Responding to an attack from Democratic Unionist Councillor Paul Rankin on Traditional Unionist Voice South Down TUV chair George McConnell said:

“Paul Rankin questions Jim Allister’s consistency on mandatory coalition while ignoring the fact that he was elected on a manifesto which stated that such a form of government was “out of the question”. What changed to make it acceptable to Mr Rankin? A member of the party which spent 30 years claiming they would never go into government with Sinn Fein or accept a say for Dublin in the affairs of Northern Ireland only for them to embrace the pro-Republican Belfast Agreement lecturing others on consistency is akin to listening to Robert Mugabe discuss human rights.

“Secondly, Councillor Rankin suggests that there is some sort of inconstancy between opposing the terrorist inclusive regime in Stormont and writing to devolved Ministers about issues within their remit. This is utter nonsense. Lobbying for constituents in no way implies that one agrees with the government. Does Mr Rankin agree with the Labour Government? One would suspect not. Yet I have no doubt that DUP representatives write to Ministers in Gordon Brown’s government about issues which are not devolved. Does Mr Rankin have a problem with this and, if so, has he raised it within him party?

“Mr Rankin claims that there is no ambiguity about the DUP’s position. This was sadly not the case prior to the last Assembly election when they failed to clearly spell out their position on Sinn Fein in government. However, the issue for Unionists in the European election will thankfully, as Councillor Rankin puts it, be “crystal clear”. A first preference vote for the DUP will serve only to entrench Sinn Fein/IRA’s position in government because, for all the tough talk of that party, they will be back round the Executive table with the IRA’s political wing the day after the votes are counted and DUP Councillors will be issuing press releases defending that position. A vote for Jim Allister, however, will be a vote against Sinn Fein in government and a vote for true British democracy in British Ulster”.