If Sinn Féin backs puberty blocker trials, why doesn’t it just overturn Mike Nesbitt’s decision?

Michelle O’Neill has said it is “disgraceful” that the UK-wide puberty blocker trial for children with gender dysphoria has been paused in Northern Ireland by UUP health minister Mike Nesbitt.

The good news for the first minister is that her party can overturn the decision. Sinn Féin has the Executive numbers to call in and veto anything considered significant, controversial or affecting more than one department – the trial would certainly meet the first two of those criteria.

There is no sign as yet of Sinn Féin doing so, suggesting its objection is more of a posture than a policy.

Separately at the assembly, Mr Nesbitt has announced his department has opened negotiations on next year’s GP contracts with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland – effectively, the GPs’ trade union.

Linzi McLaren: We may have peace, but have mindsets really changed?

The minister said he was “delighted” with the news, and no wonder. The BMA rejected last year’s contract, assuming this would get it a better deal. Instead, Mr Nesbitt called its bluff and told GPs to take it or leave it.

One year on, it is clear he won this confrontation hands down and fairly clear he could do the same again.

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Northern Ireland’s Sunday trading laws were liberalised three decades ago because large retailers, led by UK supermarkets, forced the issue by opening unlawfully and accepting the consequences.

It must be asked if a similar point of frustration will be reached with our hapless planning system.

Lidl wants to invest £500 million in 16 new stores across the region, creating 2,400 jobs and adding £475 million to the local economy.

But everything has been held up in planning for years – six years in Derry, for example.

While there is no suggestion Lidl would bypass the system, others have already done........

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