DUP now Completely Detached from Reality - McFarland
Following the DUP’s ‘pledge’ on a Finance Ministry and water charges, Ulster Unionist Chief Negotiator, and North Down candidate, Alan McFarland has voiced his amazement at the increasingly far-fetched and delusional nature of DUP double-speak on devolution.
In a statement, Mr McFarland said: “This is the final nail in the coffin for DUP hypocrisy. Here we have claims about what they might do in a Ministry – but they’re not honest enough to tell people if they’ll even go into the executive.
“They can’t have it both ways. It was only a short time ago that DUP MP Gregory Campbell said that ‘it would be an insult to people’s intelligence to think we could be in government with Sinn Fein by March 26’.” But the first water charge bills come after April 1. Clearly anything they say on water charges is completely and utterly valueless.
“Nothing can be done on water charges if there’s no devolution in place. That’s why the Ulster Unionist Party is saying loud and clear that we will take the seats to which we are entitled on March 26. If people want movement on water charges, vote for parties that will make devolution work.”
Concluding, he said: “The DUP think easy populism is a substitute for honest politics. They’re wrong. Their claim is a joke – and more evidence that the DUP is desperate and now completely detached from reality. They have no credibility on water charges and finance ministries, because they have no credibility on devolution.
“Northern Ireland needs a strong government of its own. This election is about standing on our own two feet, creating a government of our own, and reversing the disastrous policies of Direct Rule Ministers.
“A vote for the divided DUP is a vote for the unknown - a vote for Plan B, a vote for Joint Authority. A vote for the united UUP is a vote to stand for Northern Ireland to stand on our own two feet - a vote for a government of our own.”