How much confidence can Theresa May have in the Tory-DUP ‘confidence and supply’ deal? The DUP have broken ranks from the Tories for the first time since entering a controversial ‘confidence and supply ‘deal; a deal which was conjured up after the Conservative Party failed to get the number of seats needed for an overall majority after the General Election in June. Yet, in the House of Common this week, the DUP backed Labour motions in favour of increasing NHS pay and against a rise in tuition fees. Aside from causing the Prime Minister a great deal of embarrassment, it certainly puts a question mark over the £1bn pay-out that was set to be heading towards the Northern Ireland budget, as a result of the deal.

Civil Servants continue to make huge decisions in the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive. This week it was announced that a waste management group, known as Arc21, who represent the six super councils in Northern Ireland, were granted full planning permission to build a waste incinerator on the greenbelt of the Belfast hills. Despite concerns from residents and unanimous political opposition, the Department for Infrastructure were able to sign off on the plan. Whilst Northern Ireland continues to remain ungoverned, this will be the first off many monumental decisions made by unelected civil servants.

MLA pay cuts remain a point of contention with the electorate in Northern Ireland. Earlier this week DUP leader, Arlene Foster, insisted that MLA pay cuts should not be used as ‘the stick’ to force an agreement between the two bigger parties. It is important to remember than many MLAs continue to offer a first class public service through constituency offices to constituents in need. Additionally, should pay cuts be used as a threat to try to break the on-going political dead-lock and an agreement still cannot be made, we are at risk of depleting our political class, damaging the chances of restoring devolution anytime in the near future, and undoing much of the progress achieved by the peace process.

Explosive device left on London tube is a stark reminder that terrorism is becoming the new norm. This week 29 people were injured after an device exploded on a tube in Parson Green underground station, West London. Prime Minister, Theresa May, says that the terrorist threat level remains at ‘severe’ in light of the explosion. Unfortunately, the frequency at which these incidents are happening illustrates that terrorism is slowly but surely become the new norm in our society.

Boris Johnson breaks rank over Brexit strategy. This week Tory MPs have hit out at Theresa May for being too lenient in regards to the actions of her Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, who mapped out his own Brexit ambitions in an article for The Daily Telegraph earlier this week. May’s lack of authority unveils further weakness in her leadership, and subsequently allows Johnson a free run at exploiting Brexit to set out his own leadership stall.