Allister responds to DUP candidature in Europe
03 February 2009
Commenting on the DUP’s selection of a candidate for Europe, sitting Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister said:-
“The decision of the DUP to split the Unionist vote in circumstances where there are two sitting Unionist MEPs, and where the second seat is far from assured, is regrettable. As DUP Assembly Member Trevor Clarke said, no later than yesterday, "It takes a bizarre logic to advocate vote-splitting as a means of advancing Unionism...The last thing Unionism needs is more vote-splitting."
“The identity of the DUP vote-splitting candidate is less important than the policies which they will have to defend. I certainly look forward, as the only candidate opposed to terrorists in government, to holding to account those that gave us Martin McGuinness as our Joint First Minister, Catrina Ruane to wreck our education system and Gerry Kelly preening himself as Justice Minister in waiting.
Mine will be a campaign based on dynamic and durable principle, not here today, gone tomorrow pledges. Likewise, on Sinn Fein I will be able to look every voter in the eye, for my opposition to the advancement of IRA/Sinn Fein is 24/7 and not just at election time. Nor have I the embarrassment of promoting them to the top of government while pretending an interest in preventing them from topping the poll. My purpose in that regard is undefiled.”
