Statement by TUV East Belfast candidate David Vance:
“The comments by Mitchel McLaughlin on this morning’s Nolan Show tell us much about the agenda of Republicans. For a party which is supposedly supportive of the rule of law to call for the PSNI to go unarmed is bizarre given the current security situation.

“Who in their right mind would suggest that the current circumstances – with an ever rising threat from so-called dissident Republicans and the police stretched like never before – are ones in which we should even contemplate such madness?

“If the policy advocated by McLaughlin was followed PSNI officers would be left defenceless in the face of attacks from Sinn Fein/IRA’s blood brothers in organisations like the RIRA, CIRA or whatever flag of convince Republicans choose to use at a given moment”.