SECRETARY of State Theresa Villiers has reminded the political party linked to the UVF that it supported the Belfast Agreement.
In a hard-hitting speech last night which denounced the rioting at some Union Flag protests as “intolerable”, Ms Villiers singled out the PUP, which has been heavily involved in the flag protests.
She told a meeting of Queen’s University’s Conservative Future group the claim (made by many in the PUP and other protestors) “that Britishness is being inexorably and steadily eroded is simply untrue”.
Ms Villiers cited Belfast City Hall itself as evidence of the continued Britishness of the city, saying that “it’s hard to imagine a building more steeped in British cultural tradition and symbolism than the Portland stone Victorian splendour of Belfast City Hall”.
She added: “It should always be remembered that a fundamental part of the Belfast Agreement — an agreement, remember, which was supported by the PUP and others who professed to speak for the loyalist paramilitaries, as well as by a wide range of other unionists — clearly and expressly guarantees protection for the different identities present in Northern Ireland.”
Ms Villiers said that efforts to promote Northern Ireland and boost the economy “are hampered massively by the scenes of violence that have been transmitted around the globe since early December”.
She added: “The actions of those involved in riots are shocking and they are intolerable. They are dishonouring our flag, damaging the economy and risk weakening support for the Union.
“In other words, these people are undermining the very causes in which they claim to believe.
“And they should all be very clear that they are at grave risk of receiving a prison sentence and a criminal record that will permanently blight their future.”
Ms Villiers called for protests to be “replaced by a meaningful political dialogue on a way forward on flags”.
