McGimpsey hits out at DUP 'misinformation'

The DUP are so desperate to lambast the Ulster Unionist Party that they are openly contradicting themselves, senior Ulster Unionist Michael McGimpsey has said.

In a statement Mr McGimpsey said that the DUP's was spinning out of control.

He said: "The DUP's deputy leader Peter Robinson has decided to vent his frustration on the Ulster Unionist Party by spreading more misinformation, regardless of whether it contradicts his own party colleagues or not.

"We have the laughable situation of Peter Robinson quoting the Secretary of State as saying, 'the issue of On the Runs (OTR's) was separately identified outside the joint declaration because the Ulster Unionist representatives in the negotiations did not agree with the nature of OTR's.' Thank you Mr Robinson for finally endorsing what we have been saying all along!"

Mr McGimpsey said this latest revelation from the DUP deputy leader was the only concession to accuracy about how the Ulster Unionist Party has signed up to the Joint declaration.

He said it contradicted a recent statement from Mr Robinson's DUP colleague and former Minister Gregory Campbell who asserted that "UUP fingerprints were all over what he described as an 'amnesty'".

"If there is a better example of somebody getting it so wrong I have yet to see it. One would imagine that the DUP's department of misinformation would have at least checked recent statements to see whether their message tallied. Clearly not. As with so much from the DUP they are confused, lost in the slipstream of their own spin," he added.

(MB)