Ulster Unionist Party leader, Robin Swann MLA, has accused the DUP of damaging unionism in the wake of a long line of scandals and having presided over a Stormont administration where a culture of self-preservation at all costs, cronyism and self-service were dominant, leading to the present day situation where there has been a collapse in confidence in politics and politicians.
Robin Swann MLA, said:
“There is no question whatsoever that the DUP is damaging Unionism.
“RHI has merely been the latest in a long line of scandals that has dogged the party and brought both unionism and local politics into disrepute.
“The ongoing revelations about how Stormont was run by the DUP have left unionists horrified that things were being done in their name which were neither good government nor guided by any semblance of a moral compass.
“There has been a parade of former Ministers and not very special ‘special advisers’ which has laid bare the shambles of an administration.
“And all the while, Sinn Fein were left to do as they pleased on the occasions when they were working hand in hand with the DUP to keep papers off the Executive table, or delegate ministerial decision making to SPADs and doing all they could to frustrate openness and transparency.
“It is now clear that DUP Ministers have presided over a government where a culture of self-preservation at all costs, cronyism and self-service were dominant, and the result has been a collapse in confidence in politics and politicians.
“Unionism deserved much better than this. It still does.”