Unionist DPP withdrawal an 'abdication of responsibility': Campbell

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 16th Sep 2005

The Alliance Party has described the decision of Unionist Councillors in Belfast to withdraw from the DPPs as 'a complete abdication of responsibility'.

Alliance Councillor Tom Campbell said:

"To withdraw from participation on district policing partnerships reflects a failure of leadership and a complete abdication of responsibility. To seek to act upon the alleged pretext of Police 'intransigence' causes one to wonder what they believe the Police response should have been to recent violence and what would have happened if they had not acted with the professionalism and restraint they did. Were our streets to be abandoned to the mobs?

"There will be those who were unwilling to participate in policing who will be rubbing their hands with glee. Boycott and abstentionism reflects a lethargic and defeatist attitude to recent events. The duty of politicians is to provide strategic vision and leadership not to react to events."

ENDS