DUP combat SF propaganda

East Belfast DUP MLA, Robin Newton has responded to comments made in a propaganda leaflet distributed around the University by Sinn Fein. The document, entitled ‘Nation Building, the Way Ahead’ (an electronic copy of which could not be found by ourselves, however, here is an article appearing in Sinn Fein newspaper An Phoblacht on this issue) is long on rhetoric but demonstrates how effective the DUP has been in advancing the unionist agenda in Stormont. Mr. Newton draws the comparison between the days when Reg Empey was negotiating for unionists and the daily list of concessions Sinn Fein was securing. Robin Newton said,

“The leaflet proves the DUP is ensuring that unionists get a fair deal from Stormont.

How times have changed. A few years ago when the UUP was the lead unionist Party, Sinn Fein could produce leaflet after leaflet heralding their wins at the negotiating table. One day it would be all their prisoners released from jail, the next the RUC destroyed then, as a result of weak negotiating by the UUP, Sinn Fein was going to be put in charge of our policing and justice system without even being asked to declare their support for our British justice system. Those days have ended. Sinn Fein has declared its support for our British justice system and the DUP reversed the UUP’s failures by ensuring there will not be a Sinn Fein Justice Minister.

When the UUP let Sinn Fein into government without verifiable decommissioning on three separate occasions, Sinn Fein’s Ministers were able to do as they pleased. De Brun could do as she pleased with our hospitals and McGuiness could as he pleased with Education. Sinn Fein’s leaflet proves that that is no longer the case.

The months of local government, with the DUP as the lead unionist Party, have proved that Ministers are accountable to the Executive. Ruane couldn’t scrap academic selection. That has been proved by the fact she’s reduced to telling the Party faithful in the leaflet about her ‘guidelines’ which no one has to abide by.

The Sinn Fein document proves what the DUP has been saying all along. Under Direct Rule those of us who value academic selection would have had to stand by helplessly and watch it be destroyed. Through devolution the DUP has protected it. Under Direct Rule we would have had to stand by helplessly and watch the Irish language be used as a tool to beat unionists as an Act, to put Irish on a par with English, was introduced. Through devolution the DUP has stopped that from happening.

Devolution has enabled unionists to have control over their destiny. No longer are we at the mercy of a Tory or Labour Government in London which always had a soft ear for nationalists and republicans. The DUP has turned the tide and ensured that unionism’s voice is louder than ever at Westminster and is leading the way at Stormont.

This leaflet may have had the objective of giving Sinn Fein a boost and deflect attention from their failing Education Minister but the DUP makes no apology for having ensured that they cannot trumpet wins over unionists in the leaflet.

This is further proof that the DUP is only Party capable of standing up to Sinn Fein in government and in the polls. Even the SDLP has recognised this when Margaret Ritchie said that “Sinn Fein has been completely out-negotiated and outperformed by the DUP in Government.

While others have run from the field of battle and prefer snipe from the sidelines, the DUP is standing up to Sinn Fein and ensuring unionism’s agenda is being advanced.”