DUP man in trouble for shaking hands with republican

A senior member of Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party today could face disciplinary action after shaking hands with a Sinn Fein council chairman.

Thomas Kerrigan, who was elected vice-chairman of Strabane District Council, Co Tyrone, was forced to issue a hurried statement withdrawing his offer to work with republican Ivan Barr.

In an unprecedented move, Mr Kerrigan congratulated the Sinn Fein chairman after taking up his new post. Later he pledged to co-operate with him on local issues.

But a statement later released on behalf of the DUP councillor made it clear that it was party policy not to have any contact with Sinn Fein.

Mr Barr said he was not surprised by the handshake as relationships between his party and the DUP on the council had improved considerably in the last four years.

He said: "It is unfortunate that given that Councillor Kerrigan has demonstrated a willingness to work in a spirit of co-operation with others in the chamber, it would now appear that he has been subjected to pressure from his party to adopt a different attitude."

Mr Kerrigan was unavailable for comment, but the issue will be seen as an embarrassment to Mr Paisley’s hardliners in advance of a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London tomorrow where they will be demanding he replace the Good Friday Agreement.

The party, which increased its number of Westminster seats from three to five and had further successes in the local government elections, will be pushing home the message that Sinn Fein has no place in positions of power in the absence of IRA decommissioning.

The new East Derry DUP MP Gregory Campbell said members were fully aware of the consequences of co-operating with Sinn Fein.

He said the matter would be discussed at a meeting of all the party’s new councillors on Saturday.

He added: "DUP policy is clear. We don’t give any legitimacy whatsoever to Sinn Fein. We won’t have dialogue with them, meet with them or debate with them, other than to oppose them at every possible opportunity.

"This will remain our position as long as they remain linked to a fully armed terrorist machine."