Reacting to Martin McGuinness’s comparison of partition to racism and sectarianism TUV vice-chair Keith Harbinson said:

“Many people will be rightly outraged by the remarks of Joint First Minister Martin McGuinness. When McGuinness describes partitionism as a “tremendous evil” akin to racism and sectarianism he is implicitly placing Unionists in the same category as racists and sectarian bigots.

“By no stretch of the imagination can supporting the retention of the border be said to be comparable to these evils. Unionists support the Union with Great Britain because they believe that it is in the best interests of all the people here, both Roman Catholic and Protestant. Nor do Unionists have some irrational fear of Irish citizens south of the border. A desire to see the link between Ulster and the mainland retained is not based on racial grounds. To even suggest such is grossly insulting and reveals that Mary McAleese’s belief that Unionists are in the same category as the Nazis is shared by McGuinness.

“Many people will understandably ask how McGuinness can be joint First Minister of a country he doesn’t even believe should exist.

“Unashamed partitionists like myself will take no lectures from McGuiness on “tremendous evil”. His Republican movement is the embodiment of evil, having been responsible for the murder of thousands of individuals. Moral lectures from people of his ilk are nauseating in the extreme.

“It will not be lost on many Unionists that these remarks were made during a North South Ministerial Council meeting. That iniquitous body was set up to further McGuinness’s aim of removing the border. How outrageous that Unionists have acquiesced in a process which has seen McGuinness elevated to the head of our government and able to make such outrageous statements while attending a body which exists solely to advance his goal of a United Ireland!”