Unionists welcome 50-50 scrappage
THE announcement by Secretary of State Owen Paterson that he is "minded not to renew" the PSNI's 50:50 recruitment policy has received a warm welcome from unionists.
First Minister Peter Robinson described 50:50 recruitment as "immoral and discriminatory".
He said: "People should be chosen for posts in any public authority or organisation, as in all other walks of life, on the basis of their ability.
"It is wrong that under the terms of the Patten report, Protestants from Northern Ireland are the only people in the entirety of the European Union against whom it is legal for government to discriminate."
Policing board member Basil McCrea said: "There's no question that it will be scrapped. It is divisive and unjust and the selection process is unfairly stacked against the unionist community."
Mr McCrea's UUP party colleague and fellow policing board member Leslie Cree described the current policy as a "repugnant legalisation
of religious discrimination", adding that "the original reasons for implementing a policy of positive discrimination have now disappeared".
TUV party chairman Ivor McConnell said: "It has always been my view that any unionist worth their salt would have made the abolition of 50:50 recruitment a precondition in any negotiations relating to the
restoration of devolution."
Stephen Farry of the Alliance Party also supported the change and said the policy was a "blunt instrument" that has "reinforced arbitrary
division in our society".
However, nationalist politicians have been critical of Mr Paterson's announcement, with some calling for 50:50 recruitment to be extended.
The SDLP's Dominic Bradley said Mr Paterson should take the "long
view" of the impact of 50:50 arrangements and added: "The SDLP believes that the percentage of Catholics in the PSNI should be between 40 and 44 per cent."
Sinn Fein policing board member Alex Maskey said there was a "continued need" for the PSNI to be truly refective of, and responsible to, the broader community.
He added: "As yet, that is not the case – 29 per cent representation of those from a Catholic background is not a satisfactory refection."
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
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Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
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