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TUV Challenges DUP to turn off the money to North – South bodies

Admin —  September 11, 2015

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:

“The DUP’s shameless breach of promise in just 24 hours and decision to remain in the Executive not only leaves that party without a shred of credibility with the Unionist community but also means that Sinn Fein – the political wing of an armed and active IRA – retains its Ministerial posts. If Mr Robinson had resigned, then, automatically that action also removed McGuinness from office.

“Talk about leaving Arlene Foster as a “gatekeeper” is arrant nonsense; a mere cover for the DUP losing its bottle when it came to tipping Sinn Fein out of government.

“But, if Arlene Foster is staying in government with Sinn Fein let her do something useful. She can cripple the North/south bodies by cutting off their funds. Is she going to continue the squander on North/South bodies? These useless institutions have cost £30m of scarce Northern Ireland resources this year alone. Moreover the multiple DUP appointees to these bodies will continue in their remunerated roles.

“I have written to the Finance Minister calling on her to exercise the powers she has to turn off the money tap to these bodies. Mrs Foster, for example, has to approve the grants to these bodies. She could refuse to approve any further expenditure and let them run out of money. But, will she?”

 

Note to editors

Mr Allister’s letter to Minister Foster, which was sent before the events of yesterday, read as follows:

Dear Minister,

I note that you and your party colleagues are boycotting North/South meetings.

Could I suggest that additionally you could and should exercise your powers to decline to approve the 2016 grants for these bodies. You have that power under the legislation. Additionally, you could rescind your extant approval for ongoing 2015 spending. These steps would convert the stand on the North/South bodies into something more tangible and effective. I implore you to take these steps.

Yours sincerely,

In Newsroom, NI Politics
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Latest Stormont Crisis Vindicates TUV

Admin —  September 3, 2015

Speaking at a TUV meeting in East Belfast last night Jim Allister said:

“Some have tried to tell the Unionist electorate that Sinn Fein are committed to democracy and the rule of law. Yet there are a number of undeniable facts arising from the murder of Mr McGuigan.

“Firstly, the IRA as the Chief Constable has made clear continues to exist. Therefore the IRA’s supposed disbandment was a con.

“Secondly, the IRA have guns. Therefore the IRA’s supposed decommissioning was a con.

“Thirdly, the IRA reserve the right to shoot people. Therefore the IRA’s supposed commitment to the rule of law was a con.

“The entire peace process has been exposed for what it is – the appeasement of armed Republicanism in case they go back to “the bad old days”.

“Let’s not beat about the bush here. It is only because of violence and the threat of violence that Northern Ireland has a rigged form of devolution completely alien to the rest of the United Kingdom and indeed the democratic world.

“I commend the UUP for abandoning the sham which is current failed executive. It has been most entertaining to watch the DUP flounder in their attempts to justify remaining in government with the IRA’s political wing.

“We were told that they were going to bring forward an exclusion motion yet when the business committee met yesterday no such motion was tabled. Instead Peter Weir wanted MLAs to have an extra month’s holiday!

“The DUP have called for talks. More platitudes.

“Words, as the murder showed, are meaningless in Northern Ireland politics – unless of course they are on an OTR letter.

“Do you ever think we could reach a point where we should just look past the Jesuitry and actually deal with the terrorists?

“And as welcome as the UUP move is I am given to wondering why that party suddenly developed a conscience about IRA murders.

“Why did they remain round the executive table when the IRA brutally beat Paul Quinn to death in South Armagh?

“Why did they stay when the then Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy told Newsnight that he had “spoken to the IRA in the area” about the issue?

“Everyone knows that the IRA never went away and every Unionist is aware of exactly who they were sharing power with.

“The events of the last few weeks have totally vindicated the stand which TUV have taken. They have shown that we were right to keep using the title Sinn Fein/IRA long after other Unionists stopped doing so.

