Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has described Arlene Foster’s comments on the Petition of Concern as part of an attempt to look flexible, but which in reality are ill thought out.

Lord Empey said:

“In a desperate attempt to appear open to change, the DUP leader says she would be happy to drop the petition of concern. This is ironic as her party have been serial abusers of what is a vital safety mechanism for all sections of the community.

“The petition of concern is there to protect any minority from having legislation thrust upon it which would harm its fundamental interests. The DUP have consistently abused it to save the skins of its own members – Sammy Wilson, Nelson McCausland and Robin Newton to name but three -  so to now propose its abolition is not only reckless but also looks like desperation. I really do question how genuine Arlene Foster’s suggestion is, given that she has made this announcement barely two weeks away from an Assembly election.

“Why now? Perhaps it is dawning on Mrs Foster that she is not going to be First Minister after the election due to her petulance and she is flailing about trying to look flexible and reasonable. Had some of this flexibility been on display in December, Northern Ireland would not be facing the current turmoil. I suspect it is another smokescreen to attempt to deflect from the role of Mrs Foster and her party at the heart of the RHI debacle.

“In our Assembly Manifesto, the Ulster Unionist Party has proposed a plan to Clean up Stormont. One of our suggestions calls for an end to the abuse of Petitions of Concern and a review of how they operate.

“I challenge Mrs Foster to say if she will support our other calls to clean up Stormont:

• The election of Speaker by secret ballot

• Consequences for Ministers who go on solo runs, display incompetence or break the ministerial code

• Make Special Advisers subject to civil service disciplinary processes and capping Special Advisers pay

• Strengthening Assembly committees so that they have a statutory duty to scrutinise departments

• Transparency in political donations

"If Mrs Foster can answer those questions, then people can better judge whether she is genuine in her calls to address the Petition of Concern. The Ulster Unionist Party is in no doubt that Stormont needs a complete clean up.”