‘Warning signals flashing’ that Stormont could collapse

Lord Empey, a former leader of the UUP and a senior negotiator for his party during the talks that led to the Agreement, was speaking after the divisions between the two largest parties spilled onto the airwaves on Friday.

DUP leader Arlene Foster gave a rare insight into the behind-closed-doors Executive meetings during a radio interview yesterday morning.

She described how, with Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill chairing the meeting a vote on a proposal from Health Minister Robin Swann was forced.

Mrs Foster told BBC Radio Ulster that Sinn Fein had tried to “isolate the DUP” during the meeting as she explained why her party had employed a veto mechanism originally intended to protect minority rights.

SinnFein leader Mary Lou McDonald later took to the airwaves on RTE’s Claire Byrne show to describe the DUP’s use of a cross-community vote and veto as “shameful”, “disgraceful”, and “depressing”.

She accused the DUP of turning public health “ into an orange versus green, them versus us issue.”

And in a statement to the News Letter, the DUP hit back at those comments through its junior minister in the Executive Office Gordon Lyons, who said: “Mary Lou’s latest comments are heavy on party-political rhetoric but light on strategy or plans.

“Rather than explaining why Sinn Fein somersaulted between Sunday and Monday, Mary Lou is desperately lashing out at the DUP. It is time for Sinn Fein to dial down the rhetoric and show they are serious about dealing with the crisis.”

In the midst of the divisions, Alliance leader Naomi Long revealed she had been forced to consider her position in the Executive.

In an emotional interview with the BBC, the Justice Minister said: “It would be hard to imagine anyone around the executive table with an ounce of sanity or scruples wouldn’t have reconsidered their position, in light of the debacle that took place this week.”

Lord Empey, in a statement, said: “After a most unedifying week at Stormont, when all the worst in local politics was on display, a new element was injected into the Executive saga, with the threatened departure of the Justice Minister.

“While this threat may have receded, the warning signals are flashing.”

The Ulster Unionist peer added: “Having presided over one collapsed administration, Arlene better take care she doesn’t let history repeat itself.”

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