'SDLP not up to challenge'

In reply to Dolores Kelly MLA of the SDLP and her recent letter.

Mrs Kelly levels the charge at me that I have abandoned the Good Friday Agreement and nationalist rights, the charge is based on a single paragraph from a lengthy contribution to an Assembly debate on the Policing and Justice Bill in Dec 09.

For the record it is worth noting, that if the SDLP’s argument had carried at the First Stage of the Justice Bill, then any possibility for the Transfer of Policing and Justice would have fallen. The SDLP voted against the Bill at its First Stage and urged other parties to do likewise; only the UUP acquiesced.

At later stages of the Bill they tabled several amendments, although, in my opinion, these were more alibis than amendments. It is clear that the SDLP attempted to distract public attention away from the fact that they had already voted against Policing and Justice Transfer. I suspect Mrs Kelly’s latest intervention has the same motivation.

During my speech, I used their analogy 'of the need to apply for the post of Justice Minister', as the SDLP have claimed that no ‘Nationalist need apply’; blaming Sinn Fin for a great injustice against the SDLP. In fact the only party Sinn Fin have ruled out for the post, in the interim, as a confidence building measure to move the peace process forward, is Sinn Fin. The DUP have also ruled themselves out of the post.

At no stage during the public debate on the Transfer of Policing and Justice Powers has the SDLP looked beyond the narrow selfish needs of their party. I challenged them during the debate using their own language to apply for the post. In other words, stop the selfish media grand standing, step forward and make a case.

The Justice Minister will be appointed using a Cross Community Assembly vote. My challenge to the SDLP was not about giving a right to the DUP or any other party to exclude them from the post. My challenge was for the SDLP to act maturely and in the interest of the Peace Process.

From Mrs Kelly's response it appears that the SDLP are not up to that challenge.