The Role of the Opposition in UK and Ireland

By Gráinne Walsh On Thursday (26 March), political voices and legislators from Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Dublin took part in a conversation exploring how the role of the opposition has developed and performs as part of this year’s Imagine Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics.

Connect were delighted to organise the event alongside the John and Pat Hume Foundation in partnership with Ulster University. The panel discussion featured representatives from Sinn Féin (Eoin Ó Broin TD), the SDLP (Matthew O’Toole MLA), Plaid Cymru (Sarah Rees), and former MLA John McCallister.

Connect and the John and Pat Hume Foundation have a history of delivering political events together through their ‘Future Politics’ partnership. Future Politics established in 2022 is focused on delivering practical options that enables the delivery of better outcomes for people, communities and businesses through constructive conversations about political and policymaking structures.

Set against the backdrop of upcoming UK-wide and devolved elections, continuing political tensions, and a shifting electoral landscape, this the panel focused on a question at the heart of democracy: is political opposition still doing its job? And if not, what needs to change?

Chaired by Professor Stephen Farry the multi-party panel from across the devolved jurisdictions and Ireland panellists highlighted just how different opposition can be in the Senedd, the NI Assembly and the Dáil.

Panellists mentioned differences in the funding available to official oppositions and how the size of the party in opposition will ultimately dictate how much financial and administrative support they are given.

What is clear that as governments face complex pressures, from public finances to constitutional debates, the role of opposition parties has never been more important, or more difficult. Their ability to scrutinise, challenge, and propose alternatives often determines the very health of democratic life. This panel discussion will illuminate some of those nuances and take the temperature of our political systems and opposition structures across these islands.