SF anger at new job prospects for Lord Maginnis

Recently appointed House of Lord’s peer Ken Maginnis has hit back at criticism of his possible appointment to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and accused Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy of sectarianism.

News this week revealed that the former Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP was interviewed as a possible replacement for human rights lawyer and former SDLP member Angela Hegarty, who resigned earlier this year.

Newry and Armagh Assembly member Conor Murphy has reacted with fury to the news, highlighting Lord Maginnis’s previous role as a major in the Ulster Defence Regiment. He said: “The revelation that Ken Maginnis has been short listed for the role as Human Rights Commissioner will cause deep anger within the nationalist community. Mr Maginnis was a senior member of the UDR, an organisation which existed to attack the Human Rights of an entire community.”

He added that nationalists were currently under represented on the Commission and that such an appointment would bring the credibility of the Commission into question.

However speaking to BBC Radio Ulster Lord Maginnis retaliated to Mr Murphy’s attack. He said: “At a time when Mr Conor Murphy and people like him are suggesting that ex-terrorists should be members of the police boards, it’s a little bit unrealistic to suggest that someone like myself, who has an exemplary record in contrast to those people, should be questioned – I think it’s probably sectarian, to put it bluntly.”

Recent calls were made by senior Unionists in the House of Commons for the resignation of human rights chairman Professor Brice Dickson over his remarks calling for an end to the use of plastic bullets by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Mr Maginnis pointed out that many people see the Commission as being made up of people who are “more concerned with the interests of rioters than the interests of the police.”

The Northern Ireland Office confirmed that Secretary of State Dr John Reid would take a decision on the appointment at the end of August.

(AMcE)