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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.”

Following on from today’s motion on a Single Equality Bill in Stormont, Ulster Unionist Chief Whip David McNarry has said:

“It is with deep regret that the Ulster Unionist Party today witnessed the intemperate rhetoric from the Sinn Fein Assembly benches that many in Northern Ireland had hoped was a thing of the past. Our Assembly Group – in the best traditions of parliamentary democracy – approached the debate with an open-mind, willing to support the principle of a Single Equality Bill.

“However, as the debate progressed it became clear that Sinn Fein MLAs regarded the motion as an opportunity to vent outdated prejudices. What should have been a measured, thoughtful debate by the Northern Ireland Assembly on equality legislation for the 21st century became nothing more than biased finger-wagging by Sinn Fein representatives.

“As my colleagues stated in the Chamber, the UUP is committed to equality of opportunity for all in Northern Ireland. We want a Single Equality Bill that secures an equality agenda for the 21st century – guaranteeing equality for women, the disabled, ethnic minorities and older people.

“Sinn Fein’s inability to promote consensus within the Assembly is a worrying indication of future developments both within the Assembly and OFMDFM.”

UUP Chief Whip David McNarry today urged the other main Political parties not to forget their commitment to provide £20 Million to fund special needs, as agreed in the Programme For Government talks.

Mr McNarry issued his reminder after newspaper reports indicated that £400,000 had been spent by Education Boards on legal advice to prevent distraught parents with special needs children from making their cases heard.

In a statement Mr McNarry said,

“I, like many others, am appalled at the sums spent by Education Boards on legal advice to silence parents with special needs children. This only serves to reinforce the urgent need to properly address and fund the special needs sector.

I would remind the other main parties that in the recent Programme For Government talks, we collectively agreed on an Ulster Unionist Party proposal that I tabled, for £20 Million to be earmarked and provided specifically to deal with the deficit in special needs provision.

My understanding is that this £20 Million was to be part of the overall financial package that was negotiated with Gordon Brown. This £20 million, which is on the Hansard record, should not be forgotten about by other parties.”

Ulster Unionist Strangford candidate David McNarry has today said that DUP threats over a financial package represented another embarrassing example of that Party handing over vetoes on devolution to anyone who’ll have them.

The latest DUP pre-condition on devolution emerged after government confirmed in Parliament on Tuesday that March 26th is an immovable deadline for devolution.

In a statement, the Strangford candidate, who represented the Party in the PFG economic sub committee, said: “The DUP are talking up their hard stance on an economic package. This now means that in addition to giving Sinn Fein a veto over devolution, they have also handed a veto to that other well-known friend of unionism - the present government.

“Are the DUP saying that unless Brown gives them exactly what they want they are walking away from devolution? Handing over vetoes to others is not good negotiating. Once again the DUP weighs in with big words, but with little substance.”

He added: “The DUP had no new ideas on the economic sub group and in the past four years have failed to negotiate an extra penny from Gordon Brown. But now we are presented with hollow threats and bluff posturing.

“At the moment they’re dropping councillors, they’re dropping points in opinion polls, and they’re dropping the ball on devolution. The DUP simply cannot be trusted.”

UUP Strangford Assembly Candidate David McNarry today callled for the same effort being made to tackle gun crime in England to be applied to Northern Ireland.

In a statement Mr McNarry said,

“Now that the Prime Minister has caught onto gun crime in England, Northern Ireland must pull out all the stops to immediately eliminate any threat of a gun culture growing here on the back of incidents and killings in London.

We are in danger of the English gun culture being replicated because we have an abundance of people who know how to use them. It is crucial that the authorities act now by finding the guns and destroying them. They must also stop the traffic of small weapons and educate young people not to fool with guns or to think that a gun will boost their street credibility.

We need a message out immediately to schools, youth groups and community groups that guns kill. This needs to be backed up with a major crackdown that I am calling for.”

Ulster Unionist Strangford assembly candidate, David McNarry, has said that the resignation of George Ennis was the latest episode in deepening downward spiral of DUP fortunes in the area.

