· Sinn Fein’s idea of reconciliation fatally flawed
· Sinn Fein can’t talk reconciliation while taking digs at unionism
Following claims from Sinn Fein that their approach to reconciliation isn’t being matched by political unionism, Mike Nesbitt MLA said:
“When it comes to reconciliation the Ulster Unionists have been leaders. We were first to voluntarily share power when we did so at council level in the former Dungannon Council. We led unionism in negotiating the 1998 settlement that brought power sharing to Stormont and we remain committed to building a new Northern Ireland based on mutual respect, tolerance and the rule of law.
“The irony of Sinn Fein using the launch of a paper on reconciliation to give unionism a poke in the eye appears lost on them. I will welcome any serious attempt at reconciliation, sadly it can be hard to take Sinn Fein seriously on this matter when they act as they have done today. Reconciliation is about the healing of society, not bolstering party political narratives.
“We have consistently identified a need to reach a common understanding of what reconciliation means. Sinn Fein clearly see it as a journey. But in defining the journey’s end as something unionism can never support – a united Ireland – their idea of reconciliation is fatally flawed.”