Policing and justice must not be corrupted
09 December 2006
Statement by MEP Jim Allister:
“One year on today from the decision, supposedly on “public interest” grounds, to drop the Stormontgate prosecutions, in which many detected a political dimension, it is a double reminder of pertinent concerns for the Unionist community.
Firstly, Stormontgate itself graphically illustrated the folly of admitting Sinn Fein to government without an enforceable mechanism to exclude only them upon default by them. The St Andrews Act does not address this deficiency, which properly is a requirement of the DUP. Thus a workable legislative default mechanism remains a key outstanding issue.
Secondly, it underscores the deep-seated concerns that any possibility of control over policing and justice by a party, such as Sinn Fein, would increase the prospect of this most vital of subjects being contaminated and corrupted by political tampering. Little wonder there is a prevailing determination that if devolution should occur, the transfer of policing and justice is impossible during the currency of this generation of highly tainted Sinn Fein politicians.”