In a statement, Mr McNarry said: “Last month a former DUP Mayor of Ards Borough Council resigned, and now a deselected former MLA has resigned.

“Coming on top of the contracts fiasco, and the prospect of pledged and unpledged DUP candidates in the forthcoming elections, this latest episode is surely further sign of deepening downward spiral of DUP fortunes in the area.

“Splits and local infighting are adding to the morass of confusion that’s emerging from DUP.”

He added: “George Ennis was a conscientious MLA and I always had good working relationship with him on constituency matters. I wish George well in his future endeavours.”

Ulster Unionist Strangford assembly candidate, David McNarry, has said that the resignation of George Ennis was the latest episode in deepening downward spiral of DUP fortunes in the area.

In a statement, Mr McNarry said: “Last month a former DUP Mayor of Ards Borough Council resigned, and now a deselected former MLA has resigned.

“Coming on top of the contracts fiasco, and the prospect of pledged and unpledged DUP candidates in the forthcoming elections, this latest episode is surely further sign of deepening downward spiral of DUP fortunes in the area.

“Splits and local infighting are adding to the morass of confusion that’s emerging from DUP.”

He added: “George Ennis was a conscientious MLA and I always had good working relationship with him on constituency matters. I wish George well in his future endeavours.”

Ulster Unionist Strangford assembly member, David McNarry, has offered his condolences to the families of those involved in this morning’s road accident near Ballyhalbert.

In a statement, Mr McNarry said: “My thoughts are with the family of the teenage boy whose life has been so tragically taken, and with the families of the four other individuals involved in the accident. I hope that those injured can make a full and speedy recovery.

“This has been a terrible tragedy that will be felt right across the Ards peninsula. Glastry College has a remarkable sense of community which will undoubtedly stand the families affected in good stead at this sad time.

“Incidents of this nature are heart rendering at any time of year, but this is particularly heart-breaking so close to Christmas. I have many relatives and friends in the Portavogie and Ballyhalbert area and I have not doubt the local community will be pulling together in support of the families in the days ahead.”

Commenting following the publication of Sir George Bain’s report on ‘Schools for the Future’, Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson David McNarry has said:

“I have been calling for the department to put in place a sustainable schools policy for some time. So, now that the Bain review has published its conclusions, we finally have the basic framework of a strategy.

“Various organisations within the education sector can now make their own assessment on the review’s findings. I will be considering the full implications of this extremely detailed and wide-ranging report, and will consult closely with education stakeholders over the coming days before making my full views known to government.”

He added: “Sir George Bain says that the argument for rationalising the schools’ estate is about giving the children of Northern Ireland an excellent education that will benefit both them and the society in which they live.

“In the final analysis, if the UUP and Sir George disagree over the details, we are at least united in our shared desire to promote excellence within an innovative, well-resourced and world-class Northern Ireland education system.”

Concluding he said: “ The report should present an early opportunity for the Assembly to debate and then pronounce on its findings. I am prepared to initiate such a debate should the Secretary of State fail to do so.”

UUP Education spokesman David McNarry today branded comments made by Labour Education Secretary Alan Johnson on scrapping academic selection as grossly hypocritical. Mr Johnson said politicians should be “absolutely wary” about scrapping grammar school selection just as a “matter of ideology”.

Mr Johnson’s comments come after the Government passed a law through parliament to end academic selection in Northern Ireland.

In a statement Mr McNarry said,

“Mr Johnson’s attitude to academic selection stands in stark contrast to his colleagues in Northern Ireland and follows on from Tony Blair’s assertion that he would not be going to war with the Grammar Schools. Mr Johnson said in Westminster that ‘We put the onus on local people to say if they believe the grammar system should go, there should be a referendum not just of the parents at the secondary school but parents at the primary schools which feed into them.’ Months ago I called for such a referendum to be taken here of parents views. This is still a valid idea.

This is grossly hypocritical of Government. They support freedom to choose in the rest of the UK but in Northern Ireland our system is, according to Peter Hain, antiquated and in need of reform.

We should be availing of policies here that are good enough for other parts of the UK. It seems however that New Labour will continue using the people of Northern Ireland and their children as political guinea pigs.”