DUP dispute claims over any collapse of Executive
Spokesman said they were ‘bemused’ by the comments and urged LCC to withdraw them
THE DUP has denied plans to collapse Stormont formed part of discussions at a recent meeting with representatives of loyalist paramilitaries.
A party spokesman said they were “bemused” by reports suggesting it would consider bringing down the Executive if the Northern Ireland Protocol remains in place. It called on David Campbell, chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), which speaks for the main loyalist groups, to withdraw comments published in a Sunday newspaper.
Mr Campbell claimed Arlene Foster told the LCC at their recent meeting that her resignation as First Minister “has to be clearly within the DUP’S thinking but now would not be the time to do that”.
THE DUP has denied there was any discussion about First Minister Arlene Foster resigning and collapsing the Stormont Executive at a recent meeting with representatives of loyalist paramilitaries.
David Campbell, the chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), which speaks for loyalist groups including the UVF and UDA, was asked last night to withdraw the comments published in a Dublin Sunday newspaper.
He claims the DUP “won’t want mention of bringing down the Executive but that is clearly in their minds as an inevitability” and dismissed any suggestion that it was an irresponsible move.
But asked about the comments related to the collapsing of the Executive if the Northern Ireland Protocol remains in place, a DUP spokesman said: “We are bemused at the contents of this report about our meeting.
“There was no discussion about us bringing down the
Northern Ireland Executive or anyone else thinking of bringing down Stormont.
“We have raised our concerns about this report directly with Mr Campbell and asked him to withdraw these comments in the interests of accuracy.”
Mr Campbell did not immediately respond to a request for comment last night.
According to the report in the Sunday Independent, Mr Campbell described details of the late February meeting and what was said in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
“We make no secret of the fact that we see this ending in the bringing down of the Northern Ireland Executive. Arlene Foster was under no illusion that this is something that she would have to take responsibility for,” he said
Mr Campbell added: “She responded by saying it has to be clearly within the DUP’S thinking but now would not be the time to do that.
“That would be if and when all other avenues were explored and exhausted and if there was still a reluctance in London, Dublin and Brussels to change the protocol.”
The DUP did not immediately respond when asked whether the quotes were put to the party prior to publication.
The report also details how the Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Taoiseach Michael Martin are regarded by loyalist paramilitaries as the key players that brought about the NI Protocol, and therefore potential targets.
It noted the home addresses of Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney were scrawled on walls in Belfast, and that the security around the Tanaiste has been ramped up, though this appears largely due to threats from individuals with right wing extremist views.
Mr Campbell also said it is a “working assumption” that loyalist groups “still have access to arms”.
While the report suggested loyalist communities were angry and ready to strike if the NI Protocol remains in the place, security sources characterised the talk as “bluster”.
The DUP spokesman said: “We
‘We have raised our concerns with Mr Campbell’
utterly condemn any suggestion of violence or the threat of violence being used.
“We reiterate what we said after the meeting: This was a constructive and useful meeting where we discussed the opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol within the community.
“We listened to the views expressed and the need for political and constitutional methods to safeguard the United Kingdom single market and ensure there is an unfettered flow of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
But Alliance MP Stephen Farry said it is “dangerous for even the impression to be given that illegal crime organisations are able to pull the strings in a democratic system”. He added: “In any event, the lessons of history are clear that pulling down political structures is entirely self-defeating. Unionist politicians need to explain the realities that flow from the decisions that have been taken and work pragmatically to achieve as many mitigation and flexibilities around the Protocol as possible.”