NI Assembly election: TUV in British ministers proposal

The TUV has proposed bringing back "British ministers" to replace the Stormont executive as part of its new plan for government.

The party says the new ministers would be accountable to the assembly and not to Westminster.

TUV leader Jim Allister set out his "Plan B" as he launched the party's manifesto on Wednesday for the assembly election next month.

The party is standing 15 candidates in 14 constituencies.

Mr Allister described the current structures at Stormont as "a shambles" and insisted voluntary coalition with an opposition was the only way to make government work.

"There must, there has to be surgical change, root and branch change, to the abysmal failure of the present arrangements," he said.

"We can't go on as we are, we need to abandon mandatory coalition and move to voluntary coalition with a real opposition."

'Shone the bright light'

But Mr Allister said if the parties could not agree on voluntary coalition, then his plan B would prevent the collapse of the Assembly.

"Executive functions would be exercised by British ministers under the scrutiny of the Assembly," he said.

"Then when our politicians grow up and agree to voluntary coalition, they could then replace the British ministers and in that way we build durable and workable devolution."

Mr Allister described the current structures at Stormont as "a shambles"

The TUV leader said his party had "shone the bright light" into the corners of Stormont and exposed squander and failure.

He also hit back at those who claim he is a one man party.

The TUV's 43 page manifesto called "Straight Talking, Principled Politics" set out how it would tackle problems in the health, education and housing sectors.

It also outlined how it would turn the economy around.