Stormont crisis: Even 'non-events' are welcome on the hill

Not much usually happens at Stormont in August - or ever, come to think of it.

In the good old days this was recess when assembly members took their summer holidays.

But because of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) boycott of the institutions there hasn't been a proper sitting of the assembly since 24 March 2022.

There's little sign of that changing any time soon.

So the prospect of a visit by almost 200 elected representatives from 44 legislatures across the US, who none of us had ever heard of, turned us almost giddy with excitement.

"Non-event," said one veteran Stormont politician.

Maybe, but Stormont can't afford to be choosy these days and at least this was something.

The delegation, delivered in four large coaches, was led by Robin Vos, the president of the National Conference of State Legislators.

A Republican politician, he's the 79th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, a man best known for sacking a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice he once hired to investigate electoral fraud.

He said the US politicians were at Stormont to "listen and learn".

Part of that learning was to hear from members of the five main Stormont parties who took questions from their guests in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings.

One of their inquisitors wondered aloud how their constituents were being served by not being there to do the jobs they were elected for.

DUP assembly member Emma Little Pengelly said it was the only way to address the problems caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework.

But Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy called it "a failed strategy", "reprehensible" and "unforgivable".

The Alliance Party's Kellie Armstrong, warming to the task, described the situation at Stormont as "the political equivalent of the seventh circle of hell".

Matthew O'Toole of the Social Democratic and Labour Party said: "If you'd have told me we'd have lots of middle aged legislators sitting in the Great Hall I'd have been delighted but sadly we had to bring them in from America."

The politicians, plus about 100 more spouses and guests, then headed to the members' dining room for a three-course lunch from a menu boasting Young Buck blue cheese, panna cotta and spiced pear chutney, County Armagh beef cheek pie topped with buttery mash, Stormont lime mousse with raspberry gel, Jawbox gin syrup and yellowman.

"This is a junket for Americans and their families," said one cynical voice, thankfully not loudly enough to be heard.

Non-event? Maybe. But as we trudged away from Stormont none of us could think of when, and for what purpose, any of us may be back.