:00:00. > :00:07.Hello there, everybody, and welcome to the show.
:00:08. > :00:10.As you can hear, I too have been struck down by election manflu.
:00:11. > :00:12.Won't stop us though, with just over a week
:00:13. > :00:15.to go until the big vote, there is lots to talk
:00:16. > :00:57.We want to get into the show as quickly as possible tonight.
:00:58. > :01:03.From Sinn Fein we have Mairtin O Muilleoir.
:01:04. > :01:07.For the Ulster Unionists, Philip Smith.
:01:08. > :01:09.Clare Hanna of the SDLP is here, and finally, Kellie Armstrong
:01:10. > :01:20.We did as Q3 small parties to join us, they were all invited but they
:01:21. > :01:26.won't be coming into night. You can find all the information on our web
:01:27. > :01:30.page about every party running. Let's get stuck in shade away. --
:01:31. > :01:31.straightaway. As ever, we want you to get involved
:01:32. > :01:40.in the debate from home too. There will be a lot of details
:01:41. > :01:42.appearing on screen through the course of this.
:01:43. > :01:55.With Brexit round the corner, what will happen if things go badly or go
:01:56. > :02:00.well? What policies will you get the most out of? You're right with
:02:01. > :02:07.bridging even question about Brexit because Brexit will be a big
:02:08. > :02:16.question over this election, it is pivotal. I was born in -- I voted in
:02:17. > :02:21.1979, meaning I may not be the oldest person hair, but I voted in
:02:22. > :02:25.that election, with the blanket protest at that time. This is the
:02:26. > :02:33.most important election since that time. Brexit will not affect the
:02:34. > :02:35.election. Brexit is one of the biggest issues. It's another
:02:36. > :02:41.opportunity for us to say we want a solution to Brexit that will
:02:42. > :02:50.mitigate the economic damage. ?2.3 million went to our farmers this
:02:51. > :02:59.year and will go... You lost the vote, it's over, it's done. We are
:03:00. > :03:06.leaving the European Union. Now, we won the vote. 56%... Al tell you
:03:07. > :03:12.what, call me big man one more time and you won't be knocking too many
:03:13. > :03:15.doors next week. Who said I'm not any doors this week? We have an
:03:16. > :03:20.opportunity to turn its back and when I listened to the narrative
:03:21. > :03:26.from London, they say you will not be able to do anything. I've been to
:03:27. > :03:32.Brussels meeting senior parliamentarians and they say we
:03:33. > :03:37.understand the peace process, that is a crowning achievement of the EU.
:03:38. > :03:39.Don't let your heads drop. Al you suggesting to people that if they
:03:40. > :03:46.vote for Sinn Fein, it might stop Brexit? This is what I'm
:03:47. > :03:54.suggesting... Make sure that when you cast your vote, Brexit is not
:03:55. > :03:58.only about the DUP's arrogance... Talk about Brexit because it is the
:03:59. > :04:05.biggest threat. Are you saying Sinn Fein could stop Brexit? I think with
:04:06. > :04:09.the people here in the north of Ireland, in Ireland and 27 states
:04:10. > :04:15.across the European Union, we can make sure that whatever England and
:04:16. > :04:19.Wales wants to do, as well as Scotland, we can get a special
:04:20. > :04:25.stages, remain in the single market... Not remain in the EU!
:04:26. > :04:28.Absolutely! Why would you not? Why we do not want to be any single
:04:29. > :04:33.market? There's been referendum throughout the UK. The last time I
:04:34. > :04:39.held its Northern Ireland as part of the EU whether you like it or not.
:04:40. > :04:47.-- part of the UK. Simon what about the peace protest? Looking on the
:04:48. > :04:51.panel, I think I'm one of the only people here who voted Brexit. I
:04:52. > :04:56.believe we are much better off outside of the EU. Breaking free of
:04:57. > :05:03.the shackles of Brussels' bureaucracy. I voted against being
:05:04. > :05:07.in an 1975, lost then, waited 41 years and I'm glad to say that last
:05:08. > :05:11.year, the decision was taken to leave the EU. Moving forward, we
:05:12. > :05:14.want to get the best deal for Northern Ireland and it is
:05:15. > :05:20.essential, therefore, that it's a battle happened, we have an
:05:21. > :05:25.executive in place in the assembly. We are not in a position where Sinn
:05:26. > :05:30.Fein hold us to ransom in order for them to further protect the aim of
:05:31. > :05:36.their own. We need a functioning executive so it can dissipate fully
:05:37. > :05:42.any discussions. Back to the audience. You with your hand up
:05:43. > :05:45.there. Nelson just mentioned the freedom we will get from Brexit and
:05:46. > :05:51.all the rest but where is the freedom going to come from
:05:52. > :05:56.Westminster? 56% of people, whether you like to admit it or not, voted
:05:57. > :06:05.to stay in the EU. As Martian said, they will be -- Mairtin said.
:06:06. > :06:13.Conditions for Brexit will be set by the EU. We should be... Stating the
:06:14. > :06:17.rules on how we leave. Whether people like it or not, whether Sinn
:06:18. > :06:21.Fein like it or not, the fact is that Northern Ireland is part of the
:06:22. > :06:24.United Kingdom, it was the United Kingdom joined Europe and it is the
:06:25. > :06:31.United Kingdom that is leaving Europe. It was a UK wide decision.
:06:32. > :06:34.What happens in Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Northern Ireland or
:06:35. > :06:42.South Wales or whatever is not the issue. The issue is that it was a UK
:06:43. > :06:45.wide decision. I am behind freedom because we can rebuild our fishing
:06:46. > :06:49.industry which was decimated by Europe. We can put people back into
:06:50. > :06:57.fishing, have more jobs in fishing, there are good things. Do you have
:06:58. > :07:02.guarantees? Once you break free from the shackles of Europe. So no
:07:03. > :07:05.guarantees as we stand? I can guarantee anything. What I can
:07:06. > :07:11.say... APPLAUSE
:07:12. > :07:19.Are there any guarantees to the farmers? It is the restrictions on
:07:20. > :07:22.Europe will be free from. Once you unburden yourself, can you please
:07:23. > :07:26.guarantee... He was the question, can you guarantee the fishing
:07:27. > :07:29.industry and farming industry in this country will not be at a net
:07:30. > :07:35.loss from where they currently are? You and I know very well that the
:07:36. > :07:40.fishing industry usually a very successful industry in Northern
:07:41. > :07:44.Ireland. There were a lot of very successful ones in what has happened
:07:45. > :07:48.to them as a result. Can you guarantee they will not be at a net
:07:49. > :07:54.loss from where they are as part of Europe? Young until their artful
:07:55. > :07:56.negotiations to United Kingdom governments, the sovereign
:07:57. > :08:03.governments for Northern Ireland, on dildos are completed, it is
:08:04. > :08:09.premature for anybody. -- on Jill those are completed. This
:08:10. > :08:20.that is why we need an executive in place. Upon donations on Brexit
:08:21. > :08:27.foreign opinion, everyone else seems to be against it. I want to have an
:08:28. > :08:31.opinion. There is a packed audience night and I'm telling you tonight,
:08:32. > :08:34.there will be over 100,000 people, well over it at home watching your
:08:35. > :08:44.answer to this. Who paid for the donation? Needed, glossy donation?
