Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald ‘inflaming’ situation over who will take first minister, says DUP MP Jim Shannon

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald said in the party’s annual conference this weekend that “every big step change in Irish life has been made by ordinary people seizing the day”.

She added: “From the Easter Rising to Armagh Gaol, and the H-Blocks of Long Kesh, Republicans have led heroically, selflessly in pursuit of the dream of freedom.Ordinary people creating extraordinary change... If Sinn Féin emerges as the largest party, we will nominate Michelle O’Neill as First Minister. The days of ‘Fenians need not apply’ are over.”The days of treating any citizen or group of citizens as ‘less than’ or second-class are gone. And good riddance.”

TUV leader Jim Allister has argued that if Sinn Fein get enough votes for First Minister, unionists could stop them taking the position by refusing to nominate a Deputy First Minister.

But Strangford DUP MP Jim Shannon said Mrs McDonald’s choice of language was “unfortunate for her”.

He added: “It probably tells you more about Sinn Fein than anything else - trying to be controversial. They try to masquerade as those who are accepting of other traditions and then use language which inflames the situation. But unfortunately Sinn Fein don’t practise what they preach.”

As an example, he said that while Sinn Fein are often critical of the Twelfth of July celebrations, he said that in his constituency the celebrations “have always been all embracing because both sides of the community, both politically and religiously, have always attended”.

The DUP accepts any party with a mandate, he said, but asked if the DUP would still form an Executive if Sinn Fein win enough votes for First Minister, he replied: “I think that is a question that is in supposition - in other words will there or will there not [be a Sinn Fein First Minister? “But we within unionism and in the DUP will still be pushing to be First Minister, providing we can get the votes to make that happen.”

“The issue of [Sinn Fein taking] First Minister, I am not convinced it will happen.

“All the papers and the media are pushing forward Sinn Fein will be the top party etc, but I don’t subscribe to that. I still think that unionism itself can come good and hold their position.

“So from my point of view I am not giving up on the First Ministership within unionism. I think we have got to be confident for our people. We have also got to be realistic. The votes are there for unionism to retain the position of First Minister and it is up to us to aim for that.”