Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“It is now clear that the Government has decided to call the bluff of weak Unionism.
“Having heard it all before when it came to OTR letters and the graduated response they, like the electorate, clearly don’t take the threats of Unionists seriously anymore and have decided to give the DUP – or for that matter the UUP – nothing of what they demanded before going into talks.
“Having failed to secure the adjournment of the Assembly the Government then refused to grant the DUP’s demanded suspension. With today’s statement the Secretary of State has even refused to throw them the bone of a new IMC. Useless as it would have been the establishment of such a body could have been dressed up by the DUP and UUP as the Government at least giving ground which would have fed into the choreography leading up to new talks.
“Having failed to do that it is hard to escape the conclusion that Westminster sees Peter Robinson as a lame duck leader. Having served his purpose in getting the DUP into government with Sinn Fein – and got them so comfortable in that position that they will seemingly do anything to keep the executive alive – they have obviously calculated that there is no longer any reason to help him.
“It’s time to end the charade and progress to an election.”