FIRST MINISTER Peter Robinson has warned he would resign if British royal emblems were removed from the prison service.
Mr Robinson caused political surprise yesterday when he said he would stand down as First Minister and trigger Assembly elections if the Alliance Minister for Justice David Ford went above the Northern Executive and Assembly to drop the British crown symbols from the insignia of the prison service.
“It will not happen on my watch. Let’s make it fairly clear: this is a matter which if they attempt to bring it in by some circuitous route I will resign and I will take this matter to the electorate, and they will have their say,” he said. “It will be blocked; it is simply not on the agenda.”
Mr Robinson issued his warning after Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister elicited from Mr Ford in the Assembly chamber on Monday evening the possibility that there could be changes to the symbols of the prison service.
“I think that it is a pity that we are getting hung up on symbols,” said Mr Ford. “I said that we are looking at a process of fundamental and end-to-end reform that will affect every part of the working of the prison service and its culture.
In those circumstances, although these issues are operational matters for the prison service, it has to consider them as it looks for the appropriate way to run in the years ahead.”
In a further statement yesterday evening Mr Ford said that no decision has been taken on symbols. “The challenge for all of us collectively is to work together to deliver the level of prison reform that our community needs,” he said.
Mr Ford also acknowledged that any controversial changes would be a matter for decision by the Executive, rather than his department alone. During the Troubles 29 prison officers were murdered and many more injured. Staff predominantly originated from unionist backgrounds. Under reform proposals some 500 current veteran staff may be let go to be replaced by some 400 lower-graded workers.
Mr Robinson in his decidedly emphatic remarks yesterday reflected unionist concerns about possible symbolic changes to the service, although there was surprise that he should threaten resignation and Assembly elections over the matter.
Sinn Féin Assembly group leader Raymond McCartney, himself a former IRA prisoner, said threatening resignation was not helpful. “Peter Robinson needs to calm down. Prison reform needs to be allowed to take its course without this sort of intervention,” he said.
“At this time of great economic challenges for the Executive the people expect their political leaders to be getting on with the job, not engaging in this type of behaviour. We did not hear threats of resignation when the British government removed £4 billion from the block grant,” added Mr McCartney.