Durkan launches scathing attack on Sinn Fein

SDLP leader Mark Durkan has launched a scathing attack on Sinn Fein claiming that the republican movement and its members view themselves as “above the law”.

Speaking during his party’s conference in Derry at the weekend, Mr Durkan said that Sinn Fein continued to hide behind their “mandate” when “their double-speak runs out and their lies just aren’t believed”.

“Sinn Fein appear to believe that the provisional movement and its members are above the law. The truth is so much of what they say and so many of their actions are beneath contempt,” Mr Durkan said.

“The reason we are in this crisis is because the provisional movement has let down everybody who made leaps of faith in this process. So don’t anyone think that the answer now is to ask us to make leaps of fiction.

”When their double-speak runs out and their lies just aren’t believed, what do they seek cover in? Their mandate. But no nationalist voted for bank robberies. No nationalist voted for abductions or families being threatened with death,” he added.

Turning to policing, the SDLP MLA for West Belfast Alex Attwood said Sinn Fein had failed to live up to the challenge of transforming the justice system.

“Working with Irish officials, those elements in and around the prosecution, judicial and justice system in the North who resist change, have and continue to be challenged, something Sinn Fein comprehensively failed to do in their failed negotiation last year,” Mr Attwood said.

”Sinn Fein said that devolution of justice was 'the backbone of the negotiation'. Sinn Fein ended up with not even a fig leaf to cover their embarrassment on this issue."

Speaking during the party introduction, former leader and current MP for Foyle, John Hume, predicted his seat would remain within the party at the next general election.

Mr Durkan is expected to be challenged for the seat by Sinn Fein Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin.

(MB/SP)