Following the comments by Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly this morning where he indicated that Sinn Fein was in favour of retaining the Parades Commission the DUP’s Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson outlined how this represented a massive u-turn by Sinn Fein. Commenting Mr. Donaldson said,
“The person who Sinn Fein nominated to sit on Ashdown’s Strategic Review of Parading Group has agreed that the Parades Commission should be replaced. Despite this representative consistently reporting back to Sinn Fein, as the Group developed its report, Gerry Kelly is now saying the Parades Commission must stay. What kind of leadership is this?
It is very clear that Sinn Fein is submerged in confusion with different representatives making conflicting statements. They agree one thing inside the room but outside the door they take another position. The public demands to know who speaks for Sinn Fein? Has their policy changed and if it has why?
It was SF who first linked the issue of parading with the devolution of policing and justice when they refused to advance the Strategic Review of Parading Report until policing and justice powers had been devolved.
The DUP’s position on this issue has been completely consistent over several election manifestos. The Party has not set any new pre-conditions we have always said that community confidence must exist before the transfer of policing and justice powers.”
