‘SF wants to sleepwalk other parties into border poll plan’

Sinn Fein’s focus is to ignore the votes of DUP supporters and “sleepwalk” the other Assembly parties into their plans for a divisive border poll, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson warned last night.
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The DUP leader said Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy “let the cat out of the bag” by allegedly stating on Good Morning Ulster that his party only wanted parties in the Northern Ireland Executive that agreed with them.

Sir Jeffrey said Mr Murphy even suggested that perhaps the DUP should go into opposition in the next Stormont Assembly.

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“So much for powersharing. So much for respects,” Sir Jeffrey said.

Sir Jeffrey DonaldsonSir Jeffrey Donaldson
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

He continued: “Over the last five years time and time again, whether with our Royal Family, or the Northern Ireland centenary, Sinn Fein demonstrated their intolerance for anything with a hint of Britishness. They were terrified of rose bushes, centenary stones and cross-community services.

“Conor Murphy reaffirmed their narrowness this morning.”

Sir Jeffrey added: “Whilst Sinn Fein denigrate people who vote DUP and want Northern Ireland to work, I will work to ensure unionism speaks as one and moves forward together. Only by unionists working together can Sinn Fein’s border poll plan be derailed.”

The DUP leader added: “I am focused on Moving Forward Together. Unionists and nationalists. I want a fair deal. I love Northern Ireland. Of course we can be better, that’s why we’ve a five-point plan for Northern Ireland.

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Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said yesterday that the dysfunction at Stormont particularly towards the end of the last Assembly exposed the “unworkability of mandatory coaliton, the system foisted upon Northern Ireland as a result of the Belfast Agreement.”

Mr Allister added: “A draft Budget was produced this year which was not even agreed by the Executive parties; amazingly the Executive Office did not provide to the Department of Finance its priorities and needs; which does not link to a Programme for Government - because none has been agreed and was proposed before there was a Capital Investment Strategy.

“When it comes to Stormont being granted fiscal powers TUV stands opposed, believing it would be disastrous to let squandering Stormont anywhere near the taxpayers’ pocket.”