Call for Sinn Fein to back UK covenant

Sinn Fein support for the introduction of the UK’S military covenant in Northern Ireland would show the republican party’s commitment to a shared future extends beyond mere gestures, Arlene Foster said yesterday.

The DUP leader called for tangible actions as she was asked for her response to recent moves from Sinn Fein that have been interpreted by some as efforts to reach out to unionists, such as party president Mary Lou Mcdonald’s use of the word “Londonderry”.

Mrs Foster denied she had not reciprocated with conciliatory gestures to republicans.

She told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: “Well, I don’t accept that we haven’t made any so-called gestures and I think it’s more important actually to find and to build a basis for a shared community in Northern Ireland, which is what we want to see – a real sharing and not just a gesture sharing. And wouldn’t it be good, for example, if Sinn Fein were to allow Northern Ireland’s government to sign up in full to the military covenant and to respect veterans regardless of where they live in the UK?

“I think that that is something that they could do to show respect for veterans that live in Northern Ireland.”

A stand-off over the introduction of the military covenant is one of the issues at the heart of the power-sharing deadlock at Stormont.