Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Durkans comments - latest farcical position

Published: 16 September, 2008

Sinn Féin MP and MLA for Newry and Armagh, Conor Murphy today said the leadership of SDLP leader Mark Durkan was 'descending into farce'. Mr Murphy's remarks come after Mr Durkan this morning claimed on a radio programme 'that the DUP are wrong - but it is Sinn Féin's fault'.

Mr Murphy said:

"This morning Mark Durkan's analysis of the current political situation descended to new low levels. He declared 'that the DUP are wrong but it is Sinn Féin's fault'. These comments are the latest symptom of an increasingly out of touch SDLP leader.

"Last week for reasons best known to himself he was supporting a return to unionist majority rule. Today he is putting narrow party political interest ahead of the need to keep the pressure on both the DUP and the British government who remain in default of the St. Andrews Agreement in relation to the transfer of powers on policing and justice.

"Mr Durkan has overseen the SDLP move from nominal support for a united Ireland, through its post nationalist phase and now onto its unionist majority rule position. In the eyes of the vast majority of nationalists and republicans his commentary has become little more than farcical