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Ulster Unionists agree to take part in emergency talks to save devolution Ulster Unionists agree to take part in emergency talks to save devolution
(about 2 hours later)
One of the main unionist parties whose participation in emergency talks to save power sharing in Northern Ireland was in doubt has said it will attend negotiations in Belfast on Monday.One of the main unionist parties whose participation in emergency talks to save power sharing in Northern Ireland was in doubt has said it will attend negotiations in Belfast on Monday.
The Ulster Unionist party (UUP) said it would send a delegation to the discussions at Stormont, which aim to prevent the collapse of devolution and cross-community government.The Ulster Unionist party (UUP) said it would send a delegation to the discussions at Stormont, which aim to prevent the collapse of devolution and cross-community government.
The UUP left the regional government earlier this month after the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, said his force believes members of the Provisional IRA were behind the August murder of the former republican prisoner Kevin McGuigan. The UUP left the regional government earlier this month after the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, said his force believe d members of the Provisional IRA were behind the August murder of the former republican prisoner Kevin McGuigan.
Mike Nesbitt, the UUP leader, won his party executive’s backing to leave the five party coalition and go into opposition in the Northern Ireland assembly. The UUP move piled huge pressure on the larger Democratic Unionist party (DUP) to respond to claims that the IRA was still in existence and killing its enemies within the nationalist community. Mike Nesbitt, the UUP leader, won his party executive’s backing to leave the five-party coalition and go into opposition in the Northern Ireland assembly. The UUP move piled huge pressure on the larger Democratic Unionist party (DUP) to respond to claims that the IRA was still in existence and killing its enemies within the nationalist community.
Northern Ireland’s first minister, Peter Robinson, stepped down last week and pulled all but one of his DUP ministers out of the power-sharing executive. He appointed finance minister Arlene Foster as acting first minister. The move was taken to keep the power-sharing executive alive in shadow form.Northern Ireland’s first minister, Peter Robinson, stepped down last week and pulled all but one of his DUP ministers out of the power-sharing executive. He appointed finance minister Arlene Foster as acting first minister. The move was taken to keep the power-sharing executive alive in shadow form.
The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, branded Robinson’s move as “hokey-cokey” politics with one leg in the devolved government and one leg out. Adams and other Sinn Féin leaders have said the current political crisis has more to do with inter-unionist rivalry than concern over murder and paramilitarism in the nationalist community.The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, branded Robinson’s move as “hokey-cokey” politics with one leg in the devolved government and one leg out. Adams and other Sinn Féin leaders have said the current political crisis has more to do with inter-unionist rivalry than concern over murder and paramilitarism in the nationalist community.
Sinn Féin says the IRA no longer exists and blames “criminal elements” for the murders of McGuigan and the former Belfast IRA commander Gerard “Jock” Davison back in May. Sinn Féin says the IRA no longer exists and blames “criminal elements” for the murders of McGuigan and the former Belfast IRA commander Gerard “Jock” Davison in May.
Bobby Storey, an Irish republican once named in parliament as the IRA’s director of intelligence, insists the paramilitary group has gone for good.Bobby Storey, an Irish republican once named in parliament as the IRA’s director of intelligence, insists the paramilitary group has gone for good.
Storey, who was arrested last week in connection with the McGuigan murder, said the Provisional IRA had put its weapons beyond use and was “not coming back”. The West Belfast man was released unconditionally without charge along with two other men at the end of last week.Storey, who was arrested last week in connection with the McGuigan murder, said the Provisional IRA had put its weapons beyond use and was “not coming back”. The West Belfast man was released unconditionally without charge along with two other men at the end of last week.
“There is no role for the IRA, the IRA is gone,” he said on Sunday. “There is no role for the IRA. The IRA is gone,” he said on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference in West Belfast beside Gerry Adams, he said: ”The IRA is stood down. They have put their arms beyond use. They have left the stage, they’re away and they are not coming back. So there is no current status of the IRA. There are no IRA members. The IRA has gone.” Speaking at a press conference in West Belfast beside Adams, Storey said: ”The IRA is stood down. They have put their arms beyond use. They have left the stage, they’re away and they are not coming back. So there is no current status of the IRA. There are no IRA members. The IRA has gone.”
On his arrest, Storey said: “At no time during my detention did the police present a shred of evidence or intelligence, which in either my opinion or the opinion of my solicitor, warranted my arrest. Questions must be asked about the timing and nature of my wrongful arrest.” He said of his arrest: “At no time during my detention did the police present a shred of evidence or intelligence, which in either my opinion or the opinion of my solicitor, warranted my arrest. Questions must be asked about the timing and nature of my wrongful arrest.”
He said “criminals and dissidents” had killed McGuigan and Davison. McGuigan’s family and other republican sources in the city dispute this, and say members of the mainstream IRA carried out the murder in revenge for Davison’s death. Storey said “criminals and dissidents” had killed McGuigan and Davison. McGuigan’s family and other republican sources in the city dispute this, and say members of the mainstream IRA carried out the murder in revenge for Davison’s death.
David Cameron has so far resisted unionist demands to suspend devolution in the province and has urged all five major local parties to join the Stormont talks on Monday. There had been fears in London that the UUP would boycott the talks and intensify further pressure on the DUP to take a more hardline position. David Cameron has so far resisted unionist demands to suspend devolution in the province and has urged all five major parties in the province to join the Stormont talks on Monday. There had been fears in London that the UUP would boycott discussion and intensify further pressure on the DUP to take a more hardline position.
Nesbitt said on Sunday that his party wanted the allegations about ongoing IRA activity to be top of the agenda. “We will continue to remain strong in standing up to Sinn Féin. That means the status of the IRA and Sinn Féin’s denial must be addressed as a matter of urgency, not relegated to the bottom of the agenda, as it was this week,” he said.Nesbitt said on Sunday that his party wanted the allegations about ongoing IRA activity to be top of the agenda. “We will continue to remain strong in standing up to Sinn Féin. That means the status of the IRA and Sinn Féin’s denial must be addressed as a matter of urgency, not relegated to the bottom of the agenda, as it was this week,” he said.
The UUP leader also said he would raise the issue of allegations that a crime network operates on the South Armagh-North Louth border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.The UUP leader also said he would raise the issue of allegations that a crime network operates on the South Armagh-North Louth border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
He has said the network includes a multi-million pound diesel smuggling business and is controlled by Provisional IRA veterans in South Armagh. He has said the network includes a multi-million pound diesel-smuggling business and is controlled by Provisional IRA veterans in South Armagh.
“The government needs to show the resolve to confront paramilitary criminality in our society and remove it, once and for all,” he said.“The government needs to show the resolve to confront paramilitary criminality in our society and remove it, once and for all,” he said.