Ford slams hypocrisy after SF 'warning' to McCartneys

12.00.00am GMT Tue 15th Mar 2005

Responding to the comments yesterday from Martin McGuinness, David Ford, Alliance Leader, has condemned the hypocrisy of Sinn Fein.

David Ford said:

"Yesterday's comments by Martin McGuinness amount to staggering hypocrisy, especially in his warning to the McCartney family to not get involved in politics.

"Sinn Fein has 'played politics' throughout the peace process. That is what political parties do. Yet as soon as the McCartney family starts to put pressure on Sinn Fein and the Republican Movement in general, it is somehow unfair of them to do so.

"I never realised that Sinn Fein members were such sensitive souls.

"It is clear that Sinn Fein is in great difficulty, both over the murder of Robert McCartney and the subsequent actions of Republicans. This bleating about the McCartney sisters 'playing politics' shows how concerned Republicans are.

"But this is no surprise. Despite the public statements of Gerry Adams, we now know for certain that a number of leading Sinn Fein figures were in the bar, but none of them has given any meaningful information that would help apprehend the guilty.

"There is, at the least, a suspicion that the public statements of Sinn Fein leaders are being contradicted by the actions of some Republicans on the ground.

"If Martin McGuinness is concerned that people are playing politics, he should ensure that his associates start telling all they know to the police."

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4349963.stm