Ulster Unionist Leader Mike Nesbitt MLA has responded to the speech made this morning by the Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, “Moving politics forward”.
Mr Nesbitt said;
“I welcome the Secretary of State’s comments regarding the need for a formal Opposition at Stormont and the National Crime Agency to operate in Northern Ireland exactly as it does in the rest of the United Kingdom.
“With regards to Parades and Protests, Flags and Dealing with the Past, I have previously stated that bundling the three issues together was over ambitious. I believe that we should de-couple them and focus on making a concerted effort to resolve Parades and Protests in advance of the summer months.
“The other issues obviously need to be resolved. With regard to the Flag, we need to find a way to encourage nationalists and republicans to separate sovereignty and identity. They are most emphatically not the same thing and should not be confused. Northern Ireland is British in terms of sovereignty, and the Union Flag reflects and respects that fact. Within Northern Ireland it is perfectly possible for a number of identities to be accommodated and respected, not least of which is the Irish identity.
“On the Past, I believe we should first deal with the uncontentious aspects of the legacy of the Troubles, such as the physically injured and mental health issues. As we cannot agree on the rest, the best thing would be to establish a factual timeline from the early 1960s to the present day by a Historical Clarification group.”