:08:45. > :08:51.?250,000. A supplement. We paid for it? The position is that political
:08:52. > :08:56.parties across the UK were able to receive donations in order to pay
:08:57. > :09:02.for their campaign. Just a minute. It was right and proper that we
:09:03. > :09:07.should have been able to put the case for Brexit. Let me finish my
:09:08. > :09:11.point. I'll come to it in a moment. The fact is that David Cameron and
:09:12. > :09:16.his fellow in London, George Osborne and all the rest, where putting all
:09:17. > :09:23.the weight of the Tory governments behind the remain campaign. Who was
:09:24. > :09:29.it from? I have a husky voice tonight, look after me. Just answer
:09:30. > :09:36.the question. Stephen, you can save your voice for a minute if you let
:09:37. > :09:40.me speak. Our party leader has at the campaign leader to see what can
:09:41. > :09:44.be published in the greatest possible level of transparency as
:09:45. > :09:52.soon as is practical. That will become clear very soon. Before the
:09:53. > :09:56.election? I hope so. Why not now? There is a situation in Northern
:09:57. > :09:58.Ireland where there is confidentiality around down to
:09:59. > :10:04.political parties and that applies to all of them. That is the
:10:05. > :10:08.conversation that is taking place. He has spoken to the donor? I
:10:09. > :10:13.innocently short of the fact that he is talking to the donor. Has the
:10:14. > :10:20.Downer said yes or no? -- absolutely sure. -- donor. Were you not sure it
:10:21. > :10:26.was, tonight? LOSS OF SOUND
:10:27. > :10:31.Yes, unelected bureaucrats are meant to be influencing our lives and then
:10:32. > :10:36.you have this. -- all the magic freedom dust that you want to gather
:10:37. > :10:40.round to put money into the pockets of farmers and fishermen. There are
:10:41. > :10:48.no guarantees. You say we need an executive in place and I agree.
:10:49. > :10:52.Looking at all the plans, we have signed up to the legislation that
:10:53. > :10:56.well... We didn't get a ?250,000 donation but I will tell you what we
:10:57. > :11:07.did get... We knocked our hands in for that. People will know who that
:11:08. > :11:09.make a case to them. -- pans. They had eight months after the
:11:10. > :11:16.referendum and did not put a plan in place. Scotland and Wales have them.
:11:17. > :11:20.Things are for grabs. The thing is, the father Brexit evacuees and eight
:11:21. > :11:27.not out... THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER. The conversation the dream
:11:28. > :11:33.United Kingdom governments has started. Let me have you a question
:11:34. > :11:40.about the integrity of your party. Let me have it straight. It was then
:11:41. > :11:42.that the party wants to be as open and transparent as possible. He said
:11:43. > :11:46.we will make our position where once you have gone through all the
:11:47. > :11:49.decisions with the electoral commission. He said you're looking
:11:50. > :11:53.into it at the moment with the electoral commission. The electoral
:11:54. > :11:56.commission said there have been no discussions with the DUP on the
:11:57. > :12:04.issue of publishing... APPLAUSE
:12:05. > :12:07.There is an issue regarding the return to their electoral committee.
:12:08. > :12:11.He has been talking about those returns. We will not be to them
:12:12. > :12:14.about confidentiality because under the law in Northern Ireland, there
:12:15. > :12:24.is a guarantee of confidentiality for their owners. He hasn't had any
:12:25. > :12:27.conversation. Let me finish my sentence. He has had a conversation
:12:28. > :12:32.with the electoral committee regarding the returns because they
:12:33. > :12:36.have to be spoken about in a certain time. He has spoken to the donors
:12:37. > :12:40.because he would not be speaking to be a little permission about that.
:12:41. > :12:44.That is the position, making it clear tonight that he has been
:12:45. > :12:49.talking to the donors and as soon as possible, there will be maximum
:12:50. > :12:53.transparency. Hold on, in the context of who gave the money, Sir
:12:54. > :12:59.Geoffrey said we are looking into it at the moment with the electoral
:13:00. > :13:04.commission. You gave me money? We're looking into it with the electoral
:13:05. > :13:07.commission. Why would you not say, what do you think about the
:13:08. > :13:13.publishing? You would not say it because they will turn Alan Taylor
:13:14. > :13:17.is a guarantee of confidentiality. -- turn round and say. They are
:13:18. > :13:22.looking at it with regard to the returns. We know the amount. The
:13:23. > :13:31.issue is with the individuals. Let me say this, the money spent by the
:13:32. > :13:37.DUP... Hold on, hold on, no. He rang the electoral commission and it's
:13:38. > :13:40.already out there that it was around about ?250,000 and the conversation
:13:41. > :13:43.went, it's already out there on the amount, but let's have this
:13:44. > :13:51.conversation again. Is that what he did? I never made returns, have you?
:13:52. > :13:58.Now. Neither had I, so I don't know any more than you. It could be
:13:59. > :14:07.?700,000, so let's just see what the amount is. Now, it couldn't be,
:14:08. > :14:14.let's just see. That the maximum. Can we start talking about how we
:14:15. > :14:18.fix it? THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER. Your party knows how much it was.
:14:19. > :14:24.Jeffrey will make the announcement in the next couple of days. Why not
:14:25. > :14:28.just tell us? This doesn't work to your timescale for your programme.
:14:29. > :14:36.The announcement will be in the next couple of days. Before the election?
