not be able
:09:20. > :09:24.to prevent us from doing that. The second argument is the austerity
:09:25. > :09:30.budget, cutting the block grant, keeping maximum pain on the power,
:09:31. > :09:35.is not helping the economy. Are you happy with that strategy, removing
:09:36. > :09:40.the shackles to be able to borrow, even if he is not clear exactly how
:09:41. > :09:48.much? I think we want to ensure that whatever resources we have got we
:09:49. > :09:51.get the best bang for our box. -- the best for our money. In terms of
:09:52. > :09:55.the details of how we approach it, the Executive would have to work it
:09:56. > :09:58.out collectively. The Finance Minister has just told us he has
:09:59. > :10:01.been in touch with the Chief Secretary of the Treasury to talk
:10:02. > :10:07.about this. You should be able tell me that is
:10:08. > :10:08.about this. You should be able tell will make whatever enquiries need to
:10:09. > :10:12.be made. It is about trying to deliver for the people of Northern
:10:13. > :10:15.Ireland. I think I do beg your pardon where there are any level of
:10:16. > :10:19.differences, there will clearly be differences... I am just wondering
:10:20. > :10:26.if the Finance Minister has gone for a full run. We will all be finding
:10:27. > :10:30.out information from a range of sources. The finance ministers
:10:31. > :10:38.finding out the position in London. But to be absolutely clear, you are
:10:39. > :10:41.comfortable... I'm comfortable to scope out what the position is. The
:10:42. > :10:45.Executive across the budget will have to make key decisions. Whatever
:10:46. > :10:50.arrangements are made we will be in a position which is undoubtedly
:10:51. > :10:55.tough financial positions to be made. We have to make sure we get
:10:56. > :11:00.the past delay my best possible delivery for the people of Northern
:11:01. > :11:04.Ireland. And you happy for Mairtin O Muilleoir to be in a position to
:11:05. > :11:09.make those decisions? It is not that long ago that Arlene Foster and
:11:10. > :11:14.other members of your party remained as I gatekeeper to make sure that
:11:15. > :11:20.Sinn Fein and SDLP ministers did not take action to damage Northern
:11:21. > :11:27.Ireland. You can try and provoke arguments here tonight. With respect
:11:28. > :11:34.we were in a different situation eight months ago. Our party got over
:11:35. > :11:42.200,000 votes. There is a clear desire among the people... You got
:11:43. > :11:45.the same number of votes last time. The people have clearly expressed in
:11:46. > :11:48.terms of a mandate for the parties to provide clear Government for
:11:49. > :11:56.Northern Ireland and delivery for Northern Ireland. You can pick apart
:11:57. > :12:02.what has happened in the past,... Why do people want to work together
:12:03. > :12:09.less time but not five years ago? -- this time. It may not suit some
:12:10. > :12:18.people's agenda or the media's agenda at times, but what we want to
:12:19. > :12:23.see... If what happened five years ago was right, then no one is right.
:12:24. > :12:30.Or if now is right, then what happened five years ago is wrong. --
:12:31. > :12:36.then now is right. Let's focus on the activity and ensure that when we
:12:37. > :12:38.go out tomorrow with the framework for the programme for Government
:12:39. > :12:41.that we have a full engagement with the people of Northern Ireland, we
:12:42. > :12:49.take people along and try to deliver. There are issues that
:12:50. > :13:00.divide you. Why don't we call it a fresh start and focus on the things
:13:01. > :13:06.we agree on? We could spend all night... The point is that you
:13:07. > :13:09.obviously want to sell it as a new period of politics where peace and
:13:10. > :13:15.harmony has broken out, and it is worth making the point that thing is
:13:16. > :13:20.that where a big issues for you three weeks ago, eight months ago
:13:21. > :13:24.and five years ago, that is the point. There will always be
:13:25. > :13:28.important differences in politics. You said it would be catastrophic to
:13:29. > :13:37.continue to divide our children at the age of 11. He takes a different
:13:38. > :13:45.view. We are going to take our time, not rush, focus on delivery. You
:13:46. > :13:48.have picked out for in the selection. We have both made our
:13:49. > :13:51.position is very clear. I find it interesting there are a range of
:13:52. > :13:55.issues in education, I have been involved for a while, where there
:13:56. > :14:04.will be a common approach and purpose. The focus purely on what
:14:05. > :14:07.happens at transfer ignores major problems in education, how we raise
:14:08. > :14:12.academic standards, ensuring vocational qualifications are given
:14:13. > :14:12.their full merit, tackling educational underachievement,
:14:13. > :14:28.focusing on earlier That might be a difficult
:14:29. > :14:33.conversation. In one sense for everyone because I do not think
