DUP MP Gregory Campbell claims SF credibility in handling of pandemic is ‘in tatters’

Divsions between the two parties over how best to deal with the pandemic reopened this week after Sinn Féincalled for an all-Ireland-Great Britain travel ban to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

In a late-night vote on Monday, the SDLP also backed the move but Alliance, the DUP and UUP voted against.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said this left Northern Ireland in a “dangerous position”.

She said: “I encourage the Taoiseach to work with us and get to the point where the whole island is shut down to inbound travellers.”

“We are the outlier - over 40 countries have decided to bring in a travel ban and here one part of the island is shut down and one is not - we are in a dangerous position.”

First Minister Arlene Foster did not support a full ban on travel, but urged people to show restraint in their travel, adding that a new more infectious variant of coronavirus “necessitated changes to our approach”.

In a hard-hitting statement released on Tuesday night Gregory Campbell said: “Patronising lectures from Sinn Fein about setting rules, ring hollow when we examine the party’s record on handling Covid-19.

From day one Sinn Fein has played politics with the virus. They follow the science when it suits, burst the rules asunder when it suits and tell the rest of us to ‘do as I say not as I do’.”

Mr Campbell added: “The Sinn Fein story of the pandemic so far has been one of opportunism. Sinn Fein’s credibility in handling coronavirus is in tatters.

“For Michelle O’Neill to say we ‘never deviated from the public health advice’ was the final straw for many in Northern Ireland. Rather follow public health advice, Sinn Fein has flouted the rules and sought to score political points.

“SF Ministers are certainly following advice but its the advice from Connolly House and its to the detriment of public health messaging.”

Sinn Fein has been approached for a response.