DUP's 'clever device' revealed
PETER Robinson secured the support of DUP sceptics by assuring them he would bring down Stormont if Sinn Fein goes back on key promises.
On Thursday night, the DUP leader told his party's MLAs that although policing and justice is due to be devolved by mid-April, if Sinn Fein does not agree to the abolishment of the Parades Commission, probably later this year, the DUP will bring down the Executive.
The strategy effectively reverses the threat which for months Sinn Fein has held over the DUP if it did not agree to devolving policing and justice. Last Monday, 14 of the DUP's 35 Assembly members voted against a prospective agreement with Sinn Fein on devolving policing and justice.
By Thursday night, the same 35 MLAs had unanimously supported the deal. But until now it has been unclear what brought them on board.
On Friday, Mr Robinson cryptically referred to a "clever device" which would ensure republicans delivered on removing the Parades Commission to replace it with another group which adjudicates on parading.
It is believed that neither the British nor Irish governments were informed of what Mr Robinson was referring to.
However, the News Letter understands that the DUP leader told his party that the device would be two-pronged:
1) If republicans drag their feet on the review of parading, the DUP will not allow devolution of policing and justice to go ahead on April 12;
2) If Sinn Fein initially goes along with the review of parading but then objects to the abolishment of the Parades Commission after policing and justice powers are transferred, the DUP will collapse the Executive, immediately sending all powers back to Westminster.
It is believed that there is a tacit understanding between Sinn Fein and the DUP that republicans will accept the Parades Commission's demise.
The Loyal Orders are also understood to have been told of, and tacitly approved, the likely replacement for the Parades Commission.
Today's revelation comes as three key sceptics of swiftly devolving policing and justice spoke out in favour of the deal.
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds, party chairman Lord Morrow and MP Gregory Campbell emerged from three days of silence on the agreement to express support.
Although none of the trio appeared overly enthusiastic about the prospect of policing and justice, all three said that they were backing the deal negotiated by their party leader.
Of the three, Mr Campbell came closest to spelling out the threat which Mr Robinson now holds over Sinn Fein.
The East Londonderry MP said that in the concluding days of negotiations at Hillsborough, the DUP had insisted that the narrowing gap between their two positions had to close.
He said that Sinn Fein had "continuously refused to align themselves with the twin track strategy" to handle policing and justice at the same time as parading.
"One of the problems throughout the negotiations was Sinn Fein's reluctance to commit to guarantees on one side while demanding them on the other," he said.
"Their walking out of the talks on the final week has meant that the DUP, keen to secure all of the matters we had negotiated with the Government, has now taken action to ensure that our twin track strategy delivers.
"We will ensure, both at the outset of the Assembly process on parading and policing and justice, and then throughout the process, a decision rests with us over which Sinn Fein have no control, that ensures the direct linkage of the two matters.
"This decision will ensure that for one issue to conclude the other must do likewise."
Lord Morrow, who previously said that policing and justice would not be devolved in the lifetime of the current Assembly, which is due to run for another year, told the Belfast Telegraph: "If the agreement works out on the ground in the way it is supposed to – and I have no reason to believe that it won't – then I am happy with it."
A TUV spokesman said: "I hope Peter's latest wheeze is better than his last clever device – agreeing to change the law to permit a Sinn Fein First Minister, because he thought that would be a very clever way of coercing people to vote DUP.
"Peter's clever devices have a habit of blowing up in his face."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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