'When it suits the nationalist agenda, flag flying suddenly becomes a priority': Both sides of political divide accuse each other of culture war stunts in fallout from Belfast City Hall Palestine row
Senior unionists and nationalists today each accused their opponents of trafficking in culture war “stunt politics” over flying the Palestinian flag from Belfast City Hall.
With last night’s vote splitting Belfast Council in two, 53% in favour of the move to 47% against, both sides of the political divide continued taking shots at each other as the flag flew over the heart of Northern Ireland’s capital city today.
East Belfast UUP MLA Andy Allen accused nationalists of “engaging in divisive symbolism” when they should be delivering on bread and butter issues.
“This is nothing more than stunt politics from the very same people who regularly lecture others by saying ‘you can’t eat a flag’. When it suits their agenda, however, flag flying suddenly becomes a priority,” he said.
“Flying flags and passing motions may create headlines, but they bring no practical relief to innocent civilians overseas and do nothing to address the real pressures facing people here. Worse still, they risk turning human misery into political theatre and using international tragedy to widen divisions at home.”
Coming from a similar position was the DUP’s Philip Brett. The North Belfast MLA argued the nationalist-led vote “forced a member of staff to work after midnight”, not to tackle issues like overflowing bins or a large of number of unused alley-gates stuck in an industrial estate, but to erect the Palestinian banner.
However the SDLP’s group leader in city hall, councillor Seamas de Faoite, accused unionists of using the flag issue “to fuel their ongoing culture war approach to politics”.
“This was a simple gesture of solidarity that was turned into something else for political purposes,” he said. “The flag should have flown on Saturday and we could have spent last night dealing with the many other important motions before council.
“It is deeply concerning that certain parties and politicians are allowing themselves to be influenced by bad faith actors stirring up tensions in local communities. There is a real sense that some are intent on obstructing the work of local councils. I would appeal for leadership and calm and urge councillors to get back to delivering for the people who elected them.”
The County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast issued a statement accusing nationalists of stoking division, describing the city council as “a cold house for protestants/unionists”.