Sinn Fein MLA tells Jon Burrows to 'shut up' - a day after his party brands 'breathe' comment a 'personal attack'
Sinn Fein’s education spokesperson has told a colleague on Stormont’s education committee to “shut up” – just a day after the party voted to expel a TUV MLA from the Assembly after he told a colleague to “breathe”.
Pat Sheehan made the comment to Jon Burrows during a BBC radio programme on Tuesday morning, prompting the presenter to call for a “respectful” discussion.
However, the UUP leader says he won’t be making a complaint over the matter, saying there are far more important things for the Assembly to focus on than “arbitrating about such tittle - tattle”.
On Monday, Mr Sheehan backed a report by the Standards Commissioner, which found that the “directive to ‘breathe’ can reasonably be perceived as dismissive or invalidating” – after Timothy Gaston MLA used the term to Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw.
Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance voted to exclude the TUV MLA from the chamber for two days over the comment, as well as for undermining the authority of Ms Bradshaw in her role as a committee chairperson.
During heated exchanges in the Executive Office committee in 2024, Mr Gaston told its chairperson Ms Bradshaw: “Take a step back. You’re okay, you’re okay. Breathe”. He later apologised for the “ill-judged” remarks.
SF MLA Cathy Mason, who chairs Stormont’s standards committee, said the body had agreed that the comment constituted “a 'personal attack' as it amounted to an abusive remark or severe criticism directed at an individual”.
In a debate on BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday morning, Mr Burrows interjected while Mr Sheehan was speaking, prompting the rebuke “Ach, shut up Jon”. Presenter Chris Buckler responded “let’s be respectful to everybody”.
Later in the Assembly, during a debate on a Sinn Fein motion to end academic selection, Mr Sheehan asked for the UUP leader to give way during his speech on the issue.
“I won’t give way at the moment to the member who told me to shut up this morning on radio”, Mr Burrows said.
The Sinn Fein MLA continued to shout across the chamber, prompting an intervention from the deputy speaker John Blair. “Members will not engage in debate across the chamber. Interventions will be sought and agreed to, not assumed”, he said.
During his contribution, Mr Burrows said that Sinn Fein opposed choice for pupils, a policy in line with “very communist and Marxist” states – which he said his rivals “admire”.