:14:34. > :14:38.everyone wants to see large numbers of closures. There will be drivers
:14:39. > :14:43.that we will need to look at. We need to take that in a mature way
:14:44. > :14:48.and a way that ensures that all sectors move forward and are treated
:14:49. > :14:53.equally to ensure... The most crucial thing in terms of education
:14:54. > :14:57.is ensuring we get opportunity for all our children and getting the
:14:58. > :15:01.best possible delivery on education for that. It means there will be
:15:02. > :15:07.difficult conversations, conversations were it will be
:15:08. > :15:14.difficult for all of us. For you as well, top performing schools. Your
:15:15. > :15:18.unity will be tested? There will be challenges ahead, but I thought the
:15:19. > :15:27.tone today was workmanlike, committed to our community. I sensed
:15:28. > :15:31.a real willingness around the table, people with different opinions, to
:15:32. > :15:37.try and have a fresh start and do what Arlene Foster said which was
:15:38. > :15:44.hurt -- plays a greater premium on conflict. Will there be collective
:15:45. > :15:48.responsibility? I will not take a decision to borrow money without
:15:49. > :15:55.bringing it to everyone at the table. You begun that conversation.
:15:56. > :15:59.I think most people are on Twitter and they know what happened. I spoke
:16:00. > :16:04.to church leaders and I want them to go with me to the Chancellor to
:16:05. > :16:13.raise their voice against austerity. I will not be doing anything without
:16:14. > :16:18.the collective will of the executive and Cabinet. What about other
:16:19. > :16:26.issues? What about issues like equal marriage, abortion, corporation tax
:16:27. > :16:31.and the Irish language act. When the past 24 hours, Simon Hamilton said
:16:32. > :16:38.there would not be won. There is another issue which you are not
:16:39. > :16:44.singing from the same hymn sheet. There will be a 32-macro. Not
:16:45. > :16:52.according to Simon Hamilton. -- Irish language act. I was in the
:16:53. > :16:59.heart of the Empire, the Newtownards road. I do not believe there will
:17:00. > :17:10.be. You can pick out a range of issues. You seem to think you have
:17:11. > :17:15.been vindicated. You can put out a range of issues on which there will
:17:16. > :17:21.be disagreements. On that basis, they are well-known, there are are
:17:22. > :17:27.some issues on which there will be a disagreement. Here is my point, you
:17:28. > :17:32.both say you have a mandate to work together, you both received large
:17:33. > :17:36.votes from your relatives supporters, but there are clearly
:17:37. > :17:40.issues on which you and they fundamentally disagree on and I
:17:41. > :17:46.wonder how that circle is squared because there may be some common
:17:47. > :17:51.ground that there are clearly issues... You are unlikely to agree.
:17:52. > :17:57.There will be. Some fundamental differences. With the greatest of
:17:58. > :18:02.respect, if they were not, we would essentially be a 1-party state. The
:18:03. > :18:08.essence after Marcus E is about competing for ideas on that basis
:18:09. > :18:12.and where there is an opportunity for delivery on that, that means on
:18:13. > :18:17.some issues we will not reach agreement, but a large number of
:18:18. > :18:22.them and the issues which are of key importance, we will be able to reach
:18:23. > :18:31.agreement and have delivery. We will see an executive with collective
:18:32. > :18:37.response ability. Thank you. I want to bring politicians in who set on
:18:38. > :18:41.the other side of the house. Philip Smith, we have the two main parties
:18:42. > :18:47.and a lot of people will be giving them credit and say they are trying
:18:48. > :18:52.to develop a new kind of politics in Northern Ireland. You have a stark
:18:53. > :18:58.choice, you either support them constructively in tried to move the
:18:59. > :19:04.place forward or you run the risk of sounding relentlessly negative,
:19:05. > :19:11.which will it be? I am shocked at what I have heard. We already have
:19:12. > :19:14.as a region, higher per capita debt than Scotland and I now discover
:19:15. > :19:20.that we are going to try and increase that debt to fill a hole in
:19:21. > :19:24.finances. Our role as an opposition will be to be constructive,
:19:25. > :19:31.supportive words that support is able to be given, but also to hold
:19:32. > :19:35.these guys to account. We have a framework programme for government
:19:36. > :19:41.being launched tomorrow and I will be looking to see, Peter talked
:19:42. > :19:44.about delivery and so did the First Minister, we will be looking to see
:19:45. > :19:50.where the delivery is, particularly on health, the Department that no
:19:51. > :19:55.one wanted and also in education, which Peter now has to deal with and
:19:56. > :20:00.talking to head teachers, they have a 6% gap in their budgets and they
