McLaughlin demands examination of PUP move

Sinn Féin’s National Chairman has said that the announcement that the Progressive Unionist leader is to join the UUP’s assembly group in Stormont needs to be examined.

Mitchel McLaughlin has branded the move by David Ervine as "breathtaking hypocrisy".

He said the UUP had refused to do business with Sinn Féin because of its links with the IRA.

But Mr McLaughlin said the fact that it is now willing to work with the PUP, which has connections to loyalist paramilitary group the UVF, is nothing but a double standard.

Despite this, he says Sinn Féin remains positive about the Assembly and is strongly determined to make it work in keeping with the Good Friday Agreement.

But he warned that Sinn Féin would resist any attempts to change or manipulate these rules.