Further fudge on policing and justice by DUP
04 August 2008
STATEMENT BY TUV LEADER JIM ALLISTER MEP
“As I predicted earlier today, the DUP, in order to save the Executive, is preparing to fudge and budge on the key policing and justice issue. They are ready and willing to concede this key republican demand. Whoever might temporarily hold the post initially, the key issue is the instant powers over the Judiciary which devolving policing & justice will give McGuinness as Joint First Minister.
Irrespective of who is the Minister, the real control goes to OFMDFM, because it then recommends who should be Lord Chief Justice, the Lord Justices of Appeal, the Attorney General and can move to remove Judges. Herein is the ultimate obscenity, that a leader of the IRA which butchered Judges, including Lord Justice Gibson and his wife, will now have unacceptable control over our Judiciary. Sadly, the DUP has never tried to withhold these powers from McGuinness. The moment they assent to devolving policing and justice they hand these powers to McGuinness.
Where, I challenge the DUP, is the Unionist confidence for that? What has changed from policing and justice being out of the question for a generation, to the point today where the DUP is setting the scene for another climbdown? Once more, thanks to a DUP roll-over, IRA/Sinn Fein is closer than ever to attaining this key republican demand.”
