100 Days - UUP chief whip questions validity of Paisley’s claims
Ulster Unionist Assembly Chief Whip David McNarry today took the DUP to task over claims that Unionism has been boosted after 100 days at Stormont.
In a statement Mr McNarry said,
“This latest alpha male chest beating by Ian Paisley begs a number of questions. What is so right now that wasn’t right before apart from Ian himself being in charge? The fundamentals, framework and institutions of the Belfast Agreement are unchanged after all.
All the safeguards that the DUP are trumpeting as some great victory for them were already negotiated. Perhaps Ian Paisley would like to spell out what is it exactly he has done that is so different?
The DUP, and Ian Paisley in particular stood on a platform of first smashing the Agreement then of changing it. Was it smashed? No. Were there changes? Cosmetic tweakery at best.
The real story of the last 100 days is how the DUP sold a false bill of goods to people then, cuckoo like, seek to claim credit for an agreement that wasn’t theirs to begin with.
While we undoubtedly welcome the damascene conversion by the DUP and the return of devolved institutions for the people of Northern Ireland, we must question the validity of the DUP Leader’s claims.”