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09/05/2011
Alliance Leader Condemns 'SF Scum' Remark
Although the ink on last week's Assembly election ballot papers is barely dry, there's already division among the newly elected MLAs.
Alliance Leader David Ford has condemned comments that Ulster Unionist party (UUP) Leader Tom Elliott (pictured) made about Sinn Fein at the Fermanagh and South Tyrone election count.
On Saturday, Mr Elliott hit out at people waving Irish flags and trying to shout him down at the Omagh Leisure Centre ballot count, calling them the "scum of Sinn Fein".
With the comments already widely condemned, David Ford said: "These were despicable comments that should be treated with the contempt they deserve by everyone. These comments could act as the political obituary of Tom Elliott.
"These remarks seriously call into question the judgement of Tom Elliott and shatter any last vestige of credibility the UUP might have on the issue of community relations.
"Many UUP supporters and members will be disgusted at Tom's remarks. His comments will no doubt make even more UUP supporters join Alliance's movement for change."
Responding to the range of criticism on Monday, Mr Elliott said he was the subject of hostility from republican supporters at the time.
"We have to realise that I was defending my position - I was defending my position from republicans who clearly wanted to shout me down, who didn't want to allow me to speak," he said.
"I have to say I believe it's the right of every democratic politician to be able to speak."
But, the outgoing Executive Justice Minister David Ford has other reasons for falling out with the UUP as he now believes his party is entitled to an Executive Ministry when the contentious D'Hondt [selection] mechanism is triggered at the Assembly - instead of the unionists getting a second Minister.
Alliance previously held only the Justice portfolio following a cross-community vote procedure introduced in the Hillsborough Agreement.
It has now picked up eight seats in the Assembly poll and the figures suggest it will now get a Ministry by right as well as by way of the special arrangement.
Even though Alliance has exactly half the total number of seats on which the Ulster Unionists finished, Mr Ford is set to battle it out with the UUP should the Independent - former UUP - MLA, David McClarty switch back to the UUP as predicted.
This would mean the UUP would get the second Executive Minister under D'Hondt - as was the case in the previous Executive.
However, Alliance is tipped to seek legal redress if the UUP re-sign David McClarty as this switch in allegiance may not be allowed according to the very strict interpretation of the legislation and could be overruled.
See: Council Election Counting Underway As SF/DUP Consider Stormont Executive Ministries
(BMcC/GK)
Alliance Leader David Ford has condemned comments that Ulster Unionist party (UUP) Leader Tom Elliott (pictured) made about Sinn Fein at the Fermanagh and South Tyrone election count.
On Saturday, Mr Elliott hit out at people waving Irish flags and trying to shout him down at the Omagh Leisure Centre ballot count, calling them the "scum of Sinn Fein".
With the comments already widely condemned, David Ford said: "These were despicable comments that should be treated with the contempt they deserve by everyone. These comments could act as the political obituary of Tom Elliott.
"These remarks seriously call into question the judgement of Tom Elliott and shatter any last vestige of credibility the UUP might have on the issue of community relations.
"Many UUP supporters and members will be disgusted at Tom's remarks. His comments will no doubt make even more UUP supporters join Alliance's movement for change."
Responding to the range of criticism on Monday, Mr Elliott said he was the subject of hostility from republican supporters at the time.
"We have to realise that I was defending my position - I was defending my position from republicans who clearly wanted to shout me down, who didn't want to allow me to speak," he said.
"I have to say I believe it's the right of every democratic politician to be able to speak."
But, the outgoing Executive Justice Minister David Ford has other reasons for falling out with the UUP as he now believes his party is entitled to an Executive Ministry when the contentious D'Hondt [selection] mechanism is triggered at the Assembly - instead of the unionists getting a second Minister.
Alliance previously held only the Justice portfolio following a cross-community vote procedure introduced in the Hillsborough Agreement.
It has now picked up eight seats in the Assembly poll and the figures suggest it will now get a Ministry by right as well as by way of the special arrangement.
Even though Alliance has exactly half the total number of seats on which the Ulster Unionists finished, Mr Ford is set to battle it out with the UUP should the Independent - former UUP - MLA, David McClarty switch back to the UUP as predicted.
This would mean the UUP would get the second Executive Minister under D'Hondt - as was the case in the previous Executive.
However, Alliance is tipped to seek legal redress if the UUP re-sign David McClarty as this switch in allegiance may not be allowed according to the very strict interpretation of the legislation and could be overruled.
See: Council Election Counting Underway As SF/DUP Consider Stormont Executive Ministries
(BMcC/GK)
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