Conservative Party spokesman, Mark Brotherston, welcomed the SDLP’s announcement that it will support the full introduction of the National Crime Agency (NCA) to Northern Ireland, although he described the decision as “better late than never”.
“It seems that some sense has finally prevailed within the SDLP on this issue, although it has certainly taken a while”, Mark observed. “Preventing the NCA from working in Northern Ireland without restrictions kept serious criminals on our streets and put people here at risk from organised crime. The ‘petition of concern’ mechanism, which triggers a cross community vote at Stormont, was misused by the SDLP and Sinn Féin, to block the agency’s introduction.”
“That left people here vulnerable to terrorism, people-trafficking, child-abuse, drug smuggling and the whole range of serious, organised crime. We’ve always contended that Northern Ireland deserves the best protection the UK can offer. Thankfully the SDLP has decided to be responsible, listen to the PSNI and drop its opposition to the NCA. It is unfortunate that, for almost a year and a half, people in Northern Ireland have been less safe, because of selfish party politics and divisive attitudes at Stormont.”