Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt slams Hilary Benn's 'totally imbalanced' remarks describing as 'a fuss' opposition to Sinn Fein ordering Irish language signs at Belfast's Grand Central Station
Mike Nesbitt has issued a scathing criticism of Hilary Benn’s comments on the ‘fuss’ about the Irish language.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader was responding to remarks made by the Northern Ireland Secretary on BBC Northern Ireland, in which he said: "I just think there are so many more important things than having an argument about signs.”
Mr Benn was referring to the row over Sinn Fein’s decision to spend more than £100,000 on introducing Gaelic at Grand Central Station in Belfast, months after it opened. He told Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that he did not "understand what the fuss is about, because this is about respecting and celebrating all of the traditions".
Mr Benn added: “I mean, come on.”
Mr Nesbitt, who also criticised Mr Benn’s praise of the late Rev Ian Paisley in relation to the Belfast Agreement (“Trimble was the courageous one,” said the current UUP leader), accused the cabinet minister of giving “a totally imbalanced assessment of the issue of Irish language signage at Grand Central Station”.
He continued: “Mr Benn says he wants us all to celebrate all traditions. Does that include the tradition of some republicans to believe every word spoken in Irish is another bullet fired in the battle for Irish freedom?
"That tradition needs to be addressed if we are to achieve cross-community support for the language my party would like to see.”
The UUP leader and MLA said: “I’m disappointed he does not realise progress requires compromise, not fully throated support for one side or the other.”
The TUV also strongly criticised Mr Benn’s remarks about Irish.
The party’s deputy leader, Councillor Ron McDowell, said: “The secretary of state claims that he cannot understand why there is a ‘fuss’ about the installation of Irish signage at Grand Central.
“If that is genuinely the position of the secretary of state then Mr Benn badly needs to educate himself.
“The Irish language has been weaponised by republicanism in a fashion which sets it apart from other minority languages in the British Isles. No one has ever described every word spoken in Welsh as “another bullet”. No one has ever described Scots Gaelic as a weapon to ‘break the b*******’.”
Mr McDowell said: “As for claiming that this is about ‘respecting and celebrating all of the traditions”, Mr Benn is again, frankly, wrong. There are large areas of Northern Ireland where there is no respect nor celebration of my community’s culture or traditions.
“Far from it. Rather than respecting by traditions nationalism is afforded the protection of the law when it comes to actively suppressing the celebration of my culture through the Parades Commission.
“While Irish culture and heritage are to be foisted upon a loyalist community in Sandy Row 365 days a year by the imposition of these signs, Nationalism cannot even tolerate my culture for 10 minutes a year - and it has the force of the Parades Commission to back up its demand for cultural apartheid."
Mr McDowell continued: “Finally, as TUV has argued throughout this controversy, one cannot ignore the abominable way the community in Sandy Row have been and are being treated by Translink and the Department of Infrastructure. The Boyne Bridge - an important part of local heritage and tradition - has been demolished in the teeth of local opposition. The views of residents have been ignored when it comes to the proposed changes to signage. And - most significantly - the road remains blocked because of the work on Grand Central with massive falls in footfall and trade to local businesses.
“If the secretary of state wants to understand the issues involved he should come to Sandy Row and talk to local people. At the moment he sounds like many other politicians on this matter - ignorant because he hasn’t engaged with the people concerned.”
Mr McDowell then said: “Unionists in Stormont need to unite and get behind by colleague Timothy Gaston’s petition which would apply the brakes to this Sinn Fein solo run behind the back of the Executive. If they don’t want to do that then they should put down their own petition on the issue which TUV would happily support.”