Ulster Unionist Party Chairman, Lord Empey, has stated that Sinn Fein are economically illiterate, following their latest comments in the wake of the June monitoring round at Stormont.
Lord Empey said:
“I listened carefully to the comments of Education Minister John O'Dowd following the meeting of the Executive to discuss June monitoring and the cuts that flow from it. Mr O`Dowd referred to 'the British Government' and his hope that it will rescue Sinn Fein from its unrealistic policy. The fact is Sinn Fein are economically illiterate.
“As somebody who is at Westminster four days per week, I can assure Mr O'Dowd that there is no possibility whatsoever of HMG giving Stormont money NOT to implement the Government's flagship welfare reforms. If London gave Stormont more money for welfare, then the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly would be breaking down the Chancellor's door. It`s not going to happen.
“Furthermore, if Sinn Fein is holding out for a new government in Westminster next year, then that would also be a mistake. Labour has now promised to live within the spending limits set down by David Cameron and George Osborne in financial year 2015-16. This means that it would be at least two more years before London would even look at figures, and by then Stormont will have lost hundreds of millions.
“While the Ulster Unionist Party has reservations about some of London's welfare proposals, it is totally wrong to mislead people into believing that this will be solved by London giving us more money. This issue needs to be addressed and resolved on the floor of the Northern Ireland Assembly as a matter of urgency.
“Stormont is paying the price for Sinn Fein's antics in Dublin where they are attacking the coalition government of Enda Kenny for cutting expenditure. Sinn Fein`s Dublin leadership is over-ruling Martin McGuinness because they do not want to be seen to be flip-flopping on cuts in Northern Ireland while criticising Dublin for its cuts.
“It’s outrageous that our Assembly is being held to ransom in this way. As things stand, patients, pupils and the general public will be paying the price as the financial year unfolds.”