:20:01. > :20:06.are talking about laying off teachers and increasing class sizes
:20:07. > :20:09.and that is unacceptable. Daniel McCrossan, do you seek despite the
:20:10. > :20:14.differences between the two main parties in the executive or do you
:20:15. > :20:24.offer constructive criticism? First of all, I think sitting here
:20:25. > :20:26.listening to Peter Wear and Mairtin O Muilleoir, they should take up
:20:27. > :20:35.poker, I cannot believe they have straight faces. Only a few short
:20:36. > :20:38.months ago, the DUP almost tore down the institutions because they
:20:39. > :20:43.refused Roca and renegade ministers as described by the First
:20:44. > :20:48.Minister... You heard them both say, this is you politics. I can safely
:20:49. > :20:51.say they are fooling no one, the honeymoon period is only starting
:20:52. > :20:58.but it will not last, people are aware that this will not last. It is
:20:59. > :21:02.clear to be seen, and 36 -- Mairtin O Muilleoir has highlighted about
:21:03. > :21:07.this territory, we may have other sturdy government, but the reality
:21:08. > :21:12.is that there is an austerity government in Northern Ireland. They
:21:13. > :21:16.are implementing these cuts, that is the worry that the SDLP have and
:21:17. > :21:23.that is what they will be highlighting over the next number of
:21:24. > :21:25.months and indeed in this mandate. Daniel McCrossan said he cannot
:21:26. > :21:31.believe what you said with a straight face. How would he build
:21:32. > :21:37.10,000 new homes, how would you find that? I can tell you this, you most
:21:38. > :21:43.certainly have not delivered in the past and you will not deliver now. I
:21:44. > :21:46.am looking at joint manifesto and it is a joint manifesto, you're talking
:21:47. > :21:51.about ?1 billion on health, where all that come from? You said
:21:52. > :21:56.yesterday, you almost went in reverse, you almost said in one
:21:57. > :22:04.breath he would not be lamenting... I will you do it? You were then
:22:05. > :22:11.saying that you were in heated by the austerity... Let him speak. I
:22:12. > :22:14.will reply to the gentleman over there, you can borrow, the housing
:22:15. > :22:19.associations here are crying out for the right to borrow money and pay
:22:20. > :22:24.back through the rounds. If you do not understand that, you need to
:22:25. > :22:28.spend more time in the assembly. The message I have to all opposition
:22:29. > :22:40.parties is tell us how you would do it differently? David Ford, to be
:22:41. > :22:44.fair to Peter and Mairtin O Muilleoir, they have 61% of the
:22:45. > :22:49.seats in the assembly, people have backed them to get all of it, it is
:22:50. > :22:55.difficult for you to oppose them, without sounding churlish. I think
:22:56. > :23:01.there was a danger that was shown when Mike Nesbit did sound churlish,
:23:02. > :23:06.I specifically did not, I recognise the job that was ahead and I made it
:23:07. > :23:11.clear that we would judge on delivery and not on an agenda. You
:23:12. > :23:18.still thought there was a mistake. I think that an Alliance minister
:23:19. > :23:21.could have delivered better because it would have seen significant
:23:22. > :23:24.reforms in the way government works which would have seen commitments to
:23:25. > :23:30.make the other line better but I accept that the DUP and Sinn Fein
:23:31. > :23:34.have a working majority and they chose to not accept our proposals
:23:35. > :23:38.and they now have to show they can deliver and I remember five years
:23:39. > :23:42.ago were we heard other promises from the executive Abbott working to
:23:43. > :23:47.build the economy and we did not see a great deal of that and maybe this
:23:48. > :23:51.will be better and we will see the kind of stand-off that we saw which
:23:52. > :23:58.was sometimes around doing down other parties, a lot of the time
:23:59. > :24:02.they ran the issues and there are really does need to be a much more
:24:03. > :24:05.constructive way of working together, the kind of promises they
:24:06. > :24:10.are making need to be delivered in reality if they are going to make
:24:11. > :24:18.the changes. The danger for the parties in the opposition and your
:24:19. > :24:21.party will take the lead, is that if they make a half decent fist of it,
:24:22. > :24:28.you are sitting with no teeth. Trying to fight against something,
:24:29. > :24:32.like trying to nail jelly to the wall, because if they are
:24:33. > :24:39.successful, people may give them the benefit of the doubt! I hope they
:24:40. > :24:44.are. You're in opposition. We all live here. If they are successful,
:24:45. > :24:48.it is the end of your party! Experience to date of previous years
:24:49. > :24:53.show it is not the case, they have spent years at kicking the can down
:24:54. > :24:58.the road... You're also in the government! For our part of that.
