Allister Responds to Robinson's Carson Lecture
30 March 2012
Statement by TUV leader and North Antrim MLA Jim Allister:
“Tellingly Peter Robinson did not use his visit to the Irish Republic to remind them of their role in the Troubles. There was no mention of the shocking revelations which have come out during the Smithwick Tribunal in recent days. Rather the co-First Minister chose to play to his audience and just ignore the issue.
“And what of Mr Robinson’s version of history? The men and women who signed the Covenant and Declaration one hundred years ago this September pledged to defend Ulster’s “cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom”.
“Carson and the other founders of Northern Ireland recognised that equal citizenship is the cornerstone of the Union.
“Our contrived and distorted form of government at Stormont means the people of Northern Ireland are no longer equal citizens of the UK. Unlike Scotland and Wales, the devolved setup in Northern Ireland denies us two fundamentals of British democracy – the right to vote a party out of government and the right to have an Opposition.
“As part of the UK, any form of devolution here should be compatible with British practice instead of the undemocratic system which guarantees apologists for terror a permanent place in government.
“In 1985 I co-authored a book with Peter Robinson entitled Carson – Man of Action. Included in that book is a quote which Mr Robinson and his party appear to have forgotten: “For my part I would rather for the rest of my life stay in the honest division lobby of Opposition than surrender one particle of my principles to obtain the highest office in the land”.
