If you want Education ministry out of Sinn Fein hands, vote UUP says Kennedy
Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy today said that the only way of ensuring that the Education Ministry does not fall into Sinn Fein hands is to vote UUP.
The DUP decision to opt for Finance as their first pick could potentially hand the Education portfolio to Gerry Kelly or Barry McElduff. The DUP heaped abuse on the UUP for years and in manifesto after manifesto for Sinn Fein having taken the post in the last Executive even though the DUP ducked out of taking Education in 1999.
In a statement Mr Kennedy said,
“Not only do we have the utterly two faced approach of the DUP in saying that they will take the Ministry of Finance to tackle water charges while still point blank refusing to say whether they will go into government on the 26 march; but now, after all their abuse and mock incredulity over the last few years about Sinn Fein being in charge of Education., by their actions they could allow Gerry Kelly or Barry McElduff to take the Education portfolio.
Ulster Unionists will take the Education portfolio if the opportunity arises, as our first choice. The simple outworking of the DUPs decision to take Finance is that by voting DUP unionists could be voting Sinn Fein into the Education Ministry. Voting UUP on Wednesday is the only way of ensuring that Education stays out of Sinn Fein hands.“