Julian Smith Challenged Over 'Cosy' DUP Relationship

The newly appointed Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith MP has been challenged over his party's alleged "cosy relationship" with the Democratic Unionists.

Handed his role by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the former chief whip of government had previous working relations with the DUP and attended the party's annual conference in 2017.

As he undertakes the position, the SDLP, Sinn Fein and Ulster Unionists have warned the MP for Skipton and Ripon against becoming a so-called DUP 'yes man'.

The party has considerable influence in Westminster politics after signing a confidence and supply agreement with Theresa May to ensure the Conservatives maintain a majority government. Mr Johnson is expected to secure this deal for his own premiership in the coming weeks.

Mr Smith, who will be the facilitator of the talks process aimed at restoring devolved government, visited Stormont today to engage with political leaders.

Sinn Fein's leader Mary Lou McDonald said she challenged him on the "cosy relationship between his party and the DUP". Ms McDonald commented: "There must be an end to the dancing to the DUP agenda which has been about denying rights and creating a toxic political environment. 

"We will put his commitment to be evenhanded to the test in the coming weeks.

"We told Mr Smith that Ireland will not be collateral damage in a Tory Brexit and that the DUP don't speak for the majority of people, workers and businesses in the north who voted to remain."

Meanwhile, a delegation of Ulster Unionists urged the Secretary to accelerate the talks process and warned him against pandering to the two largest Stormont parties.

Following the meeting, Doug Beattie MLA said: "We made it absolutely clear to him that never matter what his relationship is with the DUP, he cannot be a sop to their tantrums and he cannot be meek and mild in front of Sinn Fein intransigence. He has to bang their heads together and he needs to get this process moving forward.

"What he cannot do is ignore the smaller parties and think he is going to bounce us at the very end of this process and expect us to jump in. There is an issue of governance, there is an issue of transparency, and we want to see those addressed and addressed properly. If agreement cannot be reached, then the pace of decision making from Westminster must be ramped up.

"As a Secretary of State he needs to be pro-active and if he's not pro-active, then he will fall in exactly the same way as the last Secretary of State fell," Mr Beattie added.

The new appointment followed a major cabinet reshuffle by the new Prime Minister, with former Secretary Karen Bradley sacked from her position.

Commenting on the development, SDLP Deputy Leader Nichola Mallon said Mr Smith cannot be a "sop" to the DUP or a "yes man" for any single party in the talks process.

She said: "We note the enthusiasm with which Julian Smith was welcomed by the DUP at Westminster today and the relationship he has undoubtedly formed with them given his previous role as Chief Whip.

"That poses an immediate challenge to the new Secretary of State to demonstrate that he is not beholden to one party as efforts to restore inclusive power sharing government continue."

DUP Leader Arlene Foster hit out at the political leaders for the claims about her party's relationship with the Conservatives. After being unable to attend talks at Stormont, the MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone said: "Those parties throwing dust in the air about the DUP Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Conservative Party were silent about the SDLP being the sister party of Labour when Tony Blair was in power.

"The C&S has delivered £1b for everyone in Northern Ireland. Those shouting most about the C&S are only creating distractions. Sinn Fein criticise links with the Government in London which have benefitted everyone here, yet see no hypocrisy in wanting to be part of a government in Dublin."



(JG/CM)