:24:59. > :25:05.For most of that. We were starved of resources and put on the edge of the
:25:06. > :25:09.executive. The reality is we have an opposition and Mairtin O Muilleoir
:25:10. > :25:17.can shake his head... You can patronise me. You are part of the
:25:18. > :25:22.Tory agenda. Get used to it. You partnered the Tory government in
:25:23. > :25:30.this agenda, so do not lecture people. You the one who is
:25:31. > :25:39.patronising. People are untitled to hold us to account. I have to say, I
:25:40. > :25:44.did not like the tone of Mike Nesbit, I think it was quite
:25:45. > :25:48.sneering towards their sudden. Particularly from Philip Spence, we
:25:49. > :25:56.have a lot of opposition, I have not heard anything that is constructive.
:25:57. > :26:00.If all we are going to get for the next five years is everything we do
:26:01. > :26:08.is terrible in that regard without any... You have said you're just
:26:09. > :26:14.getting your feet under the table. Daniel McCartan on. I look forward
:26:15. > :26:19.to seeing some constructive opposition. How will you demonstrate
:26:20. > :26:22.constructive opposition. You're entitled to oppose, do it
:26:23. > :26:27.constructively. Every single person in Northern Ireland knows full well
:26:28. > :26:33.that the executive has failed to deliver. It was not working,
:26:34. > :26:36.therefore the SDLP, the UUP have walked away to provide an
:26:37. > :26:41.alternative and it is about that alternative and we will lay down a
:26:42. > :26:46.clear platform. What is clear and you can sit around and you can say
:26:47. > :26:54.what ever bluff tactics you like, but this honeymoon period and will
:26:55. > :26:57.not last, people have seen... I see with yourself and the UUP, both of
:26:58. > :27:03.you have the worst result in your entire history in that regard and I
:27:04. > :27:05.think there are times a certain level of contempt for the
:27:06. > :27:14.intelligence of the Northern Ireland people and I do not see where the
:27:15. > :27:18.evidence... David Ford. If you both speak at the same time, I cannot
:27:19. > :27:22.hear you. It is difficult for the UUP and SDLP to oppose and they are
:27:23. > :27:27.trying to find their feet. It is even more difficult for Alliance.
:27:28. > :27:31.You had to ministers in the last executive, you're now potentially
:27:32. > :27:37.heading for political oblivion. If we were, then we were in oblivion
:27:38. > :27:41.from 1998 until 2010. We did not quite make the numbers that
:27:42. > :27:56.qualified for a minister this time, but we put forward solid
:27:57. > :28:00.proposals, we made it clear on the basis of what we will judge the
:28:01. > :28:02.executive and we will take forward our views on building a united
:28:03. > :28:05.community and growing the economy and we will put them before the
:28:06. > :28:07.people... We have to take the opposition views on board and we
:28:08. > :28:10.will do that. I look forward to taking forward our proposals. We are
:28:11. > :28:17.not closing strand Mallusk college. A very interesting debate around the
:28:18. > :28:20.table. The Euros and the EU referendum -
:28:21. > :28:23.one way or another it's But could the football affect
:28:24. > :28:27.the result of the big vote? Maybe that idea's not as crazy
:28:28. > :28:29.as you might think - because there are those who argue
:28:30. > :28:31.it's happened before. Gareth Gordon's been
:28:32. > :29:02.examining the theory... Next month, the fate of the nation,
:29:03. > :29:08.rather several, will be decided by a battle for the control of Europe.
:29:09. > :29:13.And then there is the EU referendum. It together with the Euros and
:29:14. > :29:17.things could get messy. No one would let the result of a football match
:29:18. > :29:23.decide what way they are going to vote on such an important issue.
