Sinn Féin MLA, Gerry Kelly, has been accused of “sending out repeatedly contradictory messages about the rule of law”, by NI Conservatives’ spokesman, Mark Brotherston.
“Understandably, most people are stunned that Gerry Kelly has decided to sue the police, after obstructing a police Land Rover and accepting an ‘informed warning’ for his part in the incident”, Mark explained. “The police deserve proper backing from elected representatives. Not only that, Northern Ireland deserves an unequivocal and consistent attitude to the rule of law from all of its politicians. Yet many repeatedly fall short of that mark.”
“The police serve bravely every day to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. They uphold the rule of law in a divided society and they are often used cynically by politicians like Gerry Kelly, as a political football. The Sinn Féin MLA has a violent, shameful past, but he is now a member of the policing board, and he has absolutely no excuse for his behaviour.”
“He was extremely fortunate not to end up in court for his actions last summer. Suing the Chief Constable is posturing of the most irresponsible kind and shows a complete lack of regard for his own part in the incident. In the unlikely event that he receives any damages, as a society, we should be looking for a means to recover the money and offset it against the cost of IRA violence.”