Agreement a ticking time bomb – Allister
DUP nemesis Jim Allister has heaped scorn on his former party’s claim that its policing and justice deal was good for the Province.
The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader, who has long rejected any transfer of the sensitive powers from London to Belfast, said that the deal ran contrary to much of the rhetoric from senior DUP figures in recent years.
Under the DUP-Sinn Fein deal, neither of the parties will take the Justice Ministry, meaning that the Alliance Party is likely to be given the post.
However, Mr Allister said it was unnacceptable that Sinn Fein would still have influence on the department.
The former MEP said: “After all its bluster about ‘political lifetimes’, pre-conditions – like no army council, no Parades Commission and retention of the Full-time Reserve – and the solemn pledge of a real consultation period, the DUP capitulated to Sinn Fein’s key strategic demand that policing and justice be surrendered to their terrorist-inclusive Executive – something they have described as ‘central to ending British rule’.
“The pretence that this is in the interests ‘of all the people of Northern Ireland’ is arrant nonsense.
“The minister will be a full Executive member subject to the toxic Sinn Fein veto on all justice legislation, all spending decisions, and all cross-cutting issues. The DUP previously pledged to keep the Justice Minister’s action beyond the meddling reach of IRA/Sinn Fein, but again, Sinn Fein has won this argument.”
The TUV leader denounced the concession of a review of parading won by the DUP as a “risible fig leaf”, adding: “Make no mistake, the Parades Commission stays. When what is proposed walks like the Parades Commission, talks like the Parades Commission and looks like the Parades Commission, it is the Parades Commission.”
Mr Allister also raised concerns about the section of the agreement which details action on “outstanding matters from St Andrews”.
“This means the Irish language, expansion of the north/south bodies and north/south parliamentary links,” he said.
“Just like the promise on policing and justice in the St Andrews Agreement was a ticking time-bomb for unionism, so the undertakings on the Irish language and north/southery will be the new smouldering opportunity for fresh blackmail, the next time Sinn Fein needs to gorge on DUP concessions at its next staging post.
“How long before everyone is back at Hillsborough as Sinn Fein threatens collapse again, if the final roll-over on the Irish language or north/southery is delayed?”
