UUP Deputy Leader critical of McGuinness Negativity
UUP Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy has criticised Martin McGuinness for his negativity towards the DUP as a leaked hansard transcript showing direct dialogue between Sinn Fein and the DUP on the Preparation for Government Committee was published.
Mr Kennedy, who sits on the Committee, said the interaction between senior DUP and Sinn Fein representatives on the Committee represented progress of sorts and should be built upon.
In a statement he said,
“While the leaking of the transcript is regrettable, now that it is out in the open there is no longer any need to spare the blushes of a certain party.
The hansard transcript clearly shows interaction and direct dialogue between Sinn Fein and the DUP. This represents progress. The DUP have massively shifted their position from Dr Paisley pronouncing that anyone from the DUP talking to Sinn Fein would be out of his party to Dr Paisley’s own son sitting across the Committee table with his DUP colleagues directly engaging or negotiating with senior Sinn Fein figures
Granted much of the interaction was hostile but nonetheless it is a start. Mr McGuinness should recognise the shift in the DUP position and seek to build on the progress in the limited time that we have ahead of us.”