DUP hypocrisy exposed
DUP member Jim Wells, who was convicted for his part in a protest against a St.Patrick's Day parade in Kilkeel, County Down, will not face disciplinary action from his party.
Wells, a senior DUP figure, had pleaded guilty to using threatening and abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to provoke a breach of the peace. He was fined £300 and ordered to pay £221.32p costs. Also convicted waere four others, including DUP member Ruth McConnell, who contested the local government elections in Newry and Mourne. She was given a two-year conditional discharge.
Wells' conviction came the day after the DUP threatened internal party discipline against Strabane councillor Thomas Kerrigan, whose crime was to shake the hand of a Sinn Féin councillor. Kerrigan, newly elected as vice-chair of Strabane District Council, wished newly elected chair Ivan Barr well and said he looked forward to working with him.
On Wednesday, 20 June, Social Development Minister Maurice Morrow walked out of the launch of a North-South report after expressing concern that he might be photographed beside Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew.
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