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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Alasdair McDonnell: SDLP leader taped accusing DUP of sectarianism | Alasdair McDonnell: SDLP leader taped accusing DUP of sectarianism |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell has accused the DUP of not wanting to work with Catholics and said Sinn Féin "can't tell the truth" about the IRA. | The SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell has accused the DUP of not wanting to work with Catholics and said Sinn Féin "can't tell the truth" about the IRA. |
| His comments were recorded by the North Belfast News as he opened a new office. | |
| He said DUP members "don't want a taig [derogatory term for Catholics] about the place" at Stormont. | He said DUP members "don't want a taig [derogatory term for Catholics] about the place" at Stormont. |
| He declined a BBC interview request, but in a statement he said the DUP's Arlene Foster had recently shown a "lack of respect" for nationalists. | He declined a BBC interview request, but in a statement he said the DUP's Arlene Foster had recently shown a "lack of respect" for nationalists. |
| Dr McDonnell referred to her initial public remarks as she took over as acting first minister of Northern Ireland, when she described nationalist and republican ministers as "rogues" and "renegades" who would damage the unionist community. | Dr McDonnell referred to her initial public remarks as she took over as acting first minister of Northern Ireland, when she described nationalist and republican ministers as "rogues" and "renegades" who would damage the unionist community. |
| 'Brutal' | 'Brutal' |
| Mrs Foster took over the role from DUP leader Peter Robinson earlier this month, when he stepped aside temporarily during a political crisis at Stormont, sparked by a police assessment that Provisional IRA members were involved in a recent murder. | Mrs Foster took over the role from DUP leader Peter Robinson earlier this month, when he stepped aside temporarily during a political crisis at Stormont, sparked by a police assessment that Provisional IRA members were involved in a recent murder. |
| Kevin McGuigan Sr was shot dead in east Belfast in August, and accusations of IRA involvement led to a breakdown in trust between Sinn Féin and unionist parties. | |
| The SDLP leader was recorded blaming the DUP and Sinn Féin for the crisis as he opened his party's new office in Glengormley , County Antrim. | The SDLP leader was recorded blaming the DUP and Sinn Féin for the crisis as he opened his party's new office in Glengormley , County Antrim. |
| He said: "The DUP don't want partnership - they don't want a taig about the place. I'm sorry, it's as brutal as that." | He said: "The DUP don't want partnership - they don't want a taig about the place. I'm sorry, it's as brutal as that." |
| "I'm not divisive, I don't like to be like that but they, at times, they've made it very clear to us they don't support the Good Friday Agreement, they don't support a lot of the changes that have taken place." | "I'm not divisive, I don't like to be like that but they, at times, they've made it very clear to us they don't support the Good Friday Agreement, they don't support a lot of the changes that have taken place." |
| Dr McDonnell added: "Sinn Fein can't tell the truth. They just can't tell the truth, and they can tell us whatever they like and you've examples like Gerry Adams was never in the IRA and you've examples like Martin McGuinness saying this, that and the other thing. They're not telling the truth. | Dr McDonnell added: "Sinn Fein can't tell the truth. They just can't tell the truth, and they can tell us whatever they like and you've examples like Gerry Adams was never in the IRA and you've examples like Martin McGuinness saying this, that and the other thing. They're not telling the truth. |
| "We fully support the chief constable when he discussed publicly in a press conference the murder of Kevin McGuigan. We know who killed Kevin McGuigan. And we know there are people out there associated with, connected with or involved in some way - that basically were involved in helping and supporting the murder of Kevin McGuigan." | "We fully support the chief constable when he discussed publicly in a press conference the murder of Kevin McGuigan. We know who killed Kevin McGuigan. And we know there are people out there associated with, connected with or involved in some way - that basically were involved in helping and supporting the murder of Kevin McGuigan." |
| 'Utter rubbish' | 'Utter rubbish' |
| In his later statement, the SDLP leader said: "When the acting first minister makes a point in her first televised interview upon appointment of describing nationalist ministers as 'rogues' and 'renegades', the lack of respect for nationalists is made very clear." | In his later statement, the SDLP leader said: "When the acting first minister makes a point in her first televised interview upon appointment of describing nationalist ministers as 'rogues' and 'renegades', the lack of respect for nationalists is made very clear." |
| Responding to Dr McDonnell's accusations, Mrs Foster said she was "hugely disappointed" by his use of "pejorative language". | Responding to Dr McDonnell's accusations, Mrs Foster said she was "hugely disappointed" by his use of "pejorative language". |
| She told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: "Anyone that knows the way in which I operate, both at a constituency level and indeed at ministerial level, knows that this is utter rubbish." | She told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: "Anyone that knows the way in which I operate, both at a constituency level and indeed at ministerial level, knows that this is utter rubbish." |
| 'Point-scoring' | |
| Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey also criticised Dr McDonnell's remarks about his party and challenged him to produce evidence to support his allegations. | Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey also criticised Dr McDonnell's remarks about his party and challenged him to produce evidence to support his allegations. |
| "I think it's regrettable, once again, that we have had the deaths of Jock Davidson and Kevin McGuigan exploited by other parties and that's now been, once again, jumped on by the SDLP for their own cheap political point-scoring exercises, Mr Maskey said. | "I think it's regrettable, once again, that we have had the deaths of Jock Davidson and Kevin McGuigan exploited by other parties and that's now been, once again, jumped on by the SDLP for their own cheap political point-scoring exercises, Mr Maskey said. |
| He added the SDLP should bring any information they had about Mr McGuigan's murder to the police. | He added the SDLP should bring any information they had about Mr McGuigan's murder to the police. |
| SDLP deputy leader Dolores Kelly said Dr McDonnell's remarks were "not a choice of words that I would use". | |
| She added that "things are said in the heat of the moment" and called on everyone at leadership level in all political parties in Northern Ireland need to "think about the power and emotion" of their words. |