Rivals press DUP on SF first minister
RIVAL unionists have questioned whether the DUP would stay in the executive should Sinn Fein take the first minister's post in next year's assembly election.
In a contribution yesterday to the News Letter's Union 2021 series on the future of Northern Ireland, Lord Bannside, who as Ian Paisley led the DUP until 2008, said that he would "accept the will of the people" if a Sinn Fein first minister emerges.
Paisley would 'accept' SF first minister
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey, who in his own Union 2021 article somewhat side-stepped the question of whether he would accept a Sinn Fein first minister, said that Dr Paisley's article raised questions about the DUP policy.
"What is the DUP's position? Is he speaking for them and are they prepared to work under Martin McGuinness?" he said.
"It is as a direct result of Ian Paisley's mismanagement at St Andrews that the issue arises in the first place because the will of the people – as Ian Paisley describes it – was expressed in the referendum, with more than 71 per cent of people accepting the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
"It was Ian Paisley who then refused to accept the will of the people."
Asked whether the UUP would continue in the executive if Sinn Fein secured the top post in next year's election, Sir Reg would only say: "We are prepared to work with him, not under him."
TUV leader Jim Allister said: "Confirmation by Ian Paisley that he would meekly accept IRA commander McGuinness as first minister is not in itself surprising, considering it was he who gave us McGuinness to rule over us as part of the 'chuckle brothers' routine.
"But it is a sad commentary on how far Ian Paisley has departed from his previous stands that the man he once described as one who 'fomented the conflict and brought it into being' is now an acceptable first minister.
"The other striking feature of Ian Paisley's contribution in today's News Letter is the obvious discord with the present DUP leadership, epitomised by his jibe about how things were different on his watch."
But Alliance assemblyman Trevor Lunn welcomed Lord Bannside's rejection of a single unionist party in the article.
He said: "It is very interesting that Ian Paisley has spoken out against creating a single unionist party.
"Tribal unity has a very negative impact as it moves political debate away from the big issues of the day like the economy and our public services onto tribal arguments."
A DUP spokesman said: "Dr Paisley said he would accept the will of the people but would campaign against Sinn Fein becoming the largest party.
"Many fail to realise that on the last election result Sinn Fein would not be the largest party... the only people talking up the possibility of a Sinn Fein first minister are those who have an electoral interest in trying to divide unionism and turn it in on itself."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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