British govt urged to push ahead with NI policing reforms
The British government was today urged to call Sinn Féin’s bluff on policing in Northern Ireland with legislation allowing the transfer of justice powers to a future administration at Stormont.
Nationalist SDLP Assembly member Alex Attwood told a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool it was hardly conceivable anywhere in Ireland or Britain that a party could be in government and yet not endorse policing arrangements.
The SDLP Policing Board member also criticised the British government for failing to put it up to Sinn Féin in recent negotiations over its need to sign up to police reforms.
“Tony Blair must undo the damage,” the West Belfast MLA told the debate featuring Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy, the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson, the UUP’s David Burnside and Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman David Lidington.
“Fortunately an opportunity to do so is only weeks away. While others forge ahead on policing, Downing Street has looked back over its shoulder at Sinn Féin.
“Number 10 must change tack. The British government must put front and centre that there can be no delays or doubts about joining the policing structures.
“If the British government have the capacity to do this, a moment to bring this about arises with the tabling of devolution of justice legislation in the next few weeks.”
In November 2001, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, which was overwhelmingly Protestant, became the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) following reforms introduced by the British government.
In a bid to increase Catholic and nationalist numbers, half of all PSNI recruits are drawn from the Catholic community while hundreds of RUC officers left the force under a severance package.
Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde and his officers are also answerable for decisions to the North’s Policing Board and to local district policing partnerships.
Complaints against the police are also investigated by the Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan’s investigative team.
While the SDLP, Irish Government and Catholic bishops have backed the reforms and the Irish sporting organisation, the Gaelic Athletic Association, lifted a ban on police officers playing Gaelic football and hurling, Sinn Féin has continued to withhold their support.
Mr Attwood today accused republicans of pretending the transfer of justice powers was a swing issue in persuading them to get involved in policing.
But he added: “On this occasion, let’s take Sinn Féin at their word.
“The tabling of devolution of justice legislation is a moment to see if Sinn Féin measure up to what they themselves declare as required for them to change approach on the issue of policing.
“When the devolution legislation is tabled let the (British) government provide no hiding place for any party, to any longer evade their policing responsibilities.”
Mr Attwood said loyalists and republicans both had questions to answer on policing.
These included whether people on either side of the Irish border would be free to join the PSNI and Gardaí.
He also asked whether they would be encouraged and able to assist investigations into crime, provide information to both police services on fuel smuggling, cigarette heists and robberies and would be allowed to join policing partnership boards.
The West Belfast Assembly member said the Rev Ian Paisley’s DUP also had to convince others whether it was really up for political progress.
