Sammy Wilson criticises Stormont’s recovery plan for Covid-19, saying it has proved almost impossible to relax lockdown

Writing in the News Letter, the outspoken DUP MP mentions frustration ofver the opening of garden centres and recycling centres, and claims that progress in relaxing restrictions is hampered by mandatory coaltion at the assembly.

“Given the requirements that any lifting of the lockdown restrictions and future recovery plan must have cross community support it has proven almost impossible to get the initial guidance on the lockdown changed.”

Mr Wilson attacks those who have used this crisis to score party political points, “something which Sinn Fein have unashamedly done even to the point of claiming that this health crisis proves their case for a united Ireland”.

He adds: “At the same time their counterparts in Scotland the SNP bluntly tell the government at Westminster to keep their recovery plan to themselves, Scotland will do its own thing. Unfortunately in Northern Ireland Sinn Fein and some of their allies in the NI Assembly have adopted the same approach. “

He says: “The blunt truth is that we in NI cannot afford to deviate substantially from the decisions about lockdown or speed and nature of recovery made at Westminster.”

He adds: “There will be huge costs in getting the economy moving again. We do not have the resources to finance these measures so therefore cannot deviate from UK decisions about return to work or the length of time businesses will be supported because the Westminster government will quite rightly question why it should finance contrary decisions by Stormont.”

• The article was first in the print edition of Thursday’s News Letter, and is now online, link below:

Sammy Wilson: Northern Ireland cannot afford to follow those voices who want to diverge from London on lockdown