DUP: No peace with terrorists

Sinn Féin and the IRA will be abandoned from Northern Ireland’s political process if they do not give up terrorism, the Democratic Unionists warned today.

As DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson claimed his party was recruiting more than 100 new members a month, he put the ultimatum to republicans at his party’s annual conference in Belfast.

In a speech laden with stinging attacks on rival Ulster Unionist chief David Trimble, Mr Robinson said his party was driving a unionist revival based on its electoral success.

The strategy would be radically different to UUP attempts to secure a peace deal by negotiating with paramilitaries, the East Belfast MP said.

He declared: “I do not want peace with terrorists. I want the destruction of terrorism.”

With the power-sharing regime in Belfast still collapsed over claims of IRA espionage inside the government, Mr Robinson stressed his party wanted devolution, but not at any price.

He argued republicans should only be allowed in the democratic process when they prove they have severed all links with violence.

“It is the inability of those involved with paramilitarism which is holding up progress,” he said.

“It is time for the democratic parties in Northern Ireland to spell out the simple choice to Sinn Féin/IRA. Give up your terrorism or get left behind.

“The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland should not be held to ransom by those who cling to the ways of the past, unable to exist by argument alone.”

The DUP number two was in jubilant mood as he claimed the era of Trimbleism was over.

His confidence was based on last November’s Stormont elections which saw the Democratic Unionists take over as the biggest party in Northern Ireland.

Their position of strength was bolstered by significant defections from the UUP, including the Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

Mr Robinson claimed there has been unparalleled growth in the party organisation since the Assembly poll.

“Our membership is increasing at the rate of over 100 new members every month,” he said.

“Many are coming from the Ulster Unionist Party, but scores of others have never been in any political party before and still others are rejoining the party.”

Mr Donaldson also addressed a DUP conference for the first time, urging the party faithful to do everything in their power to repel further Sinn Féin electoral advances.

"It is important that unionists do not ignore what happened on the nationalist side during the election,” he said.

“The scale of Sinn Féin’s victory over the SDLP was decisive and there are a number of other Assembly seats well within their grasp.

“They will be seeking to further assert their nationalist dominance by taking the SDLP’s seats in the European and Westminster elections.

“If Sinn Féin become the largest party in any election the case for a united Ireland will automatically be pursued with increased vigour.”

One of the key aims for the DUP is to stop the republican party’s candidate in the European election, Bairbre de Brun, topping the poll.

Party leader Ian Paisley is standing down this time. But as the campaign of his successor, Jim Allister, was launched at the conference, Mr Paisley, called for Sinn Féin to be halted.

He said: “The witch herself must feel the power of her own broom in a certain place.”

Mr Allister described it as a privilege to be following in the footsteps of someone whose contribution for Ulster in Europe had been exceptional.

He added: “The honour is matched by the challenge.

“Both in poll performance and parliamentary achievement, Dr Paisley has set the highest of standards.”