Conservative MP David Liddington has called on the government to put a freeze on controversial reforms in the areas of education and local government until it becomes clear whether or not power sharing will be restored by the November 24th deadline imposed by the government.

This sounds like a great idea to me. All the parties bar Sinn Fein have said they are opposed to the 7-council model approved by the government under local government reform plans, and both the UUP and DUP are opposed to the abolition of academic selection for post-primary education. What better incentive to get them into power sharing than to give them a chance to right those wrongs?

Follow up:

Forget threats about "joint stewardship" and pointless north-southery, get the DUP to put their money where their mouth is. If they really oppose these policies, give them a chance to have some control over them. As the DUP plan to "consult the unionist community" over power-sharing, a move like this would surely justify a dance with the devil in pursuit of the greater good.

I would go one beter and suggest that business rates, which all the parties complain about, be suspended until the same time. Unfortunately we all know the MLAs wouldn't go back until that dirty business was done and dusted, with the direct rule ministers taking the blame, thus allowing local politicians to continue in their time-honoured tradition of opposing everything (even when they know that it would have to be done one way or the other). There's no sense them taking the blame if there's any way they can shirk the responsibility - perpetual opposition is all too attractive.