'Absurd, pathetic and surreal' - UUP leader Steve Aiken slams Michelle O'Neill over Great Britain 14 day quarantine comments
The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Steve Aiken, has criticised deputy First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, for suggesting Northern Ireland follow the lead of the Republic of Ireland by demanding anyone travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland observe 14 days' quarantine.
Mr. Aiken, who is MLA for South Antrim, also questioned Sinn Fein's authority to "lecture anyone" over Covid-19.
“The remarks by Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill, even after the breaching of her own Executive`s rules and guidelines by members of Sinn Fein, bring into question her basic understanding of the CoVID pandemic.
"Her comments are absurd, pathetic and surreal. Sinn Fein have no moral authority to lecture anyone."
Mr. Aiken added: “The fact that Michelle O`Neill, or more likely those purporting to be epidemiologists at Connelly House, don’t realise that spikes and clusters are a significant factor in the spread of this disease and that outbreaks elsewhere on these islands need to be contained locally, rather than attempting to impose borders within our own country smacks again of political opportunism of the worst kind.
“We are fortunate that four out of the five Executive parties are at least working properly together, but unfortunately it’s time that we all realised that Sinn Fein has no interest in our health or welfare but only believes in rules and regulations when it suits them - we deserve better," he said.