:14:37. > :14:41.I would anticipate that. Thank you, Stephen. Back to Brexit...
:14:42. > :14:46.APPLAUSE This is our plan. Blank sheet of
:14:47. > :14:48.paper. They've got blogging. They are failing Northern Ireland. Not
:14:49. > :14:56.only do they not have a plan, everyone else has one. The Republic,
:14:57. > :15:00.Scotland, Wales, everyone. It is universally accepted we are the most
:15:01. > :15:06.affected region by Brexit and will are really prepared. -- we are the.
:15:07. > :15:11.We published a plan in September. Talk me through the big three point.
:15:12. > :15:13.Other three major points of your Brexit plan because they are leaving
:15:14. > :15:22.the EU, what job and want to protect the economy?
:15:23. > :15:32.We want to make sure we have access to the single market. How do you do
:15:33. > :15:37.that? We go to Theresa May, we have given her our plan. We have given it
:15:38. > :15:43.to the Taoiseach as well. What was it? There were ten points in the
:15:44. > :15:47.plan. First point is more investment in infrastructure. How much more? We
:15:48. > :15:54.said we would need to see a boost of at least two or three times what the
:15:55. > :16:00.current spend is. Because our infrastructure... Where does that
:16:01. > :16:04.money come from? We have to go back to the UK Government with our
:16:05. > :16:08.plan... Hold on a minute, is of the biggest thing you said to Theresa
:16:09. > :16:13.May was you said you want... I am not sure what you are talking about.
:16:14. > :16:19.Do you want three times the block grant? No, three times our current
:16:20. > :16:23.infrastructure expenditure. So you are asking the British Government
:16:24. > :16:30.for another ?2 billion? Absolutely. Why not? After Brexit, they printed
:16:31. > :16:35.?80 billion worth of money. That has impacted on the property prices and
:16:36. > :16:39.those who hold shares etc in London. Isn't it about time that Northern
:16:40. > :16:44.Ireland got some benefit? Everyone realises we will be the most
:16:45. > :16:48.impacted. We need some action. Yes, go ahead. The idea that we can get
:16:49. > :16:52.some sort of special arrangement or unique position from the EU is quite
:16:53. > :16:55.frankly absolute nonsense. The Scottish have already tried and as
:16:56. > :17:00.far as I know they have failed. Kellie? I have to say that for years
:17:01. > :17:04.we were recognised as the hinterland of Europe and we have received
:17:05. > :17:07.millions in European money. Why should we not negotiate for
:17:08. > :17:11.ourselves? We are in the hinterland. We are the only part of the UK that
:17:12. > :17:16.has a land border with another state. We have a special status. We
:17:17. > :17:21.are on our own and we will be on our own if we do not do that to
:17:22. > :17:25.solution. The fact is, if we have the soft border that Theresa May
:17:26. > :17:28.says we are getting, that is already a special status. We have been
:17:29. > :17:31.asking for a year how you deliver that but we have been assured at all
:17:32. > :17:35.levels that there is support for it in Europe and whatever you think
:17:36. > :17:41.about Europe, it is a creative problem solver. There are specific
:17:42. > :17:45.arrangements. How would Europe leave a soft border between a non-European
:17:46. > :17:49.country and a European country? We have been asking how that happens.
:17:50. > :17:54.One thing, is Nissan can walk into Downing Street and get special
:17:55. > :17:59.staters to make cars, why cant Northern Ireland? We just have to
:18:00. > :18:02.ask for it. I have been to the Scottish mission to Europe. I met
:18:03. > :18:06.the finance minister to Europe. Do not like of the Scots ability to
:18:07. > :18:09.fight for and win a special case or special status for Scotland, but for
:18:10. > :18:14.us, we need access to the single market. The plan we need access to
:18:15. > :18:18.the single market. We need to have freedom of movement, of good, but
:18:19. > :18:22.also of people. I met David Davis, the Brexit minister, who in my view
:18:23. > :18:25.is delusional and he says that in the negotiations they will get
:18:26. > :18:28.everything they have plus more. But I want a guarantee that those from
:18:29. > :18:34.other lands, from other European states, you live you, they have the
:18:35. > :18:37.right and they will get that. I think Martin is being delusional if
:18:38. > :18:40.he says that other people are being delusional I am sure that he will
:18:41. > :18:47.not mind me describing him in that way. If he thinks that we will get
:18:48. > :18:52.some sort of special status. Help me understand. How do you have a soft
:18:53. > :18:55.border with customs? The position quite simply is that Northern
:18:56. > :19:01.Ireland is the part of the UK and we would be leaving the EU and... Just
:19:02. > :19:07.a minute. It is no wonder you have got a sore throat. The fact is that
:19:08. > :19:10.it is now over to the UK Government and for our executive when it gets
:19:11. > :19:14.back and functioning in due course, although Houston that will be is
:19:15. > :19:17.another matter. The principal economic even practically, how can
:19:18. > :19:23.you have a soft border with the customs implications of that?
:19:24. > :19:28.Whatever sort of border there is, the fact is we are going to be out
:19:29. > :19:32.of Europe and I welcome that. So you think there will be a hard worker? I
:19:33. > :19:35.am not saying what type of border there will be because I do not know,
:19:36. > :19:42.neither does anybody else. Nobody around this table models.
:19:43. > :19:51.THEY ALL TALK OVER EACH OTHER But we accept the results.
:19:52. > :19:55.You have no plan. You haven't a clue what to do. Are you telling me you
:19:56. > :19:59.told people to leave Europe without knowing what they were voting for?
:20:00. > :20:04.Without knowing whether there would be a soft or hard border? I would
:20:05. > :20:06.not care what sort of situation I face as long as I have outside of
:20:07. > :20:13.Europe. APPLAUSE Because the impositions of
:20:14. > :20:16.Europe, the intrusions of Europe have damaged Northern Ireland down
:20:17. > :20:25.through the years. We are a free now.
