Arlene Foster's position untenable - Allister
21 September 2010
TUV Leader Jim Allister, who attacked the ESB take-over of NIE as a ‘catastrophic move’, as long ago as 7 July 2010 (http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=1996), has welcomed the opposition of Peter Robinson and Reg Empey but questions where Arlene Foster stands, suggesting her earlier support for the buy-out has made her present position untenable.
In a statement Mr Allister said:-
“I welcome Peter Robinson and Reg Empey joining the battle against the ESB take-over. Anyone can see, as I said on 7th July, “This proposed sale is bad news for Northern Ireland ….. It will leave the government of the Republic of Ireland with a dominant position in almost every aspect of energy generation, supply, distribution and retail across the island. It makes a nonsense of all British and European policy regarding the unbundling of energy network and the promotion of competitive markets.”
“Yet at the time DETI’s positive response showed an utterly compliant attitude to the southern take-over. Minister Foster’s stance is totally incompatible with that now properly taken by her Party Leader, so the question is will she withdraw her support and recognise the assurances she relied on – which clearly don’t impress the leaders of Unionism – are worthless. Where does Arlene Foster stand now? Her stance to date makes her position on this critical position untenable and, therefore, she should now consider her position.
“It is not as if DETI got itself into this position under nationalist or Sinn Fein control, but under a DUP Minister who is now left high and dry by her own party. Both Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster can’t be right. On this one, I’m quite clear that the Minister is wrong and thus should go.”
