Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“Immediately after the Spotlight investigation into the DUP’s dealings with Red Sky and Turkington’s I wrote to the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Dr Malcolm McKibbin. I requested that he investigate if Nelson McCausland’s Special Adviser, Stephen Brimstone, had breached sections 5 and 6 of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. The relevant sections read: Continue Reading…
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:-
“What a night – victory over Russia and victory on the Maze!
“Congratulations to all who campaigned so hard against the Provo Project at the Maze, particularly innocent victims. Every signature on our petition helped force the DUP into a monumental climb down. We must ensure there is no backsliding on the issue!
“Despite all the diversionary talk from Peter Robinson about the changing stance of others, his Maze u-turn is seismic, but none the less welcome for that. Continue Reading…
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“The attack on Woodbourne Police station was wrong and has been rightly condemned. However, when one listens to Sinn Fein representatives pontificate about this their hypocrisy really is nauseating.
“Sue Ramsey attacked those behind the bombing as “irresponsible” on the BBC’s TalkBack programme and highlighted the fact that children had picked up the bomb. She then told listeners that the difference between this attack and the type of attacks carried out by the Provisionals was the lack of popular support.
“One assumes, therefore, that Sinn Fein continue to believe there was nothing wrong with planting bombs in the 1970s and at any time when their IRA did it.
“In 1973 9 year old Gordon Gallagher died when he triggered an IRA bomb in Londonderry. Last year the boy’s parents called on co-First Minister McGuinness to tell police who was involved.
“Martin McGuiness was, by his own admission, second in command in the IRA at the time of Gordon’s death.
“In February 2012 I tabled a written question to the Office of the First and deputy First Minister asking whether the Department – which has responsibility for victims’ issues – had given all possible help to the Gallagher family in their humanitarian quest to identify the murderer of their 9 year old son. Continue Reading…
Responding to comments by the chairman of the Police Federation Terry Spence TUV leader Jim Allister said:
“Mr Spence’s comments calling for a suspension of all “contentious parading” is completely unacceptable. For a start, how does Terry Spence define contentious? Remember that the Apprentice Boys parade in Castledurg last Saturday was not “contentious” until Sinn Fein/IRA decided to make it so. Then, following a visit by co-First Minister McGuinness, they suddenly decided it wasn’t “contentious” any more and Republicans called off their protest in a cynical attempt to deflect attention from the celebration of terror they were organising for the next day. Continue Reading…
Below is a letter sent this morning to the Assembly Commissioner for Standards.
Mr Douglas Bain
Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards
Room 283
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX
12th August 2013
Dear Mr Bain,
I write to make a formal complaint against Gerry Kelly MLA following his attendance at a parade and a speech he delivered at the event on Sunday 11th August in Castlederg, Co Tyrone.
The Code of Conduct states that: “Members have a duty to uphold the law and to act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in them” and “Members will act in a way that is conducive to promoting good relations by providing a positive example for the wider community to follow by acting justly and promoting a culture of respect for the law.” The Parades Commission determination in relation to the Castlederg parade clearly stated that no paramilitary-style clothing was to be worn at any time during the parade and that there were to be no depictions of weaponry. Both of these conditions were, as you can see from the enclosed photographs, breached. Continue Reading…
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
Martin McGuinness’ description of Sunday’s coat-trailing glorification of the murder, planned for Castlederg, as “an act of remembrance” is obscene.
“Acts of remembrance” are sacred occasions when those who fought honourably and courageously for their county are remembered with dignity; Sinn Fein’s Castlederg event is a celebration of the wicked terror of the IRA and exaltation of the death and destruction they brought to their innocent victims. There is no equivalence between the courage and sacrifice of the soldier who goes to war for his country and the bloodthirsty terrorist who skulks around in the dark waiting to shoot a policeman or a civilian in the back, or who loads up a car with explosives to blow the heart out of a town. Continue Reading…
Statement by Jim Allister MLA:
“The Kingsmill massacre was one of the most horrific incidents in the Troubles. Few incidents illustrated the sectarian nature of the IRA’s murder campaign as graphically.
“Today’s announcement is long overdue and will be welcomed by the families who are to be commended for their campaign for truth.
“The victims’ families are entitled to know what happened at Kingsmill and I hope this announcement will be a step in that direction.”
Condemning the Parades Commission’s decision to yet again impose restrictions on the return parade of the local Apprentice Boys Club in Rasharkin Jim Allister said:
“This determination denies the Rasharkin Apprentice Boys the right to walk their traditional route through Sunnyside Drive on their return parade and is yet another attack on Unionist and Protestant culture.
“The dismay felt within the Unionists and Protestant community in Rasharkin is palpable. Repeated attacks upon the Unionist community in recent years and even a bomb scare at the local Orange Hall on the night of a parade have, it will seem to many, been rewarded while Republicans are given the green light to parade in Castlederg, a town they repeatedly attacked.
“This parade has nothing to do with the celebration of murder and terrorism and yet the Commission has decided to impose restrictions. Continue Reading…
Responding to Peter Robinson’s comments today as reported in the News Letter in relation to flags and anthems at the World Police and Fire Games, TUV Leader Jim Allister has stated:
“While I welcome and agree with Peter Robinson’s comments that athletes competing in the World Police and Fire Games should be proud to walk or stand under the flag of their nation, I would ask him this: why has he at the 11th hour suddenly become interested?
“In March this year I raised the issue with Minister Cullen, who provided elusive and non-committal answers as one would expect. I have also raised it with the Chief Executive of the World Police and Fire Games and made my concerns public in the lead up to the games. Continue Reading…
