Statement

UUP U-TURNS OVER POLICING AND JUSTICE 

Posted on: August 26, 2009

Peter Weir, DUP Assembly Member for North Down has responded to the weekend comments of Reg Empey concerning the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Peter Weir MLA said:

“Amidst great fanfare, the Ulster Unionists launched their recent policy document detailing a five year delay on the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly and financial support from a future Tory administration by way of a contingency fund for Northern Ireland. At the time of the publication I asked if these policies had been cleared by the UUP’s Tory bosses. Reg Empey’s weekend comments would appear to indicate they had not.

In an unequivocal fashion the UUP leader stated that the five year delay in devolution of policing and justice powers, that was being reported in the media is not on the UUP’s agenda. Such a commitment was on their agenda a fortnight ago. They were lapping up press coverage on that basis, so what has changed? The UUP have turned tail in the space of a fortnight. Even for Cunningham House that must be some sort of a record!

In the UUP, the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. David McNarry launches a policy document and Reg Empey returns home from holiday to repudiate his comments. As for the UUP generally, what is clear is that their much vaunted Tory pact isn’t worth a hill of beans when it comes to actually delivering for the people of Northern Ireland on the issues that matter, such as policing and justice. The DUP will continue to work with all parties in the House of Commons to secure the best deal for Northern Ireland”, said the DUP MLA.