Statement by TUV Lagan Valley Assembly candidate Lyle Rea:
“In the upcoming Assembly election there will doubtless be no end of talk about the danger of Sinn Fein/IRA becoming the largest party with the DUP particularly claiming that people must vote for them in order to stop the rise of Republicanism.
“During last night’s televised debate in the Republic, however, Gerry Adams made a mockery of the DUP’s claim to be standing up to Republicans telling voters and rival parties in the South that: “Politicians here could learn a lesson from the unionists, who have more reason to distrust Sinn Féin. Ian Paisley can go into government with Martin McGuinness, and Peter Robinson can go into government, and Arlene Foster can go into government with Martin McGuinness.”
“Successive DUP leaders from Dr Paisley right up to Mrs Foster have provided Adams with character references for his party which he is now waving in the faces of politicians and electors in the Republic.
“What more evidence does anyone need that the grand talk about who will be First Minister is nothing more than a sham?
“You cannot partner Sinn Fein/IRA in government for the best part of a decade and then claim that you are the party to defeat them when it comes to the election!
“TUV alone has stood for true democracy in Northern Ireland. The electorate know that TUV are opponents of Sinn Fein/IRA 24/7 – not just in the run up to an election.
“You cannot provide the character references which Republicans use in the Southern elections and then claim that you are the party to defeat them in Northern Ireland!”