Responding to Lady Hermon’s comments on the UUP decision to vote against the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont TUV vice-chairman Keith Harbinson said:
 
“Ordinary Unionists will be stunned by Lady Hermon’s contention that Sinn Fein “is not our enemy”. Sinn Fein/IRA is a Republican party dedicated to the destruction of Northern Ireland as a state. For thirty years they employed the gun and the bomb in order to achieve that aim. They have only ceased employing violence because they see that the architecture of the Belfast Agreement can be employed to trundle us into a United Ireland. Their wrecking agenda is still clear for all to see when one looks at education.
 
“Sinn Fein/IRA have never expressed one scintilla of regret for their involvement in murder and mayhem. The thought of them gaining a role – through their seats in Stormont’s terrorist inclusive executive – in the running of the police and courts is sickening.
 
“TUV looks forward to fielding a Traditional Unionist candidate in North Down who will provide a voice for the thousands of Unionists in that constituency who see Sinn Fein/IRA for what they really are”.