Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“Many eyes were on the Unionist community yesterday, ready to grasp any real or perceived breach of the regulations. The reality is that they were left scrabbling around desperate to find something to complain about as the vast, vast majority heeded the Orange advice to have a Twelfth at home and celebrate responsibly.
“The Institution has provided tremendous leadership on this and I am delighted that the Unionist community has responded so well. Cancelling what is unquestionably one of the largest cultural events in Europe and foregoing generations of tradition was a big sacrifice which deserves much wider recognition than it has received to date and stands in stark contrast to the actions of others in recent days. While Stormont can no longer even give press conferences about the pandemic because the joint head of government blatantly broke her own guidance to honour a terrorist, there is no need for any Orange leaders to go into hiding. Orangeism rose to the challenge in 2020.
“While some in the media seem loath to acknowledge this I note that it was recognised by the PSNI. It has also been noted and appreciated by people across Northern Ireland. Having made this sacrifice for the public good, we can look forward to celebrating in style in 2021 as we mark the centenary of Northern Ireland.”