Allister denounces the politics of sleaze, scandal and sell-out
21 January 2010
Speaking on Wednesday night, 20th January 2010, to the AGM of Ballymena TUV Jim Allister QC said politics had been gravely damaged by the Robinson scandal.
"The public rightly expect probity in public office. Coming on top of the expenses scandal, public confidence in politicians, especially those from whom they expected more, has been greatly diminished by recent events.
“Extortionate claims of £400 per month for food in London, even when parliament wasn't sitting, producing in the case of the North Antrim MP a staggering bill to the taxpayer of £23,200 in 5 years (2004-09); having the public purchase a prime property as a party asset through excessive claims of £57,000 pa of public money from Assembly expenses, as the DUP is doing in Church Street, Ballymena; and the ease with which £50,000 from developers is obtained by the First Minister’s wife, which rekindles memories of the ambivalence of Ian Paisley Junior in his infamous “I know of” Seymour Sweeney remark, all do damage to the body politic.
“The cumulative effect is to scandalise many and discourage political engagement. It is right that those who have brought politics into disrepute should be punished, but declining to vote, as a protest, only lets sleaze win. The way to punish those and their Party who have brought shame to politics is in fact to vote against them, rather than let them off the hook by merely abstaining.
“If sell-out on policing and justice is now added to the scandal and sleaze of recent days, then I say to the many decent people, who put their faith in those who have so spectacularly let them down, ‘don’t give up in despair, but stick by the principles and ethos which you espouse by helping those of us in politics who still strive to live by convictions and do what is right’.”
