Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson, who was instrumental in establishing the PEACE Programme, has responded angrily to Secretary of State Karen Bradley linking future PEACE funding post-Brexit to support for the PM’s withdrawal agreement.
Jim Nicholson said:
"The decision by London, Dublin and Brussels to fund the PEACE Programme post-Brexit and beyond the current PEACE IV scheme should not be linked to support for Theresa May’s bad deal.
“This is a crude and quite frankly insulting attempt at blackmail and is doomed to fail.
“This statement is the latest in a series of ill-judged and irresponsible comments from the Secretary of State. Recent reported comments by the Secretary of State on a border poll, simply help to embolden Sinn Fein and create further destabilisation in Northern Ireland.
“I am appalled by the Secretary of State’s behaviour – she is doing enormous damage to Northern Ireland.”