McGuinness to face no-confidence motion

Sinn Fein minister Martin McGuinness will face a motion of no confidence in the Northern Ireland Assembly, it was decided today.

Members of the Stormont Assembly’s business committee agreed to a motion tabled by the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists which will attempt to oust the education minister from the province’s power-sharing government.

The move follows an admission by Mr McGuinness in a statement to the Bloody Sunday inquiry in Derry that he was second in command of the IRA in the city at the time of the British Army killings in January 1972.

It is understood the motion put forward by DUP deputy leader and East Belfast MP Peter Robinson received backing from the Ulster Unionists, Progressive Unionists and Alliance Party.

MLAs will debate a DUP motion reading: ‘‘This Assembly has no confidence in the minister of education, Martin McGuinness.’’

The decision by the business committee to go ahead with the debate was condemned by Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy.

The Newry and Armagh MLA responded: ‘‘Most people welcome that Martin McGuinness is giving evidence to the Saville Inquiry.

‘‘It appears that this is just another pre-election publicity stunt by the DUP.

‘‘Just like their motion two weeks ago on flower arranging which recalled the Assembly back from the Easter recess, this is a stunt.’’

Mr Murphy said he was surprised that the cross-community Alliance Party had supported the motion of no confidence being debated in the Assembly.

He attributed the Ulster Unionists’ backing for the debate as evidence that they also had ‘‘one eye on the election’’.

He added that his party would consider its response to the move.

If the Democratic Unionists’ motion passes, it would place pressure on Mr McGuinness to resign but Sinn Fein insisted today that he would not be obliged to step down from office.

The party was considering lodging a ‘‘petition of concern’’ in response to the DUP motion which would mean it would require cross-community support to be passed.

However, to do that Sinn Fein would also need the support of the nationalist SDLP with some of its Assembly members signing the petition, which would require 30 MLA signatures.