:29:24. > :29:26.With the? Events of 1970 would suggest otherwise. Harold Wilson's
:29:27. > :29:31.Labour Party was expected to win the general election, but with four days
:29:32. > :29:35.to go, England were knocked out of the World Cup I West Germany. The
:29:36. > :29:44.Conservatives came from behind to win. The Queen has asked me to form
:29:45. > :29:46.the next Government. Some of the thinking is that it is national
:29:47. > :29:52.prestige that has gone down, and there is this instinct in all of us
:29:53. > :29:57.to blame the Government. You had an incumbent Labour Government, people
:29:58. > :30:02.were feeling good, that England were doing well. Then they lose the game
:30:03. > :30:07.and out of the tournament. National prestige sufferers and then people
:30:08. > :30:14.turn on the Government, and people think, maybe we will just change our
:30:15. > :30:19.Government as well. This time David Cameron will not cover the same
:30:20. > :30:26.fate. The matter won't have happened by the time of the referendum. --
:30:27. > :30:34.the match. But what about Northern Ireland? The Leave campaign will be
:30:35. > :30:40.handing out these fires at the final game against France. -- these fires.
:30:41. > :30:50.We want to make sure that people vote Right. Do you have any idea
:30:51. > :30:54.which way they are likely to vote? The important thing is making sure
:30:55. > :30:57.they do vote. We have to make sure that they bought Leave. We would
:30:58. > :31:05.think they are more sympathetic to the cause than most. But this France
:31:06. > :31:15.back to Leigh bound Northern Ireland fan begs to differ. What I can see
:31:16. > :31:19.is that from going away to Northern Ireland matches two years,
:31:20. > :31:24.travelling to Europe, fans enjoy the benefits they get from Europe, the
:31:25. > :31:31.hospitality they get from other fans in other countries. There is a sense
:31:32. > :31:41.of family. The one thing that memory share, civil fans included, is in
:31:42. > :31:48.the Martian overlords. -- that many share, football fans included, is
:31:49. > :31:56.information overload. For people who are undecided, how the match goes, a
:31:57. > :32:02.dodgy call by referee, that could be the fact that pushes them either
:32:03. > :32:07.way. How about this for a bright example of a leading businessman
:32:08. > :32:10.willing to come out in favour of leaving the EU? We have been given
:32:11. > :32:16.some very difficult argument to swallow and they headlines. In
:32:17. > :32:20.business you look at costs and waste, growth potential. The EU has
:32:21. > :32:27.not been drawing since 2008. It is a bit of a gravy train. We have 750
:32:28. > :32:31.MEPs, a Parliament that moves from Strasbourg and back to Brussels
:32:32. > :32:33.every six months at a cost of 120 million. These are the kind of
:32:34. > :32:36.numbers that really frustrate you when you know how difficult it is to
:32:37. > :32:40.make money when you are trying to do some business. Not so, says a former
:32:41. > :32:47.head of the European Commission office in Belfast. I cannot believe
:32:48. > :32:51.what you are being told about the European Union, and I think that is
:32:52. > :32:57.so unfair. It's not anti-democratic. If it was anti-democratic, why do we
:32:58. > :33:00.bought every five years for members of the European Parliament? But
:33:01. > :33:09.returning to our football team, how about this for a game of two hands.
:33:10. > :33:14.An event featuring somebody's son is possibly the most famous Brexit
:33:15. > :33:22.campaigner of all. Speaking personally, what I would like to see
:33:23. > :33:30.is Boris and gold, to this -- and Michael Gove to come out of this...
:33:31. > :33:37.And narrow victory for us would be good so that the other side is not
:33:38. > :33:41.humiliated. As pre-match for transport, it sounds optimistic. By
:33:42. > :33:46.the time the stadium is completed, the UK's European future will have
:33:47. > :33:53.been resolved one way or another. A bit like the team which normally
:33:54. > :33:54.place here. -- that normally plays year.
:33:55. > :33:56.Gareth Gordon on his two favourite pet subjects -
:33:57. > :34:00.Let's hear what our commentators have to say about a hugely
:34:01. > :34:08.Deidre, first of all, what did you make of the mood music from Mairtin
:34:09. > :34:12.O Muilleoir and Peter Weir? I suppose we had the sweet smell of
:34:13. > :34:19.harmony. They were working together, a fresh start. Did they persuade
:34:20. > :34:24.your? I think as you scratch the surface, only very slightly, you see
:34:25. > :34:29.fundamental differences over the Irish language act, academic
:34:30. > :34:32.selection, fiscal policies. One wants to borrow more money, the
:34:33. > :34:35.other is clearly uncomfortable with that. I just cannot see how they are
:34:36. > :34:39.going to keep this together. Of course we want to see them working
:34:40. > :34:43.together, but the question has to be, what has changed since five
:34:44. > :34:46.years ago when they couldn't work together? When they were
:34:47. > :34:53.fundamentally polar opposites? What has changed other than the
:34:54. > :34:58.realisation now that there are only two of them sitting there, and what
:34:59. > :35:03.has been said time and time again is, this is about delivering. No
:35:04. > :35:09.more excuses. That is the key word. It was used by just about everyone.
