TUV Withdraws From Unionist Forum

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) has withdrawn from the Unionist Forum over plans to build a peace centre on the site of the former Maze Prison.

However, party leader Jim Allister said the proposals regarding the peace centre had created "an unparalleled conflict between innocent victims and the DUP", after claiming victims had not been consulted over the plans.

He added: "While everyone could support the economic development of the site, support within the unionist community for a peace centre on the politically toxic Maze site is almost exclusively confined to the ranks of the DUP.

"The 13 groups representing innocent victims who signed up to the Charter for Innocent Victims, FAIR, the UDR Regimental Association, the RUC GC Association, the RUC GC Widows Association and the biggest mass member organisation in the Unionist community, the Orange Order, have all urged the abandonment of the Maze project.

"If the DUP are interested in Unionist unity they should join with the vast bulk of the unionist community and pull the plug on the conflict resolution centre."

The forum, which was established in January by DUP leader Peter Robinson and UUP leader Mike Nesbitt following unrest over changes to the flag policy at Belfast City Hall, aims to engage with the wider community and includes eight working groups set up to tackle issues such as parading and flags, but the TUV also criticised the handling of such issues.

It said it was "sceptical about the potential of the Forum to achieve anything of substance and made this clear at the outset."

The statement added: "As the months have progressed the various subgroups of the Forum have rarely if ever met and public cynicism about the Forum and its ability to deliver anything has grown. In fact, most people have probably forgotten about its existence.

"After being launched in a blaze of publicity the Forum seemed to quickly disappear. TUV can say from experience that there was very little going on behind closed doors either."

DUP MLA Jonathan Bell hit back at the claims saying: "The attitude of the TUV towards the Unionist Forum from its inception has been disappointing. Their determination to divide unionism rather than work positively on issues of concern to the community has been noted on a number of occasions."

(JP/CD)