Northern Ireland’s largest political parties are more interested in seizing power than using it to help ordinary people, it was claimed today.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan told his party conference the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein were enjoying a snug partnership but failing to deliver good government.
And while he claimed Sinn Fein were failing to defend nationalist interests, he said the DUP had sought to erode cross-border links even after the Irish Government had invested in Northern Ireland despite economic pressures.
DUP leader Peter Robinson and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness share the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister, with offices in Stormont Castle, but Mr Durkan said they were producing more political spin than policy.
"Smug parties in a snug power pact," he said. "They might be getting ever more comfortable in their castle, but things are getting very uncomfortable for a lot of people.
"In this new regime they strut and boast their power status, only to plead they are powerless on the issues besetting our economy. They are giving us screensaver government.
"Shapes are thrown, images projected, impressions generated — but is anything really being done?"
Mr Durkan added that while the economic downturn was hitting ordinary people, Sinn Fein and the DUP were arguing over the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster, blocking Cabinet meetings for months.
He said: "With uncertainty gripping companies as credit was switched off, markets dropped and government contracts stalled — uncertainty hurting families worrying about their homes, jobs, pensions and schools.
"What would the DUP/Sinn Fein answer to all that uncertainty? They created political uncertainty and government inertia, as they played a five-month game of political chicken. When every other government was taking unprecedented action, they gave us unprecedented inaction."
Mr Durkan said his party's sole Government minister, Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie, had sought to promote the building of social housing, plus tackling fuel poverty.
"Having stymied and diminished the Social Development Minister's proposals on fuel poverty for months, they then presented the measures as a gift from them," he said.
"In partisan spite, they colluded to leave a multi-million-pound hole in the housing budget — delaying new build, repairs and maintenance and denying the work this would mean for firms and workers.
"These are the hallmarks of this DUP/Sinn Fein regime: stroke politics, gimmick Government and petty power play."
The SDLP leader traced his party's roots back to the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement of 40 years ago, while also tapping into idealism of President Barack Obama's election.
"Like so many, SDLP members were inspired by Barack Obama's message of change during his campaign," he said. "We have been energised by his passion, encouraged by his idealism and enthused by his call to purpose. As the new president embarks on his journey to change America, the SDLP draws confidence from the unlikely journeys we have made ourselves and on which we have brought others too.
"The road we walked — and the risks we took — for an end to violence and lasting peace." He added: "Throughout the past 12 months and more, we have been honoured to salute the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement 40 years on.
"We pay tribute to all those who stood up to towers of power by sitting on their own streets, who rose to their feet to march for justice and brought an unjust regime to its knees.
"And — without firing a single bullet, dropping a single bomb or drawing a single drop of anyone else's blood — changed the face of our society for the better and forever."