Sir Reg hits out at DUP devolution comments

Senior Ulster Unionist representative, Sir Reg Empey has hit out comments by DUP MP Nigel Dodds, in which he claimed his party supports devolution.

Speaking at the launch of the DUP's 'Vision For Devolution' document at their Headquarters in Belfast, the North Belfast MP said his party supported devolution.

"Indeed, the first of our seven principles states that 'the DUP is a devolutionist party'. But not just any kind of devolution and certainly not the version of devolution that Northern Ireland endured during the life of the last Assembly," Mr Dodds said.

"The structures of devolution born out of the Belfast Agreement have failed to provide Northern Ireland with a form of self-government which could provide both better services and responsive decision-making."

However, east Belfast Assembly candidate, Sir Reg said Mr Dodds' comments were "a massive departure from their previous position".

"The great deception continues," the former economy Minister said. "Their vision of devolution is a massive departure from their previous position and a cynical attempt to disguise the fact that they have accepted the institutions, including all-Ireland bodies.

"This from a party that used to proudly proclaim that they would never give the institutions their consent!

"This latest stab at rational politics is as doomed as their re-negotiation ploy - nobody will buy it. Nationalists certainly won't go for what effectively amounts to a Stormont County Council and Unionists will have the common sense to realise that the kind of devolution that the DUP are proposing would simply force negations into a stalemate, given the DUPs current position on negotiating with Sinn Fein.

"This is in nobody's interest," he concluded.

(MB)