“It is time for both the DUP and UUP to face the reality that the current form of devolution in Northern Ireland has failed. We need real democracy and a system which can deliver for all the people of our Province.”

In Newsroom, NI Politics, Victims
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DUP brings cheer to IRA – SF

Admin —  September 3, 2015

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-

“After all the bluster of last week and empty talk of exclusion of Sinn Fein, true to form, this week Peter Robinson has begun its retreat with time-buying talk of even more talks with their partner and IRA denier, Sinn Fein. Another process! How the IRA must be laughing.

“The truth is that, as with the murder of Paul Quinn, the DUP is readying itself to turn a blind eye to murder. It even seems prepared to aggrandise itself through another ministry offered courtesy of an IRA murder.

“The ease with which the DUP clings to the political wing of the IRA in government is quite staggering. How many murders would it take to bring them out from among them?”

In Newsroom, NI Politics, Terrorism
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Call to DUP get on side

Admin —  September 3, 2015

Commenting on the UUP’s endorsement of withdrawal from the Stormont Executive, TUV leader Jim Allister said:-

“Now that the UUP has done the right thing, its over to the DUP. Are they going to licence the IRA to kill again by turning a blind eye to murder and clinging to office with the Provos’ political wing? It’s time to come out from among them.

“It’s no time for mere bluff and bluster, nor talk of ‘clever devices’, but it’s time to face the reality that a Stormont Executive built on the lies and excusing of IRA violence is a Stormont of not just failure, but shame.”

In Newsroom, NI Politics
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McCartney Case Shows Political Policing at its Worst

Admin —  September 3, 2015

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:

“The expose in recent days of the connivance by the PSNI with the Provos over the investigation and pursuit of events surrounding the murder of Robert McCartney is quite shocking. This was political policing at its worst. To even contemplate, never mind activate, a clandestine negotiation with the organisation implicated in the murder, whereby their clean up operation would be ignored in the foolish and naive hope that they might help identify their killers, is a staggering insight into the perversion of policing operated at the senior level identified.
“Little wonder the McCartney family are outraged. So should everyone who cares anything for the independence and reputation of policing and our criminal justice system.

“It was a total travesty of not just good policing, but independent policing, to strike a deal with the perpetrating organisation not to follow the evidence and let the Provo clean up squad off scot-free. Nor, is it any surprise to me that the Provos double crossed the police and left with with nothing.

“The uncovering of this escapade also raises legitimate questions as to what other police investigations were corrupted by police co-operation with the Provos? There certainly is a long line of Provo crimes with no convictions, where convictions would have embarrassed ‘the peace process’. In how many of these have there also been “arrangements” with the perpetrators?

“Suspects ‘helping police with their enquiries’ is a familiar concept, but the police helping suspects avoid enquiries is a whole new notion. “

In Newsroom, NI Politics, Terrorism
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It is the system of mandatory coalition which has failed -TUV

Admin —  August 27, 2015

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-

“As the present Stormont arrangements implode, the reality needs to be faced that this is a catastrophic failure of the unworkable system of government at Stormont.

“I have long warned that mandatory coalition by its very nature was bound to fail, sooner or later.

“Thus, there is no point in aspiring – as some of Mike Nesbitt’s comments suggest – to simply re-establishing Belfast Agreement devolution after some cosmetic changes. Root and branch change is essential if we are to obtain a durable and workable system of government and the least that such requires is the jettisoning of mandatory coalition and its replacement with the normality of voluntary coalition and a fully functioning opposition.

“The axe needs to be laid to the root of the problem – the unworkability and inevitable failure of mandatory coalition.

“Leaving the spectacularly failed structures in place and simply having another election to the same failed structures will fix nothing. It is time to face up to the reality – unpalatable for some – that fundamental infrastructural change must be made if a Stormont which can last and deliver is to be obtained.”

