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Campbell hits back at McGuinness

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Campbell hits back at McGuinness
Gregory Campbell has rejected claims by deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness that he is not doing enough to heal sectarian divisions.

On Friday, the DUP Culture Minister strongly dismissed complaints that, by refusing to speak to the senior Sinn Fein representative, he was feeding-in to sectarian divisions at grassroots level.

The controversy arose following the killing of Kevin McDaid in Coleraine.

Mr McGuinness and the SDLP leader Mark Durkan attended Mr McDaid's funeral, as did Protestant clergymen. But there were no senior unionist politicians present.

The DUP said Mr Campbell, who is MP for the area, had prior commitments on the day of the funeral.

Mr Campbell condemned the killing but rejected a public call from Mr McGuinness for him to sponsor cross-community talks.

On Friday he said he preferred to deal with such sensitive issues in private and not in front of the cameras.

"Each time there is an Executive meeting or any other business that we have to do, I talk to Martin McGuinness and to anyone else that I need to talk to get the business done," said Mr Campbell.

"Now if what Martin McGuinness alluded to, that we don't engage in pleasantries, that we don't have tea or coffee, well waken up Marty, waken up.

"Because that's the picture. Get used to it. Grow-up and get on with your life because there are many people out there who can't get on with their lives as result of the movement of which Martin McGuinness was a member of for 30 years."

Earlier this week, Mr McGuinness said: "Gregory and others within the DUP in the Coleraine area need to step forward.

"Condemning the violence and murder of Kevin McDaid is not enough.

"What we need to see is people stepping forward, rolling up their sleeves, engaging in dialogue and contributing to the resolution of problems."

© Press Association

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At 01:23 on 08 June 2009, padraig feely wrote:
Mr Campbell is stuck in a 70/80 Paislely time warp. He is afraid that any gesture towards republicans would weaken a fragmented and disintegegrated union with our ruling neighbour Britian. Wake up Gregory, Its going to happing, prepare for it, not a part of the Republic of Ireland, but a new agreed Ireland that may or not be part of the United Kingdom. History has taught us that the division of Ireland does not work, we must resolve a new Ireland
At 11:38 on 07 June 2009, Joe wrote:
It was a disgrace that no senior Unionist politicians attended Kevin McDaid's funeral. The most favourable conclusion that one can reach is that they did not want to be seen standing up to sectarianism and against the worst kind of sectarian violence in advance of the Euro elections. Disgraceful - and what an example!
At 12:09 on 06 June 2009, Hugh wrote:
If we are honest with ourselves, we know deep down in our hearts, that if Mr. Mc Daid had been a Protestant, all ‘Prior Commitments’ would’ve disappeared and the funeral would have been attended by many senior unionists.
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