Statement by Strangford candidate councillor Stephen Cooper:
“TUV is proud of the fact that we have provided a clear and consistent voice for victims in the political field.
“Ann’s Law – which barred convicted terrorists from £90,000 a year Special Adviser’s posts – was the first victory for innocent victims in years.
“We lead the successful campaign against the Maze shrine.
“More recently TUV ensured pensions justice for RUC widows.
“At this election people need to consider the position of the various parties on victims issues and particularly the proposals which came out of the Stormont House negotiations.
“The proposed new Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) is something which should be viewed with scepticism to say the least. The Agreement is silent on who will recruit the HIU and how. Nor, is it stated whether, as anticipated by Haass, former police officers will be barred from membership. As a former member of the UDR I think it is vital that we have clarity on this point. One thing we do know for certain, however, is that it will be overseen by Gerry Kelly on the Policing Board.
“TUV exposed the fact that HIU legislation was being moved to Westminster. This is a bizarre arrangement as policing and justice are devolved issues. It is hard to escape the conclusion that the Stormont parties, particularly the DUP, want to be able to claim that their hands are clean when it comes to the legislation. TUV MPs need to be in the new Parliament in order to ensure that this legislation is examined by a party which doesn’t have a vested interest in keeping the Stormont House/Haass show on the road.
“It is also interesting to note that Sinn Fein has secured the major concession that any information obtained by the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR) will not be admissible in either criminal or civil proceedings, nor provided to any law enforcement agency. Moreover, the ICIR can conceal all it wants to conceal because it will be immune from FOI requirements.
“Thus, under the operation of the ICIR, terrorists supplying information will have immunity, in that nothing they tell can ever be used against them. Indeed, whether they even tell the truth seems incapable of verification.
“It is a disgrace that neither Haass nor Stormont House did anything to address the perverse definition of victim. TUV will continue to keep the pressure on to ensure that those who visited terror upon our community are not equated with innocent victims.
“Beyond the Stormont House / Haass issues TUV has already announced that they intend to amend the Regeneration Bill to prohibit the naming any facilities funded by any council under the Bill after anyone with a serious criminal conviction.
“TUV has already demonstrated an ability to deliver for victims and people know we can be trusted. A vote for us on Thursday is a vote for a clear and principled voice for innocent victims.”