6 December 2001 Edition
Reid misleads BIPB
Sinn Féin representative on the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, West Tyrone Assembly member Barry McElduff has accused the British Secretary of State of attempting to mislead the Body.
"John Reid, in his latest attempt to sell the current flawed policing arrangements to members of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, clearly tried to mislead on the issue of the GAA abolition of Rule 21 and its position on policing," said McElduff.
"The British Secretary of State misrepresented the position of the GAA, which stated unequivocally that the abolition of Rule 21 was a matter of responding to evolving human rights legislation. John Reid was both misleading and unhelpful when he tried to present this rule change as an acceptance of or support for the current flawed policing arrangements.
"The GAA has not endorsed the RUC/PSNI. John Reid should stop misrepresenting the position of the GAA and the nationalist community. He should instead concentrate on fulfilling the British government obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, one of which is to deliver a new beginning to policing."
"John Reid, in his latest attempt to sell the current flawed policing arrangements to members of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, clearly tried to mislead on the issue of the GAA abolition of Rule 21 and its position on policing," said McElduff.
"The British Secretary of State misrepresented the position of the GAA, which stated unequivocally that the abolition of Rule 21 was a matter of responding to evolving human rights legislation. John Reid was both misleading and unhelpful when he tried to present this rule change as an acceptance of or support for the current flawed policing arrangements.
"The GAA has not endorsed the RUC/PSNI. John Reid should stop misrepresenting the position of the GAA and the nationalist community. He should instead concentrate on fulfilling the British government obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, one of which is to deliver a new beginning to policing."