16/09/2015
‘DUP and Alliance given a lesson in democracy by Sinn Fein’
I have watched this morning’s finance committee in disbelief. The attempts by the DUP to hold a secret and hidden evidence session would make Joseph Stalin blush. The proposals by Judith Cochrane of the Alliance party were equally disgraceful, that however comes as little shock or surprise to me.
I find myself in the bizarre situation of witnessing Sinn Fein speaking up for openness, democracy and transparency whilst the DUP and their new found friends in the Alliance party seek to pervert and corrupt openness, transparency and the principles of the democratic institutions. I also note that the DUP could not bring themselves to attend a very serious debate on health yesterday, but ensured they had a full quota for their censorship attempt at this morning’s Finance committee. That, for me, speaks volumes.
I also tweeted during the debate that I would not be acceding to any perverted attempt to supress or hide evidence. I made clear that I would simply subvert these anti-democratic censorship attempts by walking straight out of the meeting and releasing exactly the same information into the public domain. Jim Wells was keen to raise this tweet during the committee debate, once again showing up the desperation seeping from every pore of the DUP!
After Judith Cochrane’s censorship proposal was passed, it was highlighted that due to the fact I have released much information into the public domain prior to anyone else, that it is obvious I have had direct contact with those involved in this nefarious scheme. Judith Cochrane also remarkably requested for witnesses to release the name of their sources to the committee. Once again this gets into ridiculous realms, and it goes without saying that under no circumstances will I reveal any sources.
Judith Cochrane and her new friends in the DUP should hang their heads in shame. They have been given a lesson in democracy, openness and transparency by none other than Sinn Fein. The only Unionist to save the blushes of all of Unionism was Leslie Cree who also spoke up for democracy amidst one of the most remarkable attempts to supress it, that one is ever likely to see.
Jamie Bryson
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