No confidence vote is tabled against Bailie

No confidence vote is tabled against Bailie

8 April 2015

THE new Sinn Fein chairwoman of Newry, Mourne and Down Council is facing a vote of no confidence just two weeks into the job.

DUP and UKIP politicians have joined forces to table a motion of no confidence in Downpatrick councillor Naomi Bailie after she attended an Easter Rising commemoration parade in Newry on April 5 wearing her chain of office.

Unionists argue that by wearing the chain to attend what they believe was an overtly political event she was compromising the impartiality of the office of chairman. 

But Ms. Bailie said she was formally invited to attend as council chair and followed the proper protocols in accepting and attending.

The no confidence motion, which has been jointly tabled by the DUP’s William Walker, and UKIP’s Henry Reilly, will be discussed at the new super council’s first full meeting on May 4.

Speaking before the meeting Mr Walker said if Miss Bailie is truly impartial she will accept his invitation to the next Twelfth of July demonstration in Saintfield in her official capacity as council chairwoman.

Councillor Walker, who was the last chairman of Down Council, said a local authority’s first citizen has to act impartially and represent the views of all the people. He said during his 10-month term in office he “behaved to the highest political standard and acted impartially, independent of his political views.” 

He said if he had attended a Loyalist event wearing his chain of office “there would have been uproar.”

He continued: “I believe councillor Bailie has been badly advised by her party colleagues. I have no issue with her attending the Newry event, but she should not have been wearing her chain of office and remained impartial. What happened in Newry on Easter Sunday has led to a lot of people in the Unionist and indeed other communities losing confidence in the new council chair. A lot of damage has been done.”

Councillor Walker said previous Sinn Fein chairmen of Down Council were never involved in any controversy, “representing everyone in the district impartially and acting without fear or favour.” He said unless councillor Bailie admits she made a mistake by wearing the chain of office at the Newry event, she should “do the honourable thing and stand down.”

Councillor Reilly said the council chairwoman’s appearance at the Newry event wearing her chain of office has “caused a massive degree of offence and concern for a huge number of people.”

He declared: “The chairperson’s provocative actions have caused unprecedented hurt and anxiety for families who lost loved ones at the hands of IRA violence and left a large section of the new council area’s population feeling rejected and alienated from the organisation.”

Councillor Reilly said if councillor Bailie issued a “genuine apology” and an assurance that a similar action will not occur in the future, it would suffice to have the motion withdrawn, warning that in the absence of “positive action,” the motion will unfortunately have to continue.

However, Miss Bailie has dismissed the councillors’ criticism as “petty playground politics.”

“It is deeply disappointing that at a time when we have many new powers to get to grips with that some councillors are still fixated on petty playground politics and point scoring.

“In Mid-Ulster, they are are initiating a call in over flags while here there is now this attempt to manufacture a controversy over Easter parades. We have a lot of business to get on with, the people want to see the council working for them not wasting its time by humouring Henry Reilly and Billy Walker’s blatant electioneering.

“Let me be clear on this. I was invited by the organisers of the Newry parade as the council chairperson. I was invited officially through the council; all council protocol was followed and I was happy and honoured to accept.”

Councillor Bailie added: “As chairperson I will endeavour to represent everyone in our community and consider all invitations sent to me. As a republican I will certainly not be apologising for standing with the hundreds of thousands of people across Ireland and beyond who attended commemorations to remember our patriot dead.”