Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 facts for kids
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| Long title | An Act to make provision about donations, loans and related transactions for political purposes in connection with Northern Ireland; to amend the Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 and the Northern Ireland Act 1998; to make provision about the registration of electors and the administration of elections in Northern Ireland; and to make miscellaneous amendments in the law relating to Northern Ireland. |
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| Citation | c. 13 |
| Territorial extent | Northern Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 13 March 2014 |
| Commencement | 5 May 2016 |
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Status: Current legislation
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 is a law made by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created to stop politicians from holding two jobs at once (this is called "double-jobbing"). Specifically, it banned dual mandates for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
This law also helped make sure that elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly happened at similar times to elections in other parts of the UK. The law was officially approved on 13 March 2014. This approval is called Royal Assent.
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Changes to Elections
This law made some important changes to how elections work in Northern Ireland. It helped align them with other parts of the UK.
Election Dates
Before this law, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly had asked the UK government to move their elections. They wanted to avoid clashing with the UK general election in 2015. The government agreed and changed a law to let their elections happen in 2016 instead.
Northern Ireland's elections were not included in that first change. This was because the 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election was happening at the time. The Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act was then passed. It made sure the Northern Ireland Assembly's elections also lined up with the others.
Longer Terms for the Assembly
Another big change was extending how long each Assembly term lasts. Before this law, an Assembly term was four years. The Act changed this to five years. This means politicians elected to the Assembly serve for a longer period.
Reducing Assembly Size
The Act also gave the Northern Ireland Assembly an option. It could choose to reduce the number of MLAs from 108 to 90. This was a way to make the Assembly smaller.
Stopping "Double-Jobbing"
One of the main goals of this law was to stop "double-jobbing." This is when a politician holds two elected positions at the same time.
Why "Double-Jobbing" Was Banned
In 2009, a report from the UK Parliament suggested banning "double-jobbing." Even though it was common in Northern Ireland, especially after a difficult period known as The Troubles, many felt it was time for a change.
Some politicians, like Ian Paisley and John Hume, even held three jobs at once. They were an MLA, an MP (Member of the UK Parliament), and an MEP (Member of the European Parliament). By 2011, most major political parties in Northern Ireland agreed that "double-jobbing" should end.
What the Law Changed
The new law made it illegal for someone to be both an MLA and a member of the UK Parliament (an MP). It also stopped them from being an MLA and a member of the Republic of Ireland's parliament, called the Dáil Éireann.
The ban on "double-jobbing" started with the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election. If a politician held two jobs when the law passed, they could keep both until that election. After the election, they had eight days to choose which job they wanted to keep.
For example, after the 2015 UK general election, Gregory Campbell was the last person in Northern Ireland with a dual mandate. He was an MLA and an MP for East Londonderry.
