Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DUP: ‘A rather unpleasant way to run a party’
Divisions laid bare at RHI probe Advisor denies smearing minister
THE chair of a public inquiry has said the DUP was run in an “unpleasant” way.
Retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin heard evidence from former party special advisor Tim Cairns over the Renewable Heat Incentive green energy scandal.
Mr Cairns told him he had not tried to smear his former boss, ex-stormont Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell, over the affair.
Sir Patrick said the “clear inference” was he was prepared to modify his comments about Mr Bell to protect former DUP leader Peter Robinson.
Documents before the inquiry, including a text message from Mr Cairns to another special advisor, showed he was prepared to, in his words, fit his story into the party’s “narrative”.
Sir Patrick added: “That seems a rather unpleasant way to run a party.”
Mr Cairns denied any plan to fit up the ex-minister.
The former special advisor said he was being contacted by journalists constantly in December 2016, despite being outside Northern Ireland, and had sought help after Mr Bell disclosed his version of events surrounding the outof-control heating scheme. Much of the former party official’s evidence contradicted Mr Bell’s version of events, discussed during the ex-assembly member’s evidence sessions before the inquiry last week.
Mr Cairns claimed Mr Bell behaved in bullying or drunken fashion at times and he was so intoxicated he fell asleep in a New York pub and was asked to leave, allegations Mr Bell strongly denies.
Mr Cairns said he reported his concerns to former leader Mr Robinson but alleged he did nothing about it.
The ex-special advisor admitted he was prepared to go along with the DUP’S official version of events.
Sir Patrick asked him: “And that is politics is it?”
The witness responded: “That is politics I am afraid – it is a grubby world.”
The retired judge said: “That is something of an understatement, if you don’t mind me saying.”