Bobby Storey funeral: Sinn Fein man’s position on the Policing Board ‘is untenable’

A call has been made for a leading Sinn Fein figure to stand down from the Policing Board whilst an independent police review is carried out into the handling of Bobby Storey’s funeral.
Sean Murray (left) and Gerry Kelly (right) place an Irish flag onto the coffin of senior Irish Republican and former leading IRA figure Bobby Storey ahead of his funeral in west Belfast. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday June 30, 2020. See PA story FUNERAL Storey Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA WireSean Murray (left) and Gerry Kelly (right) place an Irish flag onto the coffin of senior Irish Republican and former leading IRA figure Bobby Storey ahead of his funeral in west Belfast. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday June 30, 2020. See PA story FUNERAL Storey Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Sean Murray (left) and Gerry Kelly (right) place an Irish flag onto the coffin of senior Irish Republican and former leading IRA figure Bobby Storey ahead of his funeral in west Belfast. PA Photo. Picture date: Tuesday June 30, 2020. See PA story FUNERAL Storey Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

DUP Policing Board member Trevor Clarke made the remarks after the PSNI announced on Thursday evening that it has asked for a top officer from outside the force to take cover its investigation of alleged breaches of the lockdown law at the funeral.

No-one has yet been named as leading the probe.

Meanwhile the Police Ombudsman is considering investigating the PSNI’s actions surrounding the funeral.

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Among the many senior Sinn Fein figures pictured at the funeral was North Belfast MLA and Policing Board member Gerry Kelly. His role was particularly prominent; he was seen draping the coffin in a tricolour, following the cortege, and carrying the coffin.

Mr Clarke said his position on the board is “untenable” and he should step aside “until the outcome of the investigation”.

When it comes to the independent probe, he said ultimately “it’s hard to see they could come to any conclusion other than that many people broke the law that day”.

Mr Clarke’s DUP colleague on the board Mervyn Storey said that there is a “valid argument” for him stepping aside from the board, but stopped short of demanding that it happen right away.

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However he went on to say that expecting Sinn Fein to act “with any degree of propriety” is “absolutely ridiculous” .

Sinn Fein’s conduct over the funeral shows they “couldn’t even spell propriety”, he said.

They were speaking to the News Letter yesterday shortly after Ian Paisley claimed that it was DUP pressure which made sure that an independent investigation was guaranteed, saying there had been “huge resistance” to the idea .

Speaking to the BBC he said: “It was Arlene Foster who put to the Chief Constable that the only way he could get out of this with some sort of credibility was if he appointed an independent oversight team.

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“And there was huge resistance to that from the police. It was her temerity and tenacity in arguing for it, that I think ultimately achieved that.”

Speaking to Stephen Nolan, Mr Paisley set out a detailed account of all the things the independent inquiry will have to look at; the commanders on the day would have to be interviewed, a record of teleconferece calls would have to be prepared, and the CLIO logs (setting out the specific movements of the police) would have to be examined.

When Mr Paisley’s points were put to the PSNI it responded: “The Office of Chief Constable is independent and impartial.

“The Chief Constable in consultation with senior colleagues took the decision to request the appointment of an external senior police officer to oversee and direct the PSNI investigation of potential breaches [of the law] ... to ensure independent oversight of the investigation.”

Sinn Fein was asked for comment but did not respond.

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Asked about whether the DUP would walk out of government over the issue, Mr Paisley said: “We’ve got to be absolutely clear about one thing – the one group of people who are not going to be punished out of the bad behaviour of sf are the people of Northern Ireland.

“We’re not going to be in a situation where we destroy their right to have good government. If we don’t get our own way we don’t punish the entire community and take the ball off the pitch.”

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Alistair Bushe