Robert Foster, the Ulster Unionist Party’s North Belfast candidate in the forthcoming Assembly election, has repeated his call for SNP MSP John Mason to apologise for his comments last week regarding the three young Scottish soldiers, murdered on the outskirts of Belfast in 1971.
Mr Foster said:
“Last week I said that Glasgow SNP MSP John Mason needed to acquaint himself with the full horror of the murder of these young men and apologise for his comments.
“He said ‘You say Irish murderers. Others say Irish freedom fighters. I support Scottish soldiers if they do good but not if they do bad.’
“Mr Mason’s comments caused great offence, not least amongst the families of the murdered men, and they deserve an apology.
“David McCaughey, a cousin of one of the murdered men, says that his family had asked Scottish First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon for a public apology and to take disciplinary action against Mr Mason.
“I believe this is a perfectly reasonable request given the offence caused. No-one should be in any doubt as to the fact that this was murder.
“The facts are very clear. Brothers John McCaig (aged 17) and Joseph McCaig (aged 18), along with Dougald McCaughey (23) of the Royal Highland Fusiliers were unarmed when they were murdered at the side of a road in North Belfast. Their families have suffered greatly since that loss at the hands of the IRA. Following Mr Mason’s comments, they deserve an apology from the SNP.”