DUP responds to being called ‘north’s most racist party’

Posted By: October 25, 2016

GARETH MCKEOWN, IRISH NEWS, OCTOBER 25, 2016

Gareth Wright from Dundonald suggested it “might be time to go home”

 following Anna Lo’s comments. Pictured with First Minister Arlene Foster.

The party has said Mr. Wright is not a member, but that has previously lobbied

and spoken to members.

UNFOUNDED ATTACK: The DUP has said it is disappointed but not

 surprised by comments by former Alliance MLA Anna Lo describing it

 as the â??most racist party in Northern Irelandâ??. In March 2014 Ms. Lo

reiterated her support for a united Ireland, first revealed by The Irish News.

The DUP has said it is “disappointed, but not surprised” at being labelled the “most racist party in Northern Ireland” by former Alliance MLA Anna Lo.

The former South Belfast representative lambasted the DUP and local political representatives, including First Minister Arlene Foster and predecessor Peter Robinson in a recent interview.

She also reiterated her support for a united Ireland, first revealed by The Irish News back in March 2014.

In yesterday’s Belfast Telegraph Ms. Lo accused the DUP of being “more racist than any other party in Northern Ireland”.

“Over the years, many of their councilors and MLAs have made negative comments about ethnic minorities. Plenty of times they haven’t condemned racist incidents in their areas. Sectarianism and racism and two sides of the one coin. If people have always been sectarian its very easy for them to be racist,” she said.

Ms. Lo also said she was unimpressed with First Minister Arlene Foster.

“It’s disappointing that a female politician doesn’t hold more compassionate views on abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality. Arlene seems less a breath of fresh air in the DUP, and just more of the same,”

she said.

In response. the DUP said the language used by Ms. Lo, who is originally from Hong Kong, did not reflect reality.

“The comments from Anna Lo are disappointing, but not surprising. Her support for a united Ireland and dismissal of the unionist community as mere ‘colonists’ within this part of the United Kingdom have been aired before,” a spokesman said.

“It is notable however that once again that Alliance party members seem so keen to launch purile and unfounded attacks, particularly on the DUP. It is clear the language chosen by Anna Lo has more to do with a desire to sell books than reflect reality. The DUP are working to build a stronger, safer Northern Ireland whilst it is clear the Alliance Party’s strategy to usher in their new leader is to build a platform based on attacking everyone else rather than putting forward any positive vision of their own,” the party added.

The comments made by Anna Lo prompted one social media user, with links to the DUP, to suggest that Ms. Lo should “go home”.

A DUP spokesman said Gareth Wright, left, from Dundonald had lobbied and spoken to DUP members in the past, but insisted he is not a member.

Paula Bradshaw who replaced Anna Lo as MLA for South Belfast said the Alliance party was “proud of Ms. Lo’s contribution to life in Northern Ireland”.

“Every generation must confront racism and some of the comments today show that we must redouble those efforts,” she said.

“We will continue to champion the diversity within our party and challenge others to do the same,”

she added.

In the same interview when asked her views on Irish unity the former MLA said it was “inevitable”.

Speaking to The Irish News in 2014 Ms. Lo said a 32-county state would be “better placed economically, socially and politically”.

Ms. Lo’s criticism of the DUP comes just two weeks after Alliance MLA Naomi Long launched a scathing attack on Arlene Foster claiming her leadership was “even more arrogant and petulant” than it was under

Peter Robinson.