Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has expressed disappointment at the latest call from Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, for the abolition of the Northern Ireland Office and the end of the position of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Martin McGuinness has questioned the continuing need for a Secretary of State, but Mr Nesbitt says this is nothing more than political posturing.

 "Scotland has a Secretary of State who sits at the Cabinet table arguing for the interests of all the people of Scotland. Wales has a Secretary of State, who sits at the Cabinet table and promotes the interests of all the people of Wales. Why would Martin McGuinness want to disenfranchise the people of Northern Ireland? He says he supports the drive to secure the devolution of the power to vary Corporation Tax rates to the NI Assembly, but this call must bring into question his real commitment. Does he not think it is a good idea to have a Secretary of State advancing our case in Downing Street?

 "This further illustrates an increasingly untenable inconsistency in Sinn Féin policy. They do not engage at Westminster, but do at Stormont and Leinster House, but in the case of the latter institutions, they often adopt diametrically opposite views, for example on Europe and the advantage of having an Official Opposition.

 "I call on all unionists to engage with Martin McGuinness to expose the weakness of his argument. I note Jeffrey Donaldson of the DUP has been quoted as saying Northern Ireland's position within the Union has never been stronger. I believe it was stronger before the botched legislation following the St Andrews Agreement, and again question why the DUP stance is to criticise the enabling legislation following those negotiations, while it is a matter of record that the DUP Lords who voted, voted in favour of the botch.

 "The nature of the Union is always evolving, and it would be prudent for unionists to be ever mindful of the changing nature of the threat, be it Irish nationalism, Scottish, Welsh, or even the threat from within the pro-union family of Northern Ireland. Complacency is not an option."