From delayed apologies and Poots' preference for steak, to Thatcher and Cromwell, Andrew Madden takes a closer look at some of the more unusual things in the Assembly and further afield this week.
Question Time for Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots saw the DUP stalwart take aim at Green Party leader Clare Bailey's climate change bill, which is currently before members alongside Mr Poots' own climate bill.
Mr Poots slammed Ms Bailey's proposals as having "no scientific backing" and criticised her 2050 net-zero emissions target as "not credible and morally wrong", warning it could actually undermine the efforts to reduce emissions.
“I don’t really want to be eating plant-based food which is being produced from insects, I’d much rather be eating steak,” said Mr Poots. Nowhere in Ms Bailey's bill does it mention everyone having to switch to plant-based food.
The DUP's Paul Frew also presented a petition against the Executive's Covid certification scheme, stating he could "not think of a more honourable cause for a petition than to record our disgust and abhorrence that an Executive and indeed this Assembly can pass such a discriminatory measure as vaccine certification".
Meanwhile, as the rage against the NI Protocol continued, Sammy Wilson urged Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to act more like Margaret Thatcher ahead of further negotiations with the EU. Mr Wilson said Ms Thatcher "famously" stood up to the EU in the 1980s.
Perhaps Mr Wilson should read up on his history. What happened to Margaret Thatcher? She was a supporter of the 'yes' campaign in the referendum in 1975 on whether the UK would stay in the EEC, then grew increasingly Euro-sceptic, prompting the resignation of Geoffrey Howe, her foreign secretary. His highly-critical resignation speech prompted a leadership battle that led to the Iron Lady's downfall. So probably not the best person for Truss to try and emulate.
TUESDAY
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) hit out at UUP leader Doug Beattie for his call to end “educational apartheid” in terms of the school system here.
Gerry Campbell of the CCMS said he was "extremely concerned" at Mr Beattie's "inflammatory language".
Perhaps Mr Campbell is not aware, but "inflammatory language" - or at least 'colourful' language - is part and parcel of Stormont political discourse.
Assembly speaker Alex Maskey told MLAs on Tuesday late nights and extra sitting days could be in store to get legislation passed before the end of this mandate. Sure that will do them no harm, although that might leave no time for any proposed double jobbing.
WEDNESDAY
Westminster saw some rowdy scenes in the Commons during PMQs, when Boris Johnson faced further calls to resign over the "work event" fiasco. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood pulled no punches, saying: "It is pathetic to watch Boris Johnson blame everyone else for his own blind arrogance and negligent behaviour. The people who make the rules must know what they are and they must follow them. The longer this goes on, the more credibility is sapped from the institutions of government."
During the heated debate, Tory MP David Davis quoted Neville Chamberlain - who in turn was quoting Oliver Cromwell - when he told the PM: "You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go"
Cromwell said this phrase in frustration in April 1653 when he led an armed force into the Commons Chamber and forcibly dissolved the Rump Parliament when he felt it unfit to deal with the affairs of the nation. An interesting choice from Mr Davis.
During PMQs, Boris Johnson also quietly admitted his government was withdrawing its double jobbing amendment, which was due to be debated just hours later. I guess he chose an opportune moment to do so - given it was in the midst of fielding attacks from members calling for him to step down, he probably thought no one would notice.
Back at Stormont, Finance Committee members discussed a proposed new Defamation Bill. Speaking on one of the clauses of the Bill, its sponsor Mike Nesbitt said it contains a much more "detailed exposition of what we understand” by author, editor and publisher compared to the definition contained in the 1996 Defamation Act. He added this would ensure “a boy doing a paper round cannot be trapped as somebody taking part in an act of defamation”. Phew.
THURSDAY
On Thursday it was announced that the First and deputy First Minister would be issuing a formal apology to victims of historical institutional abuse. The question is, why on earth has it taken five years for such an apology, given it was recommended in a landmark report into the shameful abuse that took place in institutions here FIVE years ago.
Sorry maybe does seem to be the hardest word, after all.
Back in Westminster, a senior Tory MP accused government ministers of 'blackmailing' rebels who are attempting to oust the PM. Cue Conservative MP Michael Fabricant, who seemed to think he was fighting BoJo's corner when he said: "If I reported every time I had been threatened by a Whip or if a Whip reported every time I had threatened them, the police wouldn't have any time to conduct any other police work!" Here's a bandage for that foot you just shot yourself in, Mr Fabricant.
It also emerged on Thursday that a study commissioned by Boris Johnson examining the viability of his dream bridge between Scotland and Northern cost taxpayers almost £900,000. And what did the study find? That the fantasy connection between the two countries would be too expensive.
Over at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, a debate on the Riverside Theatre in Coleraine took a bizarre turn and sparked accusations of misogyny being directed towards a councillor by DUP representative Adrian McQuillan.
During the debate, Sinn Fein's Cara McShane clashed with Mr McQuillan, when he suggested to the chairman of the Leisure and Development Committee that “there’s a foreign station coming in there chairman, mute her”, when Alliance councillor Yvonne Boyle attempted to speak at the same time as him.
Ms McShane branded Mr McQuillan's comments as “absolutely abhorrent, disgusting and repulsive”.
Mr McQuillan later said: "I unaware as to who was interrupting me. Their gender was, and is, irrelevant on this matter.”
FRIDAY
Friday saw further wrangling over the issue of the titles of First and deputy First Minister, after it emerged that SDLP leader Colum Eastwood is considering tabling a motion at Westminster to abolish the title of deputy First Minister at Stormont. Both roles have the exact same powers and status, and one cannot be in office without the other. Mr Eastwood previously hit out at what he branded a "sham fight" over who gets the First Minister title.
With the expectations that Sinn Fein could come out on top in May's Assembly election, the party would get to nominate a First Minister, much to the chagrin of many unionists.
TUV leader Jim Allister urged both the DUP and UUP to "come clean with the electorate" on whether they would block the appointment of a Sinn Fein First Minister.