:20:26. > :20:28.THEY ALL TALK OVER EACH OTHER You don't know how many jobs have been
:20:29. > :20:34.lost. We were deceived when we were taken
:20:35. > :20:39.into Europe at the beginning. And the referendum was a democratic
:20:40. > :20:43.vote. And the fact is, Sinn Fein don't like it because it was a UK
:20:44. > :20:47.wide vote and it's weird facts -- reinforces the fact that we are part
:20:48. > :20:51.of the UK and its strips them of their fig leaf that they have never
:20:52. > :20:54.got a united Ireland but they always held out to their followers this
:20:55. > :20:58.whole that somehow we will be harmonised into a united Ireland
:20:59. > :21:08.because of Europe. That is the fig leaf that has been stripped away. We
:21:09. > :21:11.need to move on. I was yesterday speaking to the Belfast City Council
:21:12. > :21:15.and some people who are dealing with investment and they say people are
:21:16. > :21:19.uncertain. That will lead to a loss of jobs and I view this as the
:21:20. > :21:24.damage caused by Brexit which needs to be mitigated and this is our way
:21:25. > :21:27.or the highway is typical of the DUP. If you keep talking this
:21:28. > :21:31.country down because we are leaving, it may lead to a loss of jobs,
:21:32. > :21:33.rather than understanding that was the built and talking a loss of
:21:34. > :21:36.jobs, rather than understanding that was the build and talking it back up
:21:37. > :21:42.again. Let's be honest with people. Let's just be honest with people.
:21:43. > :21:47.Every expert in economics, including our Government's own work which
:21:48. > :21:49.predicted a loss of jobs, an increase in unemployment... It
:21:50. > :21:56.predicted lots of things and they didn't happen. I think Nelson summed
:21:57. > :22:04.it up. He doesn't care what the consequences are. So scorched earth.
:22:05. > :22:11.He views everything through a green and orange prison. It is about
:22:12. > :22:18.quality of life, access to funding. You said you don't care. One way or
:22:19. > :22:22.the other, these two, they love a good crisis. This is the biggest
:22:23. > :22:25.social, political, economic crisis to hit us in decades and decades and
:22:26. > :22:30.they will have crises about everything else and they have done
:22:31. > :22:31.nothing about this. It is just about point-scoring. OK.
:22:32. > :22:33.OK, time for another question from our audience.
:22:34. > :22:36.Emma Rooney, what's your question for our panel?
:22:37. > :22:42.With regards to issues such as same sex and abortion, what gives
:22:43. > :22:45.politicians the right to use their own religious beliefs and
:22:46. > :22:45.unconscious to dictate public policy?
:22:46. > :23:01.APPLAUSE I would simply say that the position
:23:02. > :23:08.of the DUP is well known. It hasn't changed. We still are a party that
:23:09. > :23:11.is pro-life. We are a party that is cruel traditional marriage. And we
:23:12. > :23:19.have gone to the electorate time and time again on that basis and we will
:23:20. > :23:24.do so this time. -- pro-traditional marriage. And it is not a question
:23:25. > :23:27.of us doing anything that will surprise some, but that has always
:23:28. > :23:32.been what we believe for the best outcome, that in the case of human
:23:33. > :23:34.life, both lives matter, and we believe that the traditional
:23:35. > :23:39.definition of marriage is the right one for all concerned. The Alliance
:23:40. > :23:42.party believes completely that we work for everyone. My religious
:23:43. > :23:51.beliefs have nothing to do with my politics. It is as simple as that.
:23:52. > :23:59.APPLAUSE What is your position on gay marriage? It is a conscience
:24:00. > :24:03.issue, along with abortion. We allow people to have opinions. Word is
:24:04. > :24:09.your leader stand on gay marriage? I can tell you what my views. Where
:24:10. > :24:13.does Mike Nesbitt stand on that? I think the last time he spoke in this
:24:14. > :24:22.he said his position had evolved. To what? I think he had moved to
:24:23. > :24:30.support. I think we have two C. I can tell you my opinion. You can't
:24:31. > :24:35.tell us the leader's. What is his conscience on gay marriage? I will
:24:36. > :24:38.tell you mine, how about that? I am here to give you my opinion. We are
:24:39. > :24:42.the only jurisdiction on these islands with a bang. I do not think
:24:43. > :24:48.it is cannibal. I think it comes back to what we want as a society.
:24:49. > :24:51.Do we want to be open and tolerant and inclusive. Surely you should be
:24:52. > :24:55.telling me rather than reading it from a sheet of paper? You don't
:24:56. > :24:59.need to read it. Tell me. I've including any position of concern
:25:00. > :25:03.like the DUP have done I think that is untenable. They now say they do
:25:04. > :25:09.not want petitions of concern. Do you believe in redefining marriage?
:25:10. > :25:12.I think it allows inclusivity. It recognises people's sexuality in a
:25:13. > :25:19.reasonable weight and I think that the majority of people... Civil
:25:20. > :25:21.partnerships recognise people's sexuality. Well, I think the
:25:22. > :25:25.majority of people in Northern Ireland are supportive of this, as
:25:26. > :25:28.they were in the Republic and the mainland. I think society is
:25:29. > :25:33.changing. You are holding out to people that equality is a big issue
:25:34. > :25:39.but quite conveniently for Sinn Fein you're not giving any red lines in
:25:40. > :25:43.the election so therefore anybody who votes for your party, you are
:25:44. > :25:47.not guaranteeing them anything. You are kind of nudging to words we
:25:48. > :25:52.support it, but it is not a red line. So here is the direct question
:25:53. > :25:58.to you. With the DUP, with their policy, if we return, you are the
:25:59. > :26:01.biggest nationalist and they are the biggest unionist, will you go into
:26:02. > :26:05.partnership with a party that says that gay people cannot get married
:26:06. > :26:08.in Northern Ireland? Let me say that in terms of red lines, I have been
:26:09. > :26:13.involved in politics and business for many years and never give red
:26:14. > :26:17.lines away before a negotiation. That is not true about your party.
:26:18. > :26:21.Michelle O'Neill has said she will not go back into Government with
:26:22. > :26:27.Arlene Foster is the First Minister while there is an investigation is
:26:28. > :26:31.continuing. You do red lines when it suits you. What I want to say is
:26:32. > :26:38.this. Do you know what would be really good? When I do travel, and I
:26:39. > :26:42.do sometimes, it is a great thing to be able to say that the biggest
:26:43. > :26:49.parade in the city Belfast, and we have a lot of parades, is the Pride
:26:50. > :26:53.parade. Through the city centre. And when I travel to meet people, where
:26:54. > :26:56.they want to know about how Belfast is changing, that is something that
:26:57. > :26:59.we are very proud of. So we need to have marriage equality. It is
:27:00. > :27:04.shameful that it is everywhere else in these islands and it is not here.
