UUP to oppose integrated bill, but undecided on DUP veto

But the UUP said it has not yet decided whether to back a DUP move to veto the legislation via a petition of concern (POC).

This mechanism enables any party at Stormont to gather 30 votes and shoot down bills they argue do not have cross-community support.

With 26 votes and the support of three other Assembly members including Jim Allister, the DUP is one vote short.

The News Letter has learned that the UUP’s Mike Nesbitt will refuse to vote for any POC the DUP puts forward.

The UUP is coming under pressure over next Wednesday’s final vote. Many unionists alongside some church leaders oppose the bill believing it will elevate integrated schools above the mainly Catholic maintained and controlled sectors.

Robbie Butler, the UUP’s education spokesperson in the Assembly, said: “The fact is that the bill had around 100 amendments proposed at various stages, many of those technical in nature from the minister which were rejected, resulting in a bill currently before the Assembly being flawed legislation and that is not something that we can support.”

Campaigners for integrated education claim that the UUP’s stance contradicts party leader Doug Beattie’s stated opposition to “educational apartheid”.

Michael Lynch, chair of the board of trustees of Integrated AlumNI said: “Next Wednesday is a real test for Doug Beattie.

“For one, Doug has promised a more inclusive vision for unionism. Any UUP MLAs signing a petition of concern does not align to that vision.”

Kellie Armstrong, the Alliance Party MLA sponsoring the bill, said: “Some parties have discussed their desire to use a petition of concern to potentially block this bill’s completion. That would be incredibly disappointing.”

DUP MLA Diane Dodds defended her party’s opposition to the bill: “The aim of the Integrated Education Bill is about giving a leg-up to one sector of our education system. It has not been designed to break down divisions in our society or deliver better educational outcomes for 93% of our school pupils.

“Supporters of this bill should explain why Carrick Primary School in Lurgan deserves to be discriminated against simply because it doesn’t have an “integrated” tag in its name? It has 500 pupils, with 23 languages spoken and children from every religious background. They are educated together and all valued equally.”