TUV Leader calls for unity candidate in Fermanagh & South Tyrone
10 October 2009
Speaking at a public meeting in Enniskillen TUV Leader Jim Allister QC dealt not just with the policing and justice debate, but had something to say about winning Fermanagh & South Tyrone back from Sinn Fein.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
“………Has anything really changed in the republican mindset? This week we saw public acclamation for IRA terrorists allowed to openly flaunt themselves and fire shots at a republican funeral. We have IRA leaders in government, but not a single rebuke for the disgraceful scenes in Strabane, but then was the Strabane glorification of terrorism any different from that graced by Adams and McGuinness at Gorbally? No, yet Unionist Ministers and MLAs, who once knew better, look the other way and pretend their buddies in government are so worthy of office that the shambolic regime at Stormont needs more powers, not any old powers, but the critical powers of policing and justice.
“The IRA terrorist buried in Strabane this week murdered a policeman, a murder which Martin McGuinness still proclaims as justified, yet to their shame the DUP is readying itself to gift policing and justice powers to an Executive and Assembly in which IRA/Sinn Fein hold the power of veto. Every policing and justice decision with an expenditure or other cross-cutting dimension will be able to be called in by Sinn Fein on the Executive and vetoed.
“We think things are bad now, with the neutered PSNI unable to respond to terrorist threats in Newtownbutler for 12 hours, and with those who risked their lives for years in the security forces being stripped of their personal protection weapons, while convicted terrorists are allowed to be armed, well, just wait till McGuinness and his henchmen are enabled to meddle at Stormont in policing and justice…..
“Let me turn now to the upcoming
"Of course I desperately want to see a Unionist win Fermanagh & South Tyrone. Let’s be clear, only an agreed Unionist can do it, but I fear one tarnished by being a governmental partner of Sinn Fein cannot command the requisite inter-unionist support.
"Last time, in 2005, I campaigned for Arlene Foster because she stood on a manifesto which said mandatory coalition with Sinn Fein was “out of the question”. But tonight, sadly, she sits gleefully in just such a hideous coalition and yet, without as much as a blush of embarrassment, presents herself as the candidate supposedly suited to unseat her colleague and partner in government, Gildernew. But, just where will Arlene Foster be the morning after the election: sitting round the same Cabinet table with the same IRA/Sinn Fein ministerial colleague Gildernew.
"You can’t, with credibility, partner Sinn Fein in government by day and pretend they are your enemy when campaigning by night.
"To retake Fermanagh & South Tyrone I believe we need a unifying candidate, unburdened by baggage, who can rise above the party rivalries and command respect among all Unionists. I am therefore calling for a unified commitment among all the Unionist parties to find and support such a candidate. It can be done if petty party jockeying will let it be done. Gildernew or Unionist new, that is the choice!"
