Timothy Gaston 'makes no apology for asking difficult questions' amid ongoing row with Alliance

The war of words between TUV and Alliance over Paula Bradshaw’s handling of a Stormont committee has stepped up – after one of her colleagues branded Timothy Gaston “difficult”.

On Friday’s BBC Nolan Show, Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister said that Mr Gaston “has been difficult in the past in terms of the way he has approached” matters.

placeholder image — TUV MLA Timothy Gaston's attempts to question Michelle O'Neill's junior minister were addressed by the First Minister instead - with committee chair Paula Bradshaw's agreement.

In recent weeks the Executive Office Committee chair Paula Bradshaw has clashed with the TUV MLA when he has attempted to scrutinise witnesses. On Wednesday, the TUV man attempted to question Sinn Fein junior minister Aisling Reilly on whether she had seen or spoken to a Sinn Fein press officer – at a Stormont event – who was suspended after the party discovered he was being investigated for child sex offences. Michael McMonagle was later convicted.

Paula Bradshaw of the Alliance Party did not facilitate Mr Gaston’s attempt to question the junior minister – allowing the First Minister to answer instead. Ms O’Neill said “I think I’ve already dealt with the question chair, to be fair”. Paula Bradshaw interjected to say “I think you have too, yes”.

Timothy Gaston says Alliance don’t have a right to silence him for being “difficult”.

He said Nuala McAllister’s comments “where she sought to justify the shielding of Sinn Fein over the child abuse issue by her party colleague and Executive Committee chair Paula Bradshaw by saying I am ‘difficult’ was a telling insight into Alliance’s attitude to scrutiny of the Executive and particularly Sinn Fein.

“I make no apology for asking the ‘difficult’ questions which Alliance would rather were ignored or avoided and I will continue to ensure the TUV voice in Stormont is heard whether Alliance like it or not and I reserve the right to formally complain about the conduct of the chair to the Speaker unless her obvious bias changes.

“Furthermore, it is no defence to say I got a similar number of questions to other members of the committee. The issue is time and the shielding from vital questions. Frankly, many of the members on the committee use it as a forum to make speeches rather than question witnesses. The issue is a fair division of time - something the chair denied me on Wednesday and on other occasions”.