Departure of the Peace Process Peeler
16 April 2009
Statement by Jim Allister MEP:
“Hugh Orde's departure will not sadden me. He was a highly political Chief Constable, a Peace Process Peeler, who at the Government's behest overplayed the 'normalisation' game; denuding the PSNI of a terrorist-fighting capacity and adequate intelligence gathering facilities, making it easier of the IRA to return to murder in recent weeks. Moreover, his fingerprints are all over the appalling and dangerous policy of wholesale removal of personal protection weapons from former members of the security forces.
“Orde was a Government linchpin in the politicisation of policing in Northern Ireland. I trust his replacement will be an improvement and in particular that for the sake of political expediency those who served gallantly in the RUC will not be disadvantaged.”
