 Ultimately political power is held by the UK government , from which Northern Ireland has gone through intermittent periods of direct rule during which devolved powers have been suspended . Northern Ireland elects 18 of the UK House of Commons ' 650 MPs . The Northern Ireland Secretary is a cabinet @-@ level post in the British government . 
 Ultimately political power is held by the UK government , from which Northern Ireland <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>has</mark></a> gone through intermittent periods of direct rule during which devolved powers <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> been suspended . Northern Ireland <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>elects</mark></a> 18 of the UK House of Commons <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'</mark></a>650 MPs . The Northern Ireland Secretary <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>a cabinet @-@ level post in the British government . 
Ultimately political power is held by the UK government , from which Northern Ireland done gone through intermittent periods of direct rule durin which devolved powers done been suspended . Northern Ireland elect 18 of the UK House of Commons  650 MPs . The Northern Ireland Secretary a cabinet @-@ level post in the British government .