:35:10. > :35:18.In fact Sinn Fein has got a particular problem, because one of
:35:19. > :35:21.the persistent criticisms is their failure to deliver over the past
:35:22. > :35:25.five years. Now they have a Health Minister and the Infrastructure
:35:26. > :35:33.Minister, they have a potential on paper at least in the Finance
:35:34. > :35:38.Minister and ally. The pressure on them to deliver on improving waiting
:35:39. > :35:46.lists, GPs, doctors, midwives, is enormous. They have got to start
:35:47. > :35:51.delivering. To begin with I suppose the mood music is, love is in the
:35:52. > :35:56.air. It looks like a civil partnership rather than an uncivil
:35:57. > :36:00.one to begin with. Certainly one can take away areas they will find it
:36:01. > :36:07.very difficult to accommodate one another. I suspect what might happen
:36:08. > :36:12.is they will part the gritty issues they cannot agree on and try to work
:36:13. > :36:16.on those areas of common ground. If you look as well, the DUP have a
:36:17. > :36:21.marriage with a very strong hand, particularly the Department of
:36:22. > :36:25.economy. -- have emerged with a very strong hand. They can be standing at
:36:26. > :36:29.the bottom of the steps was good news stories, and that is clever for
:36:30. > :36:33.them. The Department of Finance we have already heard referred to as
:36:34. > :36:38.the Department of cuts. We are in a period of austerity. More cuts are
:36:39. > :36:42.coming, there is no more money. We need some plans, not again to say we
:36:43. > :36:53.will just go to George Osborne and ask for more money. And if he does,
:36:54. > :37:00.Alan wish all the best... Years quixotic, he is not win to do that.
:37:01. > :37:04.Those means I'm not -- these means are going to get shorter and
:37:05. > :37:08.shorter. Sinn Fein to some extent are a bit more muscular in that they
:37:09. > :37:13.have a lease indicated areas they would like to raise revenue. The DUP
:37:14. > :37:17.is quite silent on that. I think that was telling in their
:37:18. > :37:20.conversation. Just want to ASCII about opposition. Mairtin O
:37:21. > :37:26.Muilleoir said the Wellcome the fact there is and they will listen to
:37:27. > :37:30.what they have to say, but as long as it is constructive. Can there be
:37:31. > :37:38.an opposition that reads those party stronger in five years to? I think
:37:39. > :37:41.to make it work, whatever that means, opposition 's work when they
:37:42. > :37:46.stir up dissent amongst the backbenchers. There is no backbench
:37:47. > :37:51.dissent in the Assembly. They are all party animals who will cleave to
:37:52. > :38:02.the whip. The one thing that will help is if the UUP and the SDLP Qual
:38:03. > :38:05.less. -- coalesce. The key point is that opposition is not just
:38:06. > :38:07.opposition for the sake of it. They have to have coherence and make
:38:08. > :38:12.themselves relevant. These parties are going in from a position where
:38:13. > :38:16.they did not do well on the election, so this is their
:38:17. > :38:19.opportunity to say, we are relevant, we are holding these people to the
:38:20. > :38:24.account, and we have got some very good ideas. Interesting to hear your
:38:25. > :38:26.thoughts. Interesting week in politics.
:38:27. > :38:28.That's it from The View for this week.
:38:29. > :38:31.There's no Sunday Politics this weekend - but Stormont Today will be
:38:32. > :38:33.back at the usual time on Tuesday night on BBC2.
:38:34. > :38:37.And we leave you tonight with a last look at the Assembly's 'independent
:38:38. > :38:39.woman' who's now taken her seat at the top table.
:38:40. > :38:51.New MLA was formally welcomed to the Assembly today. This is a clear
:38:52. > :38:56.Sugden. This house of cards is falling, and the only thing that
:38:57. > :39:04.will help the jokers at the top, falling down. She is somebody who we
:39:05. > :39:08.think has the skills and ability to be a minister. I think all this talk
:39:09. > :39:17.about clear Sugden and the Greens is a sideshow. That is ludicrous. --
:39:18. > :39:22.Claire Sugden. Clear has agreed to be the new Justice Minister. We have
:39:23. > :39:27.every confidence in her ability.