Martin McGuinness has called on Arlene Foster to step aside but she has refused
SINN Fein has finally, after many days of mixed messages, nailed its colours to the Stormont mast over the cash-for-ash scandal.
It took Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams to outline its ultimate party position on the RHI £400 million scandal.
In a nutshell, he told a meeting of party members at the Felons Club in west Belfast: if Arlene Foster doesn’t step aside, Martin McGuinness will walk out of Stormont.
That is expected to happen this week if the First Minister doesn’t temporarily step down from her role for a period of four weeks while a preliminary investigation is carried out.
And that means the Sinn Fein Foyle MLA will call for an Assembly election to be held as soon as possible.
Such an election could open the door for the SDLP, the Ulster Unionist Party, and the likes of Eamonn McCann’s ‘People Before Profit’ to capitalise on the scandal and take seats off the DUP and Sinn Fein.
An election is a political gamble for both Sinn Fein and the DUP who have c0me in for criticism.
Sinn Fein lacked clarity on its position: one minute senior party figures backed a full public inquiry; then others came out and scuppered such an idea.
Now the party wants a judge led inquiry.
But other parties like the the SDLP, UUP and PBP want a full public inquiry to get the bottom of the RHI scandal
Adams told a meeting of Cuige Uladh on Saturday: “Martin McGuinness has proven his ability to worwith the leaders of Unionism.
“But this can only be on the basis of partnership and equality.
“Martin told her that in a frank conversation on Wednesday.
“Arlene Foster is not a Prime Minister.
“She is a co-equal partner in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister.
“She can continue in that office but only for as long as Sinn Féin allows it.
“Sinn Féin has been very clear in what we have been saying.
“Our record is there for all to see.
“If the First Minister does not take the actions that society desires and deserves and which a sustainable process of change requires, then Sinn Féin will bring this ongoing and totally unacceptable state of affairs to an end.”
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