Statement by TUV Larne councillor Ruth Wilson:
“Prior to going into government with Sinn Fein/IRA the DUP published what they called their “Seven Principles”. These were included in not just one but several manifestos and policy documents. Principles two, three and four said:
- No negotiations with the representatives of terrorism but we will talk to other democratic parties.
- Those who are not committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means should not be able to exercise unaccountable executive power.
- Terrorist structures and weaponry must be removed before the bar to the Stormont executive can be opened.
“We now have a report which confirms that Sinn Fein/IRA is not a democratic party but one which is “overseen” by the IRA Army Council yet the DUP claim that they will address this by “negotiations” with the IRA – something they said they wouldn’t do under their second principle.
“After having it confirmed that the IRA retain weapons, an Army Council, departments with specific responsibilities and remains engaged in intelligence gathering, large scale smuggling and murder the DUP used the report to justify going back into the executive with Sinn Fein/IRA – something they said they wouldn’t do under their third and fourth principles.
“Last night Gregory Campbell (who is pictured backing all of these principles in official DUP documents) claimed that his party had made progress from the days of David Trimble because they had forced Republicans to support the police and the courts.
“Get real Gregory! You cannot claim that you have forced Sinn Fein/IRA to support the rule of law while at the same time accepting a report which confirms that they retain illegal weapons and are engaged in crime up to and including murder!
“Many Unionists are fast coming to the conclusion that the DUP would stay in government regardless of what the IRA does. It is for them, quite literally, devolution at any price.
“The DUP have by their own definition abandoned their principles. Before too long they will wake up to the reality that the voters have abandoned them.”