100% hike in household charges!

[JCSkinner]

This is because of the hijacking of politics in Northern Ireland by the nationalist/republican and loyalist/unionist factions.

JC if the UUP promised to reduce rates, would you vote for them?

Seems that they are the weakest of the main four parties in terms of opposing these incessant hikes in charges. However, to play your what-if for a moment, I would definitely consider giving a vote to a UUP candidate in the circumstances that their party made an overt election vow to overturn these charges utterly, and made that a central plank of their election campaign, in circumstances where the other parties did not make a similar pledge.
This is because I know plenty of people who may be forced to sell their dwellings, elderly and impoverished people, because they cannot afford to pay double what was already crippling them financially.
I'm still seeking to get hard and fast statements of intent on this issue from all four major parties. They're all talking tough until it comes to the question of what they're going to do about it. Then they clam up.

The things that matter to people are being neglected because the 2 factions do nothing but sling insults at each other (at least it's only mud these days).
What about health? Housing? Education? Local charges? The environment? No no, we have to talk about how crap the other crowd are and how we need a United Ireland / to preserve the Union (delete as appropriate).

No wonder NI have the highest domestic rates in the UK. Is it the direct rule people who set rates? I thought it was the local authorities. Either way I can't see much changing while NI politics remains poisoned (and if you start going on about who is to blame for that, you are just buying into it)

Housing rates in NI are set by the direct rule Department of Finance and Personnel. The water rates are being set by a new quango in advance of the service being privatised.

[padraig]

JCSkinner, of course people care about the issue, but onless the assembly is restored there is little that can be done about it, except to organise opposition to the move.

And if the assembly is restored and Sinn Fein returned as second largest party, as seems likely, what will PSF do in relation to these charges?

JCSkinner, The SDLP, Sinn Féin, DUP and the Alliance party are opposed to water charges, the UUP want them capped at £100. So based on that there is no support for the introduction of these charges.

You didn't answer my question, though. Will Sinn Fein seek to rescind them if they enter government in the North?

Sinn Féin is opposed to water charges and rate hikes and will bring forward proposals to tackle them in the Assembly.

[JCSkinner]

Really? Cain previously explained that there was an ongoing debate over whether to do that or support a no-pay campaign within Sinn Fein. You're suggesting that this has been resolved now?
If your party has decided on the former approach, what are the proposals? Will they seek the return of money diverted by the direct rule wonks to security, will they seek to balance the budget some other way? Where's the meat here?
And what about the rates hike? What will Sinn Fein be doing about that?

[JCSkinner]

The silence is deafening.