Ulster Unionist Party Chief Whip, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, has challenged the DUP Leader, Arlene Foster MLA, to make her views clear about Peter Robinson`s comments that Northern Ireland should make preparations for the possibility of a united Ireland.
Mr Aiken said:
“Two days on from Peter Robinson`s comments that Northern Ireland should make preparations for the possibility for a united Ireland and the DUP Leader Arlene Foster is conspicuous by her silence.
“It is not clear who speaks for the DUP right now. Is it Gregory Campbell when he says Mr Robinson ‘is right in terms of the analogy of the insurance policy……I think his explanation about the insurance policy is a valid one’ or is it Sammy Wilson when he says that Peter Robinson`s comments were ‘dangerous and demoralising’?
“Those who are suggesting that this is part some kind of grand strategy being set out by Peter Robinson should be mindful of the outworkings of previous Robinson strategies when he was leader of the DUP – the St Andrew`s Agreement which embedded sectarianism in politics, the terrorist shrine at the Maze which he was forced to U-turn on and a Historical Investigations Unit which will be a parallel police force charged with investigating former members of the security forces but ignoring the 47,000 people injured during the Troubles. It is not exactly a glowing track record of success. All his 'strategic' decisions are worthy of review.
“The restoration of the devolved institutions and getting the best deal for Northern Ireland in the Brexit negotiations should be the focus of current and former politicians.”