The last two weeks in the Assembly have been some of the most toxic we have seen since 2007.

MLAs have been firing barbs across the chamber. The two leading parties in the Executive can’t hide their disdain for one another.

The optimism and positive tone of February 2024, when this government came into office, seem like a distant memory.

Today, we are 210 days away from the next election. What gives nerds like me excitement about election season approaching, many others see as something we cannot get past quickly enough.

Alex Kane: Are we really in a position where parade rulings can just be ignored?

Newton Emerson: Why Jon Burrows is marching to a different tune at Drumcree

If you expect the Assembly to improve its tone or its ability to deliver on difficult issues over the next six months, think again.

Clips of MLAs on the news heckling each other will dominate as polling day approaches.

The natural focus of media and political debate over the past few weeks has been on the impacts of Drumcree and whether a resolution can be found.

However, we also need to consider the longer-term impact on the future of devolution.

For the past 10 days, we........

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