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Westminster will balance books, warns Naomi Long

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Stark warning: Naomi Long

Stark warning: Naomi Long

Stark warning: Naomi Long

By Rebecca Black

If politicians cannot resolve our financial crisis, there is no doubt that Westminster will step in, an MP has warned.

Naomi Long's words come after the head of our Civil Service, Dr Malcolm McKibbin, wrote to the Treasury warning that the Executive is on track to go into the red by the end of this financial year.

Stormont faces a shortfall of more than £200m in its budget for the current financial year, which ends in April.

Dr McKibbin is believed to have written to the permanent secretary at the Treasury, Sir Nicholas Macpherson, to warn the government he believes Stormont is on course to breach its spending limits.

Yesterday a Treasury spokesperson would not be drawn on how Whitehall might respond to this letter.

She said: "Setting budgets for Northern Ireland departments is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

However, east Belfast Alliance MP Naomi Long has warned that unless we can resolve the current financial impasse the British Government will step in. She said: "If we don't make these decisions then I am sure that when Westminster steps in, they will be more interested in balancing the books than acting in Northern Ireland's interests."

Belfast Telegraph

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