Allister answers Wilson's tantrum attack
09 February 2008
Statement by Jim Allister MEP:
“How pitiful is Sammy Wilson’s latest attack upon me, strange in itself since last week he wrote congratulating me on a matter I’d pursued against Minister Ruane in Europe.
The venom with which, as frontman for the DUP, he attacks my persistent pursuit of the hidden things of the DUP/Sinn Fein regime, proves to me just how effective I am being. I have pursued FOI applications about Special Advisers, North/South bodies and Ian Junior’s activities at St Andrews. I’ve no apology to make for any of this and will not be put off no matter how embarrassing for Mr Wilson’s Party is the information unearthed.
As for the aspersions which he seeks to cast on my conduct as MEP, I have nothing to hide. My staff, which as is well known includes my daughter since July 07, are full time, all well qualified double graduates, appropriately paid and do a professional job. For some they obviously do too good a job.
But I have a challenge for Mr Wilson, if he can persuade the former DUP MEP, Ian Paisley, to open the books on every facet of whom he employed and where, I’ll gladly reciprocate.
Perhaps the strangest thing of all is that Sammy Wilson is exercised that I have turned the spotlight on Sinn Fein special advisers being exempt from security vetting and the failure to declare criminal convictions. What an intriguing insight into the DUP’s relationship with Sinn Fein, that they are getting excited about me probing their partner party’s choice of advisers. As for my own staff none, I assure him, have criminal convictions nor need security vetting.”
