Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliott’s plan to form a Stormont opposition by 2015 split rival unionist parties yesterday — and faced rebuke from nationalists.

Demanding a “step change” in how the Assembly is run, Mr Elliott urged parties to forge a new programme for Government before ministers are appointed, and then negotiate cutting the number of Assembly constituencies, MLAs and Government departments over the next four years.

The DUP said it welcomed the UUP decision to adopt the policy of radical Stormont reform, but hardline TUV leader Jim Allister asked: “Why inflict four more years of disaster?”

Sinn Fein insisted it underlined that the UUP is already “semi-detached” from the Executive, while the SDLP argued it is the “spirit of Government”, rather than the system, that is broken.

Referring to what he called a “political game-changer”, Mr |Elliott said after the 2007 election to restore devolution that the |programme for Government |“wasn’t worth the paper it was written on” — because ministers are accountable to their parties, not the Executive.

“Look at the mess Conor |Murphy in DRD (the Department for Regional Development) made of NI Water, yet he’s still in post because he is untouchable. |Education Minister Caitriona Ruane attempted to end both the 11-plus and academic selection, |resulting in chaos.” In response,

DUP Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: “We welcome the UUP's conversion and decision to adopt our policy, even though they’re 13 years late.”

But Mr Allister said: “The time for an opposition (and to) have voluntary, not mandatory, coalition is now — 2011 — not 2015. So why does the UUP want to cling to a system they know is not working, and can never work?”

Mr Murphy said the UUP and SDLP had “struggled” to come to terms with the new political landscape and wanted ministerial jobs while being reluctant “to do heavy lifting”. SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said failures were due to the DUP and Sinn Fein “who only work together in their own interest and are failing the people”.

Comment, Page 32