:27:05. > :27:07.We just want to live and let live. Let's get on with that. But you will
:27:08. > :27:12.go back into Government with gay people still not been allowed to get
:27:13. > :27:16.married in Northern Ireland, right? No, not necessarily. No or not
:27:17. > :27:24.necessarily? Two very different statements. In the short time that
:27:25. > :27:28.we have after these negotiations, our job is to try to make politics
:27:29. > :27:32.work, but there could be a Government to return the status quo
:27:33. > :27:34.and it is not just petitions of concern and others, it is also a
:27:35. > :27:41.denigration of those that are different. Can I put a wee
:27:42. > :27:45.hypothetical to? If somebody came up to you and your family and said, "I
:27:46. > :27:50.am gay and I want to get married to somebody that I love." Could you sit
:27:51. > :27:53.on that hill and legislate against them? Could you honestly sit there
:27:54. > :27:57.and tell me you could legislate and say know I do not care if you are
:27:58. > :28:09.happy or not, gay people cannot get married?
:28:10. > :28:13.APPLAUSE All of the rights that come to married couples are also
:28:14. > :28:22.available through a civil partnership. And I think that that
:28:23. > :28:25.was the request at the time, that was what was introduced. I believe
:28:26. > :28:30.that marriage is as it has traditionally been. That is my view.
:28:31. > :28:34.I think we have to do is recognise there are different views, different
:28:35. > :28:36.perspectives on it. So you would make your family unhappy? Just for
:28:37. > :28:53.your own peace of mind? So you're saying that you like gays?
:28:54. > :28:58.He hasn't said that he doesn't like gays. I find that the comment you
:28:59. > :29:06.made their personally offensive because it is untrue. It is simply
:29:07. > :29:14.offensive because it is untrue. I have never used those terms. When
:29:15. > :29:17.you say, Nelson, that you absolutely do not dislike gay people and I have
:29:18. > :29:19.never heard you say that, do you think that someone who is gay, do
:29:20. > :29:34.you think their sexuality is normal? I'm not here tonight to enter into
:29:35. > :29:39.theological discussion. It's not the logical, it is biological. Do you
:29:40. > :29:46.think it is normal? The issue raised is... That is not my question. I am
:29:47. > :29:54.representing the Democratic Unionist Party, this is about... Does the DUP
:29:55. > :30:03.think homosexuality is normal? We think the right traditional marriage
:30:04. > :30:10.is between a man and a woman. The rest of the UK has been married
:30:11. > :30:19.aligned, why are we not in its? -- the marriage aligned? You will not
:30:20. > :30:30.follow the UK law. It's called devolution. But we are meant to be
:30:31. > :30:37.part of the UK, but don't use that. Reminded about a Democratic majority
:30:38. > :30:42.voting for Brexit, what about the majority voting for same-sex
:30:43. > :30:44.marriage? I don't know why gay people should settle for anything
:30:45. > :30:47.less. APPLAUSE
:30:48. > :30:51.. It's not a division of concern, and the use of the petition of
:30:52. > :30:59.concern. I think we have shown that we are not ready... The position of
:31:00. > :31:04.concern... THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER. They have 38 seats, they do
:31:05. > :31:10.not have a majority. They should not be able to walk the majority will. I
:31:11. > :31:15.was proud when I got is a set majority and it was blocked. The
:31:16. > :31:23.fact is, it was not in the petition for Government. It's not the
:31:24. > :31:25.petition, the use the petition. The programme for Government... Are you
:31:26. > :31:32.criticising him for using the petition? I am criticising because
:31:33. > :31:34.it was designed to protect minorities, not delinquent
:31:35. > :31:41.ministers. That's how it has been used. This time last year, the
:31:42. > :31:44.Alliance party went off to the justice minister and one of the key
:31:45. > :31:52.things is they said we would not take it in less we got a review of
:31:53. > :31:56.the petition of consent, -- concern. The DUP said no. I love my husband,
:31:57. > :32:08.why can't a game I love his husband to? -- of his husband, too.
:32:09. > :32:14.APPLAUSE Would you stop touching me? If any
:32:15. > :32:19.city needs a laugh, it is this city. Is there genuinely any point in
:32:20. > :32:25.politicians voting on issues when a petition of concern bingo in if it
:32:26. > :32:30.does not go their party was Maclay? -- can get in. Does not go their
:32:31. > :32:37.way. For my sins, I used to sit on Belfast City Council 30 years ago. A
:32:38. > :32:42.time of great division and polarisation for this city, a
:32:43. > :32:46.difficult time. What a pleasant place to be for minorities. The
:32:47. > :32:54.position of concern is to protect minorities. If used in that way, it
:32:55. > :32:58.is the right way. See what you just said there are, petition of concerns
:32:59. > :33:04.is used to protect minorities. When Gerry Kelly was jumping on top of a
:33:05. > :33:11.police Land Rover and Sinn Fein used a petition of concern in that
:33:12. > :33:15.situation, to stop him being excluded, how was that protecting a
:33:16. > :33:23.minority? Was that a proper use? It was a fair use. Protecting a
:33:24. > :33:31.minority, was it? We have sent by the Unionist parties to try and find
:33:32. > :33:37.a way to censor Gerry Kelly. -- we had an attempt. Democratic vote. You
:33:38. > :33:43.do a petition of concern out of your back pocket. We cannot go back to
:33:44. > :33:47.the way of Unionist and 1-party rule. The question is about
:33:48. > :33:54.minorities. In what circumstance was Gerry Kelly a minority in front of a
:33:55. > :33:58.police Land Rover? It is very important in this city, enduring
:33:59. > :34:03.divisions over Orange marches that we don't al al those to force
:34:04. > :34:11.margins on communities to get away with behaviour. -- allow. It came to
:34:12. > :34:17.nothing. Do justify using them when it suits you? Not at all. It was
:34:18. > :34:24.created to protect minorities. That's why we need a petition of
:34:25. > :34:29.concern. Have I forgotten this? I'm sure you used one over welfare
:34:30. > :34:34.reform as well. Yell back to protect the minority, the disabled, the
:34:35. > :34:37.unemployed. Absolutely we will use it to protect the weak and
:34:38. > :34:44.vulnerable, and those in the bottom of the economic ladder. Argue for or
:34:45. > :34:49.against? I believe there has to be one, it just has to be reformed. It
:34:50. > :34:53.has been abused. We do need to be able to protect people who are
:34:54. > :35:00.vulnerable. Why is the democratic vote any gender not your? Because it
:35:01. > :35:06.blanket ban on same-sex marriage. That's why we need one that can be
:35:07. > :35:12.worked properly. Now, they used one to stop same-sex marriage. And that
:35:13. > :35:16.should not be allowed. To be fair, they want to get rid of it. They are
:35:17. > :35:20.offering to get rid of it. The petition seems to be that, for other
:35:21. > :35:26.parties, they can use it when it suits their agenda but when it comes
:35:27. > :35:33.to ours, there is a problem with it. I should point out that it's
:35:34. > :35:37.preventing something that was put down to majoritarianism. It was not
:35:38. > :35:45.an issue for the Alliance party, Sinn Fein or the DLP about that for
:35:46. > :35:53.most of the days in the year, it was not an issue of majoritarianism
:35:54. > :35:59.there. That's exactly right. Majoritarianism. That is not
:36:00. > :36:02.majoritarianism! . A lot of different voters voted to have the
:36:03. > :36:08.flag flies same way as it does in England. That is another break with
:36:09. > :36:12.the rest of Britain. If you get across the whole of Britain, have a
:36:13. > :36:21.blue, that is not the case. Shall have flags come into this? Back to
:36:22. > :36:26.the petition of concerns. We need people to not be able to abuse it.
