I could quit DUP over gay marriage: Wells

I could quit DUP over gay marriage: Wells

26 April 2017

SOUTH Down MLA, Jim Wells, has threatened to quit the party if it agrees to demands for gay marriage.

The former Stormont Health Minister said he would be joined in the split by other DUP MLAs and warned same sex marriage is a “red line issue” which cannot be crossed.

While the DUP appears to be willing to negotiate on the Irish language, Mr Wells said bluntly, “Peter will not marry Paul in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Wells also said that the DUP will kill off Sinn Fein’s proposal for a civil forum because a similar forum in the Republic led to a successful referendum on same-sex marriage.

“We will strangle that idea at birth if that’s what it’s going to bring. Nobody wants it except Gerry Adams anyway,” he said.

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Wells said the DUP would vigorously oppose such a forum in Northern Ireland if same-sex marriage was discussed and would not allow Sinn Fein to by-pass the Assembly.

Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, met the five main Assembly parties last week in an effort to get the Executive running again.

Asked if, as a compromise, the DUP would maintain its opposition to same-sex marriage but lift its veto against it in the Assembly, Mr Wells said that was tantamount to accepting gay marriage in Northern Ireland.

“Don’t even think that. That’s an absolute no,” he added.

“Some of us would walk before that would happen. We feel very, very strongly about that.”

The DUP has repeatedly used the petition of concern to block same-sex marriage legislation in the Assembly, even though it is favoured by a majority of MLAs at Stormont. A petition of concern, which can veto any legislation, requires the signature of 30 Assembly members.

Until the March 2 election this year, the DUP’s 38 MLAs were easily able to defeat same-sex marriage. Now with 28 MLAs, the DUP lacks the numbers to single-handedly use the block if the Assembly is restarted.

However, current TUV leader Jim Allister has indicated his willingness to support a veto, bringing the number up to 29. Mr Wells and other DUP colleagues believe that a conservative member of the Ulster Unionists will bring the numbers up to 30.

Sinn Fein MLA Megan Fearon has said the DUP are out of touch with the people on the issue of marriage equality.

Ms Fearon said: “Comments from Jim Wells that the DUP could split if there is equal marriage in the north highlights the attitude of that party to equality. His remarks show just how out of touch he and his party are with the views of the general public. And it shows once again that the DUP is placing its party self interest above the need for equality for all. Marriage equality is an issue where the people are ahead of many politicians.”

While same-sex marriage remains an impassable power-sharing barrier between the DUP and Sinn Fein, former First Minister Arlene Foster has been offering an olive branch on Irish language issues, without committing to an Irish Language Act.