Political spotlight must now centre on SF says McGimpsey

A senior Ulster Unionist member has called for the political spotlight to centre on republicans and their stance over decommissioning.

Michael McGimpsey said that Saturday's verdict of the Ulster Unionist Council was a decisive one, meaning unionists could now look to the future without any side issues taking their focus off the current political situation.

"The Republican movement’s obstinate refusal to dump arms and stand down will no longer be tolerated," he said.

"They now know that time is running out. When the Monitoring Commission is in place they will lose their place in any future devolved administration unless they engage in acts of completion.

“The time for prevarication and dithering is over. Either they get the private army to wind up operations or they prepare their supporters for exclusion. It is a stark but simple choice.”

However, Mr McGimpsey's remarks were criticised by the DUP's Iris Robinson who said the UUP were unable to provide leadership to unionism.

She added: "The concentration by the UUP on the make-up of the Monitoring Body is but a smokescreen. This is only a small fragment in the massive problem facing Unionism in Northern Ireland.

"Do not for one minute forget the rest of the substance of the Joint Declaration, or the deal established at Weston Park nor the utter betrayal of our British heritage delivered in the Belfast Agreement. The sum total of these negotiations by the UUP is the delivery of concession after concession to the republican movement. Their incompetence has cost us all dearly."

The Strangford MP said the continuing power struggle between various wings of the UUP showed that David Trimble's were "not capable of providing any leadership to the Unionist community".

"I believe that the UUP are forever divided and forever incapable of leading unionism," she concluded.

(MB)