Jim Allister said:
“As I made clear in my opening line to Kellie‘s email “Burning effigies of living persons, as opposed to historic traitors or villains, is both wrong and offensive. It should play no part in cultural celebrations.”
“I have no apology to make for adding a factual point in the following paragraph to say:
“Such does nothing to aid any culture and, of course, only gives anti-loyalist forces, like the Alliance Party, the opportunity to further demonise that culture. An opportunity which your party is ever eager to exploit with the sanctimonious superiority in which Alliance excels.”
“The attempt to link me to behaviour which I have called out as wrong and offensive because of an email in which I made those very points shows the disingenuousness of Kellie’s initial approach. As I made clear in my last email to her “ So it was about political point scoring for you!
“My condemnation is unequivocal.”
Note to editors
The full email exchange is reproduced below
On 13 Jul 2022, at 06:27, Armstrong, Kellie
wrote:
Dear Jim
Earlier this year Doug Beattie was subjected to a horrendous personal attack when a poster with a noose was displayed.
As Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, as an MLA, as a person being subjected to this type of hate, is horrendous. It is wrong. You rightly called this out.
You may not be aware of all of the grotesque incidents that happened in connection with the 11th Night celebrations. Glenfield bonfire in Carrickfergus is particularly offensive. Burning effigies of anyone is offensive. This bonfire had grotesque gallows with three mannequins hanging from nooses. On each face was a picture of a female political leader, including Alliance’s Naomi Long.
I am asking that you show the same solidarity provided to Doug by calling out this type of display as wrong. To confirm this is not Unionist culture.
I appreciate you may not have seen the images of this bonfire. Now you are aware, will you publicly condemn this bonfire and all bonfires that burn flags, political posters, displaying coffin lids, an hanging effigies of political leaders? Will you call out these displays as hate-filled and not Unionist culture?
Unionist Leaders’ silence on these matters is very concerning. I have written to all Unionist political party leaders to ask that you speak up for the majority who are sickened by another year where cultural expressions are being hijacked for hateful purposes.
Kellie Armstrong MLA
Alliance Strangford
On 13 Jul 2022, at 16:39, J H Allister wrote:
Dear Kellie,
Burning effigies of living persons, as opposed to historic traitors or villains, is both wrong and offensive. It should play no part in cultural celebrations.
Such does nothing to aid any culture and, of course, only gives anti-loyalist forces, like the Alliance Party, the opportunity to further demonise that culture. An opportunity which your party is ever eager to exploit with the sanctimonious superiority in which Alliance excels.
Regards.
Jim Allister
On 13 Jul 2022, at 12:53, Armstrong, Kellie
wrote:
Dear Jim
I am dismayed by your response.
You are the leader of a Unionist party in Northern Ireland. You have the opportunity to show leadership to condemn the burning of effigies but instead you turn it into a political statement against Alliance.
As you have failed to give an unequivocal condemnation, I will be publishing your response with my original request.
Kellie Armstrong MLA
Alliance Strangford
From: J H Allister
Date: 13 July 2022 at 13:18:02 GMT-4
To: “Armstrong, Kellie”
Subject: Re: Time for change?
Dear Kellie,
So it was about political point scoring for you!
My condemnation is unequivocal.
Regards.
Jim Allister