Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has condemned violence, called for all-Party talks on how to address the issue of “piecemeal, arbitrary and controversial” decisions taken at Council level and also condemned the decision to name a children’s playpark in Newry after a terrorist.
Lord Empey said:
“I join with others in deploring the threats and violence directed at elected representatives and police officers in Northern Ireland.
The Ulster Unionist Party has good reason to know how they feel; over the years we have had one Senator, a Member of the House of Commons, two Assembly Members, a former Stormont Speaker, numerous Councillors and ordinary Party Members murdered, many wounded and our HQ blown up and burned repeatedly.
We supported the Belfast Agreement in order to make the peaceful political way forward the only way forward.
I believe that piecemeal, arbitrary and controversial decisions taken at Council level on symbols should be stopped pending discussion between Parties on the way ahead, and condemn the decision of Newry City Council to name a children’s playground after an IRA gunman who had in his possession a weapon linked to the Kingsmills massacre in which 10 workmen were murdered.”