Fury over UUP leader’s outburst
Tom Elliott and Kenny Donaldson - UUP
MURDERED police constable Ronan Kerr’s brother has led condemnation of Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliott for speaking of “the scum of Sinn Fein”.
The Ulster Unionist leader made the outburst in an acceptance speech at the Fermanagh and South Tyrone count centre in Omagh on Saturday night.
Several senior UUP figures yesterday spoke of their anger at Mr Elliott’s comment, which detracted from an Ulster Unionist performance which was better than many pundits had predicted.
Although the party’s vote was down, it managed to retain the 16 seats which it had in the assembly — though not win back the two it lost with defections last year.
However, speaking from the podium live on television on Saturday night, Mr Elliott attacked Sinn Fein supporters for waving “the flag of a foreign country”, a reference to the Irish tricolour.
As Sinn Fein supporters heckled and jeered, the UUP leader went on: “I will expect nothing better from the scum of Sinn Fein than to come out like this.”
Condemnation of the remarks mounted over the weekend.
Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea said that the party would be meeting to discuss what had been said.
And Ulster Unionist deputy leader John McCallister said Mr Elliott had made the comments in the heat of the moment when he was tired, although the South Down MLA made clear that he would not have used such language.
But, writing in today’s News Letter, Mr Elliott makes clear that he is standing by what was said.
However, the UUP leader attempts to clarify that he was referring to those members of Sinn Fein who were in the IRA, not the broader nationalist community nor Sinn Fein voters.
“The people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone suffered grievously at the hands of the IRA, many of whom were members of Sinn Fein for decades,” he says in the article.
“Whilst we are now in a new era and many people would prefer us to whitewash the past, the fact is that Sinn Fein as a party does come with some pretty awful baggage.
“As I stood in that hall yesterday I was subjected to abuse and heckling from the worst type of Sinn Fein’s supporters.
“My comments were certainly not directed at broad nationalism, republicanism or indeed Sinn Fein supporters and members in general, as I am aware that a number of their members may not have been involved in terrorism.
“However, we need to remember that a number of these Sinn Fein members are unrepentant members of the IRA, who have murdered people from this province.”
Mr Elliott also contrasts what he said with what Sinn Fein members such as Martin McGuinness have said in recent weeks while lauding IRA mass-murderers, something which provoked little controversy,
Over the weekend, praise for Mr Elliott from TUV leader Jim Allister only further served to anger some senior UUP figures.
Constable Kerr’s brother Cathair described the UUP leader’s comments as “prehistoric” and “prejudiced”.
He added: “People need to move forward. Would his voters still vote for him now?”
Sinn Fein deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, who before the election faced criticism for claiming that Constable Kerr had voted for Sinn Fein, said Mr Elliott had criticised a DUP and Sinn Fein carve-up in the last mandate but his comments were no way for the UUP to build bridges.
On Saturday night First Minister Peter Robinson sought to play down the row.
He told the News Letter: “I think we’re at the tail end of a very tiring two days. He’s been under very considerable pressure and I think he should be cut a bit of slack.”
But yesterday former UUP MLA David McClarty — who the party is now attempting to tempt back into the fold — said that he was horrified by Mr Elliott’s comments.
Mr McClarty, who was from a moderate wing of the party when he was a member, distanced himself from the UUP leader’s views.
“I thought I had gone back in time and I was not comfortable with the comment at all,” he said.
“Those comments were not the progressive type of unionism that I would be promoting.”
He told UTV: “To be honest I couldn’t believe my ears. I got back from the count centre, switched the TV on and I thought to myself I was watching an episode of Ashes to Ashes.
“I thought we’d gone back in time.”
But the assembly deputy speaker added: “I can understand the pressure that he is under. I can understand from that context why he said what he said.”
Alliance Party leader David Ford condemned Mr Elliott’s remarks.
“These were despicable comments that should be treated with the contempt they deserve by everyone,” he said.
“These comments could act as the political obituary of Tom Elliott.
“These remarks seriously call into question the judgment of Tom Elliott and shatter any last vestige of credibility the UUP might have on the issue of community relations.
“Many UUP supporters and members will be disgusted at Tom’s remarks.”
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
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