Allister challenged in Brussels

Following a very successful Sinn Féin conference at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, which dealt with EU assistance for Irish reunification, DUP MEP Jim Allister, at a press conference on strengthening EU borders, accused Sinn Féin of "engaging in stunts".

However Allister was challenged at the Brussels press conference by Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff. McElduff asked Allister, who in previous days had made a number of negative pronouncements regarding the prospects of power sharing following proposals by the Irish and British Governments at St Andrews, to retract the accusation that Sinn Féin was engaging in stunts. The West Tyrone MLA also asked Allister whether he was willing to face the challenge of power sharing in the Six Counties. But Allister point blank refused to answer the Sinn Féin representative, stating that he would not engage with Sinn Féin, before hastily bringing the press conference, which was shared with unionist MEP Jim Nicholson, to a close.