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We often say a year is a long time in politics, but what about two?     3 February marked two years since the return of the Stormont institutions. With attention now turning to the progress made by the Executive, Programme for Government commitments and the pace of delivery within the Assembly, it’s a good time to look back on some key developments of the mandate to date.  

Earlier this month the Government confirmed it would delay elections for 29 councils that were due to take place this May, ending months of speculation about where voters would be heading to the polls this year.

By Adam Newton With the Christmas holidays fading into a distant memory, the Assembly has returned from recess to begin the final full year of this already truncated mandate. While there was a perception the Assembly has been slow in progressing legislation, there is much to be done in 2026. January has only just begun and we are already seeing the first public fallout from the Executive parties on the announcement of the public consultation on the draft multi-year budget. W

Earlier today, Connect colleagues attended a high-profile speech from Reform leader Nigel Farage. The event was held inside Banking Hall, nestled in the City of London just a stone’s throw from the Bank of England.

Today Ireland will elect its 10th president. With potential candidates from the world of entertainment, business, MMA and the far right, Ireland’s race to replace Michael D Higgins as President was, right from the beginning, the subject of copious column inches.