UUP TRADE AND TOURISM SPOKESMAN WRITES TO PAPERS OVER WALLACE THOMPSON REMARKS
Dear Letters Editor,
It is with a genuine sense of outrage that I write to you regarding the disgraceful comments made by Nigel Dodds personal advisor Wallace Thompson regarding the Pope and other symbols of Catholicism. I would hope that his boss does not share such intolerant views and look forward to an official response from the Minister in this regard. In addition to being a direct, unprovoked attack on the millions of Catholics that live and work in the United Kingdom it is actually profoundly anti British. Would Mr Wallace like us to live in such an intolerant society were we demonise each others deeply respected religious leaders and symbols and to say that the he would “oppose plans to bring him to Northern Ireland” which would have massive tourist and economic spin offs beggars belief. Are we to oppose everyone but our own leaders just because they are not beliefs we share ourselves. Assuming that Mr Dodd’s disagrees with these sectarian comments it calls into question the process of recruiting to these high profile posts and makes his personal advisors job completely untenable. How can he help promote Northern Ireland as a great place to invest in to the millions of Catholic countries around the world when he has such intolerant views of their leader? What damage have these comments had within the Republic of Ireland marketplace in terms of our Tourism? As Unionists we should celebrate the rich cultural and social diversity that makes up the tapestry of our Kingdom and respect the very ingredients that makes Britain great. I can assure the Catholic population of Northern Ireland that these bigoted views are not shared by the over whelming majority of your fellow citizens and I hope that you realise that this is not the type of Pro Union Northern Ireland that we are trying to promote to you all. I trust the DUP leadership and the minister will issue you all with an equally strong condemnation of their Special advisor and take steps to ensure that those recruited to positions of promoting Northern Ireland to the world are not from the extreme end of any religious denomination.
Cllr Mark Cosgrove
UUP Spkesperson on Trade and Tourism