EXECUTIVE NEGOTIATIONS:SINN FÉIN politicians are acting like spoiled children, tugging on the apron strings of London and Dublin as they stamp their feet and throw a tantrum, the North's Minister for Finance Nigel Dodds told the annual DUP conference in Armagh on Saturday.
In the course of his speech, the DUP deputy leader attacked his Sinn Féin partners in the Northern Executive on a number of fronts, accusing the party of acting reprehensibly in continuing to prevent the Executive from convening.
He compared Sinn Féin and its leader Gerry Adams's behaviour with former Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble's behaviour when he was first minister and in the face of political crises and internal party difficulties, engaged in "walkouts and boycotts".
"It is now Sinn Féin where the divisions are appearing. There are some realists in Sinn Féin who know they can't turn back the clock. But the old guard has raised its bearded head. It's Gerry versus the pacemakers," he said.
"Gerry Adams is yesterday's man - out of step, out of tune, out of touch, out of excuses. But he hasn't gone away you know, and now he's doing what he does best - threatening and bullying anyone who gets in his way," he added.
"When he talks of 'partnership' and 'equality', it's code for Sinn Féin getting its way. When he criticises the DUP for 'lack of engagement', he really means the DUP won't be pushed around. The DUP is in Government to deliver on its manifesto agenda, not that of republicans."
Mr Dodds again denied that the DUP had signed up to matters such as policing and justice at the St Andrews negotiations in October 2006. He added that there could be no movement on the devolution of policing and justice without the DUP's commitment and "until such time as there is confidence in the community".
"The DUP left the negotiations having blocked Sinn Féin's desire to destroy our grammar schools. The DUP came out of the negotiations having stopped an Irish language Act," he added.
Mr Dodds said the DUP would expose the "anti-British bigotry" that drove Sinn Féin's agenda, exemplified by the protest against the homecoming parade for British troops in Belfast.
"The mask has now fallen off and behind it the ugly face of republican sectarian bigotry has been laid bare for all to see. And I hope that other countries, especially the USA, take note of what Sinn Féin and republicans think, not only of our troops, but of all the other soldiers who serve with them in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Mr Dodds said the DUP's focus was to defeat Sinn Féin in the European elections next June. "It will be a test of who speaks for Ulster across Europe. Will it be Sinn Féin who will strut the world stage as the leading party? Or will it be the DUP as the only party capable of outpolling Sinn Féin?"
