Allister deemed 'wrecker' during debate

Published Friday, 15 April 2011
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The DUP's Arlene Foster clashed with TUV leader Jim Allister during a UTV election debate in Omagh, as she twice accused him of wanting "to wreck Stormont".

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    Omagh debate (1/3)
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Ms Foster and Mr Allister were joined by Sinn Féin's John O'Dowd, the UUP's Mike Nesbitt, the SDLP's Dolores Kelly and the Alliance's Trevor Lunn to discuss terrorism, health, the economy, and education during the hour-long debate in front of an audience in the Strule Arts Centre on Thursday night.

Ms Foster and Mr Allister first clashed over corporation tax, after the TUV leader claimed a "£300m cut in the block grant" was "the only certainty" if the rate in Northern Ireland was to be aligned with the Republic of Ireland.

The DUP enterprise minister responded: "Jim is on his usual rant. He wants to wreck Stormont."

Omagh debate: As it happened

Mr Allister, who resigned from the DUP in 2007 in protest over its decision to enter power-sharing with Sinn Féin, said: "We want a Stormont that works." She replied: "That's what you want today, tomorrow you'll want to wreck it."

Things heated up again when Mr Allister claimed the DUP did not want to commit to blocking a Sinn Féin First Minister in the next executive.

Arlene Foster told her former party colleague: "You want to wreck Stormont, Jim, and everybody here knows you want to wreck Stormont and that's the reality."

Jim Allister said: "The last four years have been a miserable failure".

But she interjected: "Wrecker, wrecker, wrecker!"

Mr Allister said a Sinn Féin first minister would be "utterly unacceptable". He also called for a proper opposition at Stormont.

Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd asked: "Do you accept democracy? If the electorate returns Sinn Féin has the largest party, Martin McGuinness will be nominated as the First Minister. That's democracy."

Both Dolores Kelly and Trevor Lunn said it was not a big issue for voters, while Mike Nesbitt said the issue was a "red herring" and mere "DUP propaganda."

The panel also clashed over the fate of the radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin hospital and academic selection.

The Omagh debate opened with a question on dissidents in the wake of the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr in the Co Tyrone town, with all panelists condemning the killing.

© UTV News
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33 Comments
rob in Belfast wrote (397 days ago):
It's not so much about SF in government ,more about having convicted terrorrists in government , how this came about is an absoulute no brainer , murder and bomb = a well paid job and a good pension , the people who thought this up and voted it into reality , I wont say because it would be deleated , but then it's progress , or is it , at any cost ?? WE SHOULD BE ashamed of ourselves for letting this happen , this applies to both sides but esp the DUP FAMOUS chant being Never, Never until it suits us
joe in belfast wrote (397 days ago):
mick wrote: a vote Jim Allister = a vote for secterianism.... so what does that make people who vote SF/PIRA ?
lorna in limavady wrote (398 days ago):
Iain. Is there only Sinn Fein/IRA Catholics. Are there no Catholics who believe that killing is wrong. We have no problems with Catholics in Government BUT to have those have been terrorists in government without any justice for the victims thats my objection.
mick in derry wrote (398 days ago):
a vote Jim Allister = a vote for secterianism
joe in belfast wrote (398 days ago):
Peig wrote:... we would have direct rule. Direct rule, now that was good for us wasnt it? DUP/ Sinn Fein government is the only way forward.... then god help us all.... I also find it interesting that dissident unionists like yourselves are saying that Sinn Fein are unfit for government? In what, way? are you for real ? 1800 murders committed by PIRA for starters...
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