Two Unionists withdraw their support for peace package

On the eve of a framework proposal package being delivered, two hardline Ulster Unionist MPs have spectacularly withdrawn their support towards the current efforts being made by Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern to sustain the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly.

In a hard-hitting statement released on Thursday 26 July Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and South Antrim MP David Burnside have called for a withdrawal of their party’s support for the political institutions.

As an alternative, they have proposed the creation of a united front by all unionist parties to support a demand for a fresh round of negotiations with the British Government which would exclude Sinn Féin because of the IRA’s refusal to disarm.

With the British and Irish governments preparing to deliver a make-or-break package of proposals to sustain the Agreement, the MPs indicated that they were not prepared to “actively participate in discussions”.

In their joint statement they said: “We are no longer prepared to actively participate in discussions which are inevitable leading to the destruction of the Royal Ulster Constabulary which will leave this province, its people and mainland Britain open and defenceless against militant republicanism.

“Sinn Féin has already swallowed the SDLP. The south [of Ireland] and Fianna Fáil are next.”

They said: “The so called ‘peace process’ has been stumbling on its last legs for some time.”

Instead the two unionists signalled they “required negotiations with Her Majesty’s Government” to replace the Assembly and executive with a “new democratically accountable form of local administration.”

It has emerged that the British-Irish package will not be delivered to all the pro-Agreement parties until next week. It was hoped that they would receive it on Friday July 27.

The two premiers may meet on Friday in England to finalise the details before Mr Blair leaves for South America on Sunday July 29.

(AMcE)