:36:27. > :36:27.How many times what it used? This assembly has only lasted eight
:36:28. > :36:32.months but would it assembly has only lasted eight
:36:33. > :36:36.months but will get the last one. So many times to protect ministers,
:36:37. > :36:48.themselves. If I remember rightly, Nelson in red sky. That is not how
:36:49. > :36:53.it was meant to be used. Food the cynic draw from you offering... Your
:36:54. > :37:02.party has offered to get rid of petition of concern, RNA? There is a
:37:03. > :37:06.recognition that there has to be a general reform. Because the last
:37:07. > :37:13.vote on gay marriage went against you? Could be cynic read into that
:37:14. > :37:17.that, when the vote comes up the next time, new offer is so therefore
:37:18. > :37:22.you are putting yourself in a position of getting rid of the
:37:23. > :37:28.petition of concern and, if the majority vote is for gay marriage,
:37:29. > :37:32.it is here? A couple of points. It is flushed out where other parties
:37:33. > :37:40.is dude. It shows very clearly that others who criticised the use of it
:37:41. > :37:50.were ready to retain it for the use of themselves. If someone else uses
:37:51. > :37:52.it, they have a problem. Writer Matt --, the majority of those were on
:37:53. > :37:59.welfare reform. It was about minorities. That's what we are
:38:00. > :38:04.saying, don't bend it, we want mechanisms, the quality
:38:05. > :38:11.commission... Why not the majority vote then? The purity of its? Have
:38:12. > :38:15.you seen anything for the last 20 years?
:38:16. > :38:19.APPLAUSE We are talking about getting things
:38:20. > :38:23.up and running again and trying to take away the divisions. We adjust
:38:24. > :38:27.our arguing over the same amount of things without going through an
:38:28. > :38:34.orange prison and Green prison. We want to look at things like Brexit
:38:35. > :38:38.and use argue amongst each other. -- prism.
:38:39. > :38:41.OK, our next question is from James Clarke.
:38:42. > :38:52.The majority of murders have been done by terrorists, while we try to
:38:53. > :38:58.which the British Army veterans? -- why are we trying to conduct a
:38:59. > :39:04.witchhunt. You are entitled to ask questions but you're not old enough
:39:05. > :39:09.to... Fair play. What we are saying is victims have a right to justice
:39:10. > :39:13.and the truth. If you remember Mr Cameron, the Prime Minister, spoke
:39:14. > :39:16.after the bloody Sunday enquiry speaking about unjustifiable murders
:39:17. > :39:20.and killing on bloody Sunday. We are now being told it should not be any
:39:21. > :39:25.prosecution against the paratroopers who carried out those shootings. Let
:39:26. > :39:35.me say this to you. It is also true... People here may have grown
:39:36. > :39:47.up in terrible places. In 1972, I was a child, I was 12, a child was
:39:48. > :39:49.her eyes, got flowers from the Army. The British Army acted with
:39:50. > :39:57.impunity, I was told and now there is a term for unity. I don't want a
:39:58. > :40:00.witchhunt, I want... You do want special investigations into British
:40:01. > :40:08.Army veterans, don't you, as opposed to other parallel trees? --
:40:09. > :40:13.paramilitaries. Do you support investigations into power,
:40:14. > :40:19.paramilitaries? We want justice to be carried out. Do you like that and
:40:20. > :40:25.said? Simon the big thing is that Sinn Fein want to go after British
:40:26. > :40:29.Army veterans. Why not look after the majority of people who commit
:40:30. > :40:34.the crimes? Anyone who done wrong should be prosecuted. There is
:40:35. > :40:42.murders were terrorist. The British Army was not the majority. It is
:40:43. > :40:47.interesting. I understand you coming back, but it's interesting what your
:40:48. > :40:57.definition of terrorism is. This isn't the Republic of Ireland, the
:40:58. > :40:59.IRA were terrorists. I wonder who the terrorists were on bloody Sunday
:41:00. > :41:05.in Derry. APPLAUSE
:41:06. > :41:09.I want to say this with the maximum respect because I want to make these
:41:10. > :41:13.with you and build bridges to you. I want to say what you describe as
:41:14. > :41:16.terrorism or loyalist terrorism was won by, directed by the British
:41:17. > :41:24.governments and its agencies. APPLAUSE
:41:25. > :41:35.There were 1118 deaths. Not previously reviewed or completed by
:41:36. > :41:40.HET. All that, 500 were carried out by Republicans, 200 by loyalists and
:41:41. > :41:42.300 by security forces. Jude security forces be treated any
:41:43. > :41:49.differently than the 532 Republicans? To point, no one should
:41:50. > :41:52.be treated differently. There is a crucial the to give British soldiers
:41:53. > :42:00.and other people in the special Branch immunity for the actions and
:42:01. > :42:05.no one should be given a special stages in relation to that. Surely
:42:06. > :42:09.be Good Friday Agreement gives special stages to prisoners on early
:42:10. > :42:16.release. Security forces did not get that. The genius of it was that. It
:42:17. > :42:21.didn't give anyone immunity. It found a way through. My second point
:42:22. > :42:26.is about the campaign. It didn't give early release to the security
:42:27. > :42:32.forces. Let me finish this. Of course, because there are none in
:42:33. > :42:37.jail. There are as many security forces who served time in jail as...
