Memory of Kerr looms over negotiations in North

THE memory of murdered Catholic PSNI officer Ronan Kerr looms large over Northern politics as negotiations for a new power-sharing Executive continue.

DUP leader Peter Robinson dedicated his decisive victory in the Stormont poll to the slain constable, while the late policeman’s brother strongly attacked UUP chief Tom Elliott for branding Sinn Féin supporters “scum”.

Despite being written off by many in the North after losing his Westminster seat last year amid a swirl of controversy surrounding land deals and his wife’s personal life, Mr Robinson mounted a major comeback in his East Belfast heartland as the DUP increased its standing in the 108-member Assembly to 38.

Sinn Féin also upped its representation to 29 after Gerry Adams quit frontline politics in the North to concentrate on his move to the Dáil. However, ugly scenes erupted at the Omagh count as Mr Elliott berated Sinn Féin supporters waiving Tricolours, branding them “scum”. This prompted Constable Kerr’s brother to denounce his remarks as “prehistoric”.

Cathair Kerr used his Twitter account to call them “prejudiced”, adding: “People need to move forward. Would his voters still vote for him now?”

Mr Elliott, whose UUP remained the third largest party as its seat share dropped from 18 to 16, insisted he “would not forget” what people in the republican movement had done.

Mr Robinson was muted in his response to the Elliott controversy, saying: “I’m pretty sure Tom is under pressure and we should give him a bit of latitude.”

But Alliance Party leader David Ford condemned Mr Elliott’s remarks, which he said could act as his political obituary. “These were despicable comments that should be treated with the contempt they deserve by everyone,” he said.

Attention will now focus on the share-out of ministerial portfolios at Stormont after a lacklustre campaign which resulted in a low 54.5% turnout and a continued DUP/Sinn Féin dominance of the Assembly as the SDLP slipped back to 14 seats and the Alliance went up to eight.

Leader of the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) Jim Allister took a lone seat, as did the Greens and an independent.

Mr Robinson topped the poll in East Belfast and dedicated his success to the memory of the murdered Mr Kerr, saying: “I want to dedicate this victory to the memory of young Ronan Kerr, a young man who at 25 years of age was blown into eternity by the hands of evil men. But he had a vision for Northern Ireland and he wanted to serve his community. And in the words of his mother, she wanted to ensure that people would come out and support the way forward, peacefully, in Northern Ireland to have a united community, a shared society, that they might go forward with real opportunity and real hope,” he said.

“I therefore not only dedicate the victory to Ronan but dedicate myself to the vision that he had,” Mr Robinson said.