DUP and SF clash over 'time warp'

Published Wednesday, 24 October 2012
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Sinn Féin and the DUP have clashed on UTV Live Tonight over comments that the unionist party is "stuck in a time warp".

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In his first ever speech at Westminster earlier on Wednesday, Sinn Féin chairman Declan Kearney attacked Peter Robinson's politics, saying he needs to grow up.

It followed comments by the First Minister attacking Sinn Féin.

Mr Kearney said Mr Robinson has to "get with the programme".

He said: "Opposition to sectarianism is not a negotiation or an optional choice, it must be a leadership imperative. The last five years have been a very slow learning curve on equality and respect for the DUP.

"The Orange Order and loyalist bands cannot walk wherever they want, the 11 Plus isn't coming back, minorities do have rights and nationalists in the north are no longer second class citizens.

"The DUP leadership needs to get out of its time warp, get into real time, and start doing grown-up politics with the rest of us. He needs to stop talking out of both sides of his mouth, and get with the programme."

The scathing attack came after Mr Robinson last week told a party gathering that republicans were easily unnerved by the SDLP.

Appearing on UTV Live Tonight to debate the issue, DUP MP Nigel Dodds gave a robust defence of his party and accused Mr Kearney of "stirring up hatred".

He said: "We really are now in the land of fantasy because the DUP is giving leadership.

"We are strong and united and we have made Stormont work, others want to wreck it and tear it down, and what Sinn Féin are engaged in is distracting from the divisions and the
difficulties they have and trying to demonise unionists, demonise the loyal orders, demonise bands, because it is everybody else's fault.

"Talk about not engaging when they don't engage at Westminster. He talks about all of these things and doesn't engage with the real issue which is about working together in Northern Ireland for the betterment of the people of Northern Ireland."

© UTV News
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18 Comments
Ryan in Belfast wrote (203 days ago):
@William in Coleraine: William, if that nonsense you type makes you sleep easier at night, then type away but a United Ireland isnt as far away as you may think. Ireland will be reunited within 30 years in my opinion.
william in coleraine wrote (204 days ago):
@SB if sinn fein were to kick up a fuss about bands marching pass chapels they would look like complete hypocrites! look at the bigotry aimed at protestants in ardoyne every year! in pales in comparision to whats being going on at ardoyne and everywere else! and if a united ireland is your point of why the sinners are so terribel i give you 3 words unionists.debt.willpower a united ireland is as far away as it has ever been
WTF in Ards wrote (204 days ago):
Dear God, that's some hell of a rant S.B. You state that 'virtually all the leisure centres, playing pitches and parks are in Unionist/Loyalist areas'. I presume you mean the Grove, Loughshore, Woodvale Park and Ballysillan. So the Waterworks, Alexander Park, Finlay Park, Oldpark and the Cavehill Country Park are all situated in bastions of loyalism then. These areas are supposed to be shared spaces but with people like you about no wonder we can't move forward. Stop playing the victim all the time and you might lose some of your inherent bitterness.
S.B. in Belfast wrote (205 days ago):
I was also a Sinn Fein voter for many years but over the past while have come to realise that they don't negotiate for or represent Nationalists at all and I will never give them my vote again. Sinn Fein's main priorities are the Sinn Fein party, the trappings of ministerial office and a cosy subordinate, relationship with th DUP. Sinn Fein have completely failed to represent or give voice to the intense anger of Nationalists over Loyalist parades and sectarian thuggery past Catholic Chapels. They capitulated completely to the DUP over Girdwood and senior Sinn Fein ministers were absent for the vote of no confidence in Nelson McCausland; what message does that send to people? Furthermore look at North Belfast. There are virtually NO places of leisure or open spaces for Nationalists. Virtually all the leisure centres, playing pitches and parks are in Unionist/Loyalist areas and Sinn Fein AND indeed the SDLP have made no inroads whatsoever in the Catholic housing lists or brought inward investment. Now the party are about to participate in massive cuts against already depressed inner city communities with this new Welfare Bill next year. George Orwell wrote a great novel in Animal Farm; well that could be Sinn Fein's manifesto now. They have turned completely and are now just another ineffective party administering right wing Thatcherism in a STILL partitioned Ireland. They fool me and many others no longer.
Barry in Broughshane wrote (205 days ago):
If we leave politics out of it an we have a border poll, Who really would vote for it? there is no money to support us, we really would end up in more of a mess than we are in.
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