TUV withdraws from unionist forum

The TUV has revealed it has withdrawn from the Unionist Forum, the working group formed to look into how best to deal with issues raised during the union flag protests.

In a statement, the party said the forum's subgroups rarely met.

It added that the TUV wanted to concentrate on its opposition to the "so-called peace centre at the Maze".

TUV leader Jim Allister told the Nolan Show the forum had not tackled the issues it set out to address.

"Some of the issues that it was going to address, like parading, the DUP's agenda has now moved to the point where it is no longer a unionist forum that is to look at parading, they now have got their own forum coming to be set up with Sinn Fein," he said.

In a statement, the TUV said it "was sceptical about the potential of the forum to achieve anything of substance" and had made this "clear at the outset".

"We were never interested in something which was merely an expediency for the moment," it said.

"As the months have progressed the various subgroups of the forum have rarely if ever met and public cynicism about the forum and its ability to deliver anything has grown.

"In fact, most people have probably forgotten about its existence."

The DUP leader Peter Robinson said he was not surprised that the TUV had withdrawn from the forum.

Speaking to reporters in Belfast, Peter Robinson said: "Jim has a problem working with anyone else".

He said Jim Allister is a "negative figure in Northern Ireland politics . It is sad that again he tries to break up unionism "

He added that he hoped "those involved with the unionist forum will try to move forward".

An Ulster Unionist party spokesperson said: "We see the unionist forum as a long-term strategic body with a focus on identifying areas of common agreement and concern.

"It is fair to say that the working groups have lacked resource in the early stages and that has restricted progress.

"Nobody expects all unionist groups to agree on everything. That`s one of the points of the forum."

The unionist forum was established by the Democratic Unionist Party and the Ulster Unionist Party in January to address the union flag protest and other concerns within the unionist community.

It set up a taskforce to engage with the wider community, and eight working groups on subjects across the unionist spectrum.

Loyalist protests followed Belfast City Council's vote to limit the flying of the union flag from city hall in January.

Scores of police officers were injured and many roads were closed.

In March, it emerged the cost of policing union flag protests in Northern Ireland had reached £20m.