Ulster Unionist Party Leader Mike Nesbitt has responded to comments by Gerry Adams that the political process is in trouble and faces its greatest challenge since the Belfast Agreement negotiations by saying that the Sinn Fein leader is blustering and that republicans are not engaged in the politics of the real world.  

Mr Nesbitt said:

“In his most recent comments it is quite clear that Gerry Adams is blustering. The fact is that there are big issues which we need to face up to, not least welfare reform.

“However, rather than address them by bringing legislation to the floor of the Assembly, Sinn Fein are instead effectively saying ‘Brits out, but please leave your open chequebook behind you.’ This is clearly not the politics of the real world

“John O’Dowd is now saying that he has no idea what the implications of June Monitoring are for other Executive Ministers and Departments, so the obvious question is, just why on earth did he vote for it? In admitting he voted for something without being aware of the implications he was reckless in the extreme.  

 “One wonders if the comments by Gerry Adams have anything to do with Sunday’s republican parade in Belfast city centre. This is yet another insensitive act by republicans because four of the eight bands listed as being present are named after various criminals and terrorists.

“There will be particular revulsion at the presence of one Glasgow band named after ‘Volunteers Black and Ryan’ who blew themselves up with their own bomb in St Albans in November 1991 as they attempted to bomb a military band. There will therefore be particular anger that the Parades Commission has permitted this band to pass the spot where two UDR soldiers were murdered by an IRA bomb in February 1988.”