“Two years ago David Ford colluded with Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness to bend democracy to his personal advantage to become Justice Minister. Two years later, he now complains when they again bend democracy, but this time to the disadvantage of his party.
“David Ford’s protests are hollow because he encouraged others to play fast and loose with democratic principles. While David Ford may be suffering an acute bout of political amnesia, no-one else will quickly forget Alliance abject surrender of political principle for political office.
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“The question that jumps out from David Ford’s speech is the fundamental one of judgment. A short while ago Alliance said they were the voice of opposition. But for the last two years they have been the DUP’s plaything, doing their bidding in the Executive and the Assembly and hardly ever dissenting from the DUP/Sinn Fein line. Now Alliance say the DUP/Sinn Fein are to be ‘feared.’
“This is pinball politics, a party with a leader which swings this way then that, which deserts principle for office, which one day is firmly doing the DUPs business the next day tries to jump ship. This all reveals there is a judgment issue in the Alliance Party and bad judgement and poor principle makes for failed leadership.”