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Stormont dice sì alla devolution

MLAs vote for policing deal

The Assembly has voted in favour of the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster, despite opposition from the Ulster Unionist Party.

Policing and Justice Motion

Overall results: 88 votes in favour (83.8%)
Unionists in favour: 35 (67.3%)
Unionists against: 17 (32.7%)
Nationalists in favour: 44 (100%)
Others in favour: 9 (100%)

Stormont | BelfastOut of the 105 votes cast, a total of 88 were in support of the move, with only the UUP voting against.

The vote will lead to the creation of a Department of Justice for Northern Ireland after the powers are devolved by 12 April.

On Tuesday deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness accused the Ulster Unionists of opposing the policing deal for “cynical party political reasons”.

Mr McGuinness heavily criticised the UUP’s stance as he tabled the motion which was eventually carried by parallel consent.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the completion of devolution sent a “powerful message to those who would return to violence”.

“The politics of progress have finally replaced the politics of division in Northern Ireland”, he said.

“The courage and leadership of the parties who voted to complete devolution at Stormont will be noted around the world.”

First Minister Peter Robinson attacked the UUP decision to vote against devolution.

“I believe it is time for us all to move forward. There must be no going back to the bad old days of the past”, he said.

“Leadership is not about what’s easiest, or what best suits our party interests, it is about doing what is right for our people.”

‘No’

Before the vote, Ulster Unionist deputy leader Danny Kennedy reserved his strongest criticisms for Sinn Fein and Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward.

He said Mr Woodward’s attempts to persuade the party to back the deal had amounted to undue pressure.

“The Secretary of State, in my view, has behaved disgracefully, particularly over recent days, and his attempts to bully and to bribe and to blackmail this party, I think, has abused the high political office that he holds,” said the UUP representative.

“He should pack his bags well in advance of the forthcoming general election.”

Mr Kennedy also hit back at Mr McGuinness declaring that, when they tried to discuss the matter with him on Monday, they were asked to leave his office.

“The masked slipped and it wasn’t make-over Martin, it wasn’t Martin of the Ard Fheis and the autocue and the designer set of the RDS Dublin. It was more like the Martin from the Bogside”, Mr Kennedy said.

“The problem is that the executive is not being run properly. It’s being run for the two and the few and not for the many. Therefore we can’t endorse the motion today”.

The UUP leader Sir Reg Empey said that his party refused to bow to the blackmail and bullying to which we have been subjected in recent weeks.

“Those of us who find ourselves, in good conscience, unable to support the motion, believe that the conditions are not yet right. We are doing what we were sent to this House to do – we are exercising our judgment”, he said.

The SDLP voted in support of the devolution of policing and justice powers but leader Margaret Ritchie said she was highly critical of the wider Hillsborough deal.

She condemned plans to step outside the normal power-sharing selection process for ministerial posts, with the move set to see the smaller Alliance Party emerge as an agreed candidate for the new post of Justice Minister.

Alliance Party leader David Ford, who is tipped for the post, said the move would cement the peace process.

“There is no doubt that the devolution of justice is the last challenge that we face as an Assembly,” said the South Antrim MLA.

Meanwhile, Conservative leader David Cameron insisted the Tories had played the “most constructive role we possibly could as an Opposition” in relation to Northern Ireland amid reports of a late intervention by former US President George Bush, urging the Conservatives to use their influence with Sir Reg.

He said President Bush had stressed in their conversation how crucial it was for everyone to back devolution.

But he said of his Ulster Unionist partners: “The one thing we cannot do is force people to vote a particular way.

“We have played a thoroughly constructive role, very, very supportive of what the Government wants to do and what we all want to do, which is to see devolution work properly.”

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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