Jim Allister MLA urges end to 'Mandatory Coalition'
Giving his talk in the Queen’s University's AE22 Leaders' Lecture series, the TUV leader set out his critique of the institutional arrangements at Stormont.
Mr Allister said that the purpose of holding elections was to enable the electorate to change their government, but "the overwhelming absurdity of mandatory coalition is that you are not allowed to change your government".
He proposed instead a system of voluntary coalition, with a fully functioning and resourced opposition.
He also criticised the Protocol governing post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland. "Shortly we are going to elect a legislative Assembly. But inder the Protocol, there are areas that it won't be able to legislate on".
He also described the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal that upheld the Protocol as "a shocking wake up call", indicating that the "much-vaunted consent principle" had been hollowd out.
For the full speech and the subsequent question and answer session, watch the recording here:
This series has been taking place on campus, in the Great Hall and other lecture theatres, as well as being made available on our website.