In Newsroom, NI Politics
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TUV Welcome UUP Leaving Executive

Admin —  August 27, 2015

Statement by Jim Allister MLA:

“I welcome the decision by the UUP to leave the now wholly discredited Executive.

“It came as no surprise to TUV that the IRA was still armed and active, and as such, Sinn Fein had a private army on the streets while they sat in government.  We have long maintained that Sinn Fein is unfit for government.

“TUV have consistently made the case for democratic reform of Stormont and in particular having an opposition, therefore it is better late than never for the UUP to make a move in our direction.

“If the DUP turns a blind eye then they are licencing the IRA to murder again. The time has come for the DUP and the Secretary of State to put an end to this corruption of democracy. If Sinn Fein are permitted to continue in government while the IRA is connected to murder, then it makes a mockery out of Stormont, and leaves it without any credibility.”

In Newsroom, NI Politics
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TUV responds to Secretary of State’s pathetic intervention

Admin —  August 25, 2015

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-

“For years, as part of the choreographed deception of “the peace process”, the British Government, along with the major parties in Northern Ireland, have peddled the notion that the IRA was gone.

“Now, when Provos have been caught out murdering, the Secretary of State’s pathetic response is to attempt to sanitise the IRA, by claiming that nonetheless they are not engaged in terrorism. What is murder by members of a proscribed organisation other than terrorism, or does it now qualify as peace building?

“And, then, as if to make it better and unremarkable, she tells us she has known for years that the IRA still exists! That means for all these years that Sinn Fein has been in government they’ve had a paramilitary wing – just as TUV has long maintained!

“Sinn Fein remains the political wing of the IRA and it is this reality that those unionists who sustain them in office must face. While I draw some comfort from the fact that some of the most impatient enthusiasts for getting into government with Sinn Fein, like Ian Paisley, are today discovering they are not fit for government, it will take action, not words, to rectify the situation.

“The DUP and UUP will be judged by what they do, not what they say.”

In Newsroom, NI Politics, Terrorism
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Actions, not Words required from DUP

Admin —  August 24, 2015

Statement by Jim Allister MLA:

What DUP through Jeffrey Donaldson said in 2007 after IRA men murdered Paul Quinn:

“If the IRA is involved — whether it’s individuals or — and there was a gang involved here — if there were a number of IRA members involved in this murder then that’s the actions of the IRA. We are not here to dance around this issue”.

What DUP and Jeffrey Donaldson actually did in 2007 – Nothing. Carried on in government with IRA/Sinn Fein!

What DUP through Jeffrey Donaldson said today, after IRA men murdered Kevin McGuigan:

“Surely, no one is suggesting that a political party which sits in the government of NI, has reps on Policing Board and is fully involved in the democratic process and at the same time remains linked to an organisation whose members are carrying out murders. That would just not be sustainable in any democratic society.

 “Clearly there are members of the Provisional IRA who decided to take law into their own hands.

 “We cannot ignore murder.”

What will DUP and Jeffrey Donaldson actually do in 2015? It is actions, not words that count.

In NI Politics
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Will DUP & UUP give Provos a Licence to Kill?

Admin —  August 24, 2015

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-

“For all the politicking of the Chief Constable and his resort to the “constructive ambiguity” that has hallmarked the dishonesty of “the peace process”, the choice which faces the unionist politicians, whose partnership with IRA/SF he seeks to facilitate, is “By your inaction are you prepared, again, to give the Provos a licence to kill?”

“Make no mistake, those inclined to let Sinn Fein and its IRA off the hook, are not just turning a blind eye to murder but signalling to the republican leadership that the IRA can kill again, provided they oblige by leaving no trace of official sanction.

“What a sordid, degenerate basis for the operation and survival of any political arrangement!

“Behind all the posturing of the DUP and UUP over the IRA killing of Kevin McGuigan, the choice they face is in or out of government with the political wing of his killers.

“Nothing that is morally wrong can be politically right.”

In Newsroom, NI Politics, Terrorism
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