:42:38. > :42:43.APPLAUSE . Simek we want the truth from state
:42:44. > :42:52.and non-state actors alike. The British gunmen are covering up for
:42:53. > :42:56.each other. -- we do this, I feel like people are waiting for victims
:42:57. > :43:01.to die off and that is shameful. We don't want any amnesty or impunity
:43:02. > :43:05.for any particular set of killers. We think they should all face the
:43:06. > :43:10.same justice and be just as the victims one. The Lord Chief Justice
:43:11. > :43:13.has put forward very good proposals on what you do do with a relatively
:43:14. > :43:18.small amount of money because the fact is that the talk about issues
:43:19. > :43:20.from the past, but we can pretend it isn't happening. The model deep
:43:21. > :43:33.sleeping under the door every bit it didn't happen. -- Bullard will seep
:43:34. > :43:36.through the door. -- blood. There are people in our society who want
:43:37. > :43:41.to rewrite history. There is an attempt, particularly from
:43:42. > :43:45.Republicans, to demonise the security forces, sanitise the IRA
:43:46. > :43:52.and legitimise a terrorist campaign which brought decades of death,
:43:53. > :43:56.destruction and pain and sorrow to so many towns, cities, villages and
:43:57. > :44:00.homes across Northern Ireland and the attempt is being made
:44:01. > :44:06.particularly in that you get this narrative that has been concocted by
:44:07. > :44:11.Sinn Fein in regards to collusion and therefore, you can try all these
:44:12. > :44:14.together, they become Article two compliant under the European
:44:15. > :44:18.Convention of human rights and you get some sort of priority that shift
:44:19. > :44:21.the blame to what the security forces, British Army and take away
:44:22. > :44:27.from those responsible for more bloodshed. If you want to get to the
:44:28. > :44:32.truth, we could start maybe with people who are key figures in Sinn
:44:33. > :44:37.Fein spell. Colin out and telling us more about the information they
:44:38. > :44:40.have. Sean Murray was in Brussels speaking about families waiting 46
:44:41. > :44:46.years for justice. I thought that was ironic because 46 years ago this
:44:47. > :44:49.month, or next month, you get to the point where three Scottish soldiers
:44:50. > :44:53.were slaughtered on the northern outskirts of Belfast by members of
:44:54. > :44:57.the provisional IRA. They were off duty, two were teenagers, no weapons
:44:58. > :45:02.on them, taking down and got down in cold blood. Some of the Virgil and
:45:03. > :45:06.during the troubles. The people responsible for that, people I'm
:45:07. > :45:13.sure are in the republican movement to day you know who did it.
:45:14. > :45:20.I would be glad of people did not clap at this because this is being
:45:21. > :45:30.used as a very divisive issue to try to divide and it is about truth. We
:45:31. > :45:35.will step up to the plate. Will the IRA participate in an independent
:45:36. > :45:46.commission? Yes. How can they if they do not exist any more?
:45:47. > :45:51.APPLAUSE I will tell you, I wasn't trying to be facetious. Here is the
:45:52. > :45:55.genuine question behind that, you take the decision? Who is the leader
:45:56. > :45:59.that takes the decision for the IRA to participate in the IRA doesn't
:46:00. > :46:05.exist? Could you tell us the name of that person? I think these 2014
:46:06. > :46:10.Stormont house agreement in trying to deal with the past, asked all the
:46:11. > :46:13.participants that they would step up to the plate and play their part in
:46:14. > :46:17.making sure that there was truth recovery and therefore justice as
:46:18. > :46:20.well for people, and in that Republicans have said, and no doubt
:46:21. > :46:23.it will be individual people, Republicans have said that we
:46:24. > :46:30.believe and we will do our damnedest to make sure that Republicans pay.
:46:31. > :46:35.Just this, don't... We will never agree on the past. The challenge is
:46:36. > :46:39.can we agree on the future. I am willing to have a go at that but I
:46:40. > :46:44.will not live in the past. Maybe you should not have walked out of
:46:45. > :46:48.Government, then. Well, I am not going to turn my back on corruption.
:46:49. > :46:54.I have to stop hitting you. I will be sitting over there next time. I
:46:55. > :47:02.will not be turning a blind eye to allegations of corruption.
:47:03. > :47:09.Allegations. Is Slab Murphy corruption? Actually, I think when
:47:10. > :47:13.we look at it in the run, why we do not have a Government today, it is
:47:14. > :47:19.because the behaviour of the DUP. It is because the DUP did not show
:47:20. > :47:22.respect. It was a factual statement from me that we do not have a
:47:23. > :47:26.Government today because your party walked out. That is a factual
:47:27. > :47:30.statement. You could have negotiated, you could have insisted
:47:31. > :47:34.during a negotiation but you walked out. You have to really be an expert
:47:35. > :47:37.in arrogance and disrespected break the patience of Martin McGuinness,
:47:38. > :47:44.the greatest peacemaker from the Republican side.
:47:45. > :47:54.THEY ALL TALK OVER EACH OTHER APPLAUSE Gerry Adams was brought up
:47:55. > :47:57.and she intervened. He put basically Michelle O'Neill
:47:58. > :48:05.into her position, hand-picked and put in. He has set this up because
:48:06. > :48:12.essentially... It is actually about placating the hard men of Sinn Fein.
:48:13. > :48:15.Can I ask this question? For those members of the security forces who
:48:16. > :48:17.have broken the law in the past, do you think they should get this
:48:18. > :48:23.immunity or should they be investigated? I think that there has
:48:24. > :48:27.to be a fair and equal and equitable system. I am not sure we will ever
:48:28. > :48:32.get to the bottom of the Troubles. I am not sure we will ever get to the
:48:33. > :48:35.bottom of these things, because whilst the Army may keep records,
:48:36. > :48:43.there are not too many records kept by terrorist organisations. OK.
:48:44. > :48:50.Young mind. I just want to say to Nelson, there is a book that was
:48:51. > :48:56.written in 2014 and it details every crime committed by current serving
:48:57. > :49:02.members of the art you see? I know there are victims on the other side
:49:03. > :49:05.and I have respect for them but you have to accept that there are
:49:06. > :49:11.victims on both sides and you don't seem to be able to respect. -- RUC.
:49:12. > :49:13.There are people in both communities in Northern Ireland. Most certainly
:49:14. > :49:17.there are people who've been the victims of all sorts of things, in
:49:18. > :49:20.some cases perpetrated by people even from their own community. OK.
:49:21. > :49:26.Right, another question, Joshua McDowell, what's your question?
:49:27. > :49:43.Does Mike Nesbitt's decision to put a vote to the national parties mean
:49:44. > :49:50.that ear-splitting loyalty? Do you agree with him? Every constituency
:49:51. > :49:57.has its own circumstances. He has made that his position. Do you agree
:49:58. > :50:03.with him? He did it from him -- his perspective. Of course he did it
:50:04. > :50:07.from his perspective. Please answer my question. Do you agree with the
:50:08. > :50:11.principle of a Unionist politician saying they are open to voting
:50:12. > :50:16.second and third preference votes for a nationalist party? If that is
:50:17. > :50:19.what they feel is right for their area. What our policy is is
:50:20. > :50:23.obviously bought for the Unionist party first or second and then
:50:24. > :50:28.transferred to those you trust to do the best for your community. No
:50:29. > :50:33.matter what their position is on the staters of Northern Ireland? It is
:50:34. > :50:36.about trying to get good Government for Northern Ireland. Do you ever
:50:37. > :50:42.see yourself giving a second or third preference vote to a
:50:43. > :50:45.nationalist party? I may well do. Perhaps not this time because in my
:50:46. > :50:52.own constituency of Strangford, the last few seats will be amongst
:50:53. > :50:56.Unionist. So why shouldn't a Unionist party always vote for a
:50:57. > :51:01.Unionist party? Why shouldn't it? Because we are choosing who best to
:51:02. > :51:04.run the Government. I have to say, from the two parties what we have
:51:05. > :51:09.seen and particularly from the DUP, their track record on scandals, and
:51:10. > :51:13.their incompetence and their failure in Government, I really struggle to
:51:14. > :51:17.see how I can recommend them down the line? I will say to Nelson
:51:18. > :51:22.tonight, you have criticised and your party has criticised Mike for
:51:23. > :51:25.his decision, convince me, why should I put your track record
:51:26. > :51:35.support a party like yours? APPLAUSE
:51:36. > :51:41.Are we seeing the normalisation of politics in Northern Ireland? Are
:51:42. > :51:44.people going to vote on policy as opposed to green and orange? That
:51:45. > :51:48.would be something. It was interesting that Mike said he would
:51:49. > :51:51.transfer to SDLP. Alliance has been working with that community for
:51:52. > :51:55.years. We are completely excluded. It is interesting he did not speak
:51:56. > :51:58.to the other party members before he made his announcement, but fair play
:51:59. > :52:01.to him. Maybe we do need a difference in Northern Ireland. We
:52:02. > :52:08.need a change and we need a for good.
:52:09. > :52:11.APPLAUSE You are criticising Mike Nesbitt therefore not consulting his
:52:12. > :52:19.colleagues. Has he ever called his colleagues balloons? To be honest, I
:52:20. > :52:24.have been called a lot worse. I usually use the balloon in front of
:52:25. > :52:28.my grandmother. So you are supporting your colleagues saying
:52:29. > :52:31.that? I can understand revealing at the time and she has admitted that
:52:32. > :52:35.she said it. She is honest about that. I do not have a problem with
:52:36. > :52:40.that. I think there are others who could have used may stronger
:52:41. > :52:44.language. It is a storm in a teacup. I think it was leadership Mike
:52:45. > :52:47.Nesbitt and I think the fact is that he knows as most people do that the
:52:48. > :52:51.border does not move a fraction in either direction on the basis of
:52:52. > :52:57.this election or any other election that is not a border election and I
:52:58. > :53:01.think that Mike knows... You are not going any closer to a united
:53:02. > :53:07.Ireland? Well, the border is not moving. By the time being, we are
:53:08. > :53:10.trying to change a Government that has delivered absolute dysfunction
:53:11. > :53:15.and massive loss of public money and very little strategic plans. So a
:53:16. > :53:21.vote for the SDLP is nothing to do with a united Ireland? Of course it
:53:22. > :53:27.is. I thought you said it was nothing to do with it. No, I said it
:53:28. > :53:32.does not move the border. Is that the only issues? Are we only going
:53:33. > :53:37.to focus on the union? Nelson said that that was the only issue. He did
:53:38. > :53:40.not say that. That is unfair. It is about replacing a rotten Government
:53:41. > :53:43.and the way to do that is too broad for parties that can change the
:53:44. > :53:45.Government and to board for parties that you can trust. Mike is right
:53:46. > :53:49.and Philip is right that people will weigh up their local circumstances.
:53:50. > :53:58.And you would give a second or third preference to a Unionist party? Yes.
:53:59. > :54:01.I frequently do. To support the union? But that is not what I am
:54:02. > :54:07.doing. I thought the people who will be good in Government. I do and I
:54:08. > :54:10.always do it every election. Yes, I think it is a positive move that
:54:11. > :54:13.Mike Nesbitt said he would transfer to the other side and I would like
:54:14. > :54:16.to see more of that from other politicians in Northern Ireland, but
:54:17. > :54:20.the only problem I have is that it contradicts his earlier decision two
:54:21. > :54:25.years ago to team up with the DUP to defeat Alliance in east Belfast and
:54:26. > :54:28.Sinn Fein in Fermanagh to protect his side. Could you ever see
:54:29. > :54:35.yourself voting for a Unionist party, second or third preference?
:54:36. > :54:39.This is what I am going to do. In the election. It is my advice to
:54:40. > :54:44.everyone else. I will be voting for Unionist parties. I will not be
:54:45. > :54:48.voting for any party that voted for Brexit. Hold on. We are tied for
:54:49. > :54:50.time. I would really appreciate if you answered the question. Did you
:54:51. > :54:55.ever see yourself voting for a Unionist party? I would like to take
:54:56. > :55:02.it one election at a time. