Allister moves towards new party

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Former DUP member Jim Allister says he is almost ready to launch a new party for "disenfranchised" unionists.

He quit the DUP in March over its decision to share power with Sinn Fein.

The independent MEP told a fundraising dinner: "Long-held principles of the never, never variety have gone for the baubles of high, but shared, office.

"No terrorists in government was traded for an IOU in vanishing ink, meaninglessly called a 'pledge of office'."

He told the meeting in Templepatrick that democratic government "was surrendered for the absurdity of mandatory coalition, whereby you can never vote a party out of office, nor have an opposition".

'Iniquitous'

"Long-standing, principled rejection of the iniquitous Belfast Agreement was meekly given up for empty cosmetic tinkerings of no substantive value," he said.

(We) will hold the respectable traditional unionist ground once held by those who shamefully swung open the door of government to IRA/Sinn Fein Jim Allister Mr Allister claimed the IRA had cashed in a "get out of jail free card" by murdering south Armagh man Paul Quinn in County Monaghan last month.

Senior Sinn Fein figures have denied accusations that IRA members were involved, blaming criminal elements instead.

Mr Allister said: "Against this dismal background, I have, however, one piece of good news for unionism.

"Shortly, I expect the launch of a political movement to provide a voice for those presently disenfranchised, which will hold the respectable traditional unionist ground once held by those who shamefully swung open the door of government to IRA/Sinn Fein."

A number of councillors also quit the DUP after it signed up to power-sharing, and it is believed former Ulster Unionist MP William Ross may also lend his support to a new party.