Commenting on the draft Code of Conduct for Parading and Public Assemblies, TUV vice chairman Keith Harbinson said:-

“While the abolition of the Parades Commission is certainly a welcome development we need to be careful to ensure that we do not replace one draconian body with another.

“Having studied the Code of Conduct which was recently published TUV would have a number of concerns:

a) The all pervasive role of the Joint First Ministers, which given the mutual vetoes therein means McGuinness has been empowered with controlling authority. The Adjudicators will be appointed directly by the Joint First Ministers, giving McGuinness his own placemen;

b) It is clear from the draft bill that these adjudicators and other panel members can be convicted criminals, even terrorists, because only new convictions, after their appointment, rule them out. It is offensive and wrong that convicted terrorists could adjudicate on parades, but this is what this DUP/Sinn Fein legislation permits;

c) The tiers and degree of bureaucracy are excessive. I see herein little, if anything, which reduces the current procedural demands under the Parades Commission;

d) While it is welcome that at no stage is dialog between those who parade and objectors said to be mandatory time again the code makes statements such as “it is strongly encouraged that local dialogue starts at the earliest possible time” suggesting that those who refuse to enter into dialog will do their chances of parading no good by doing so;

e) Finally, TUV has concerns about the wide remit of the provisions of the draft Code covering, as it does, all public assemblies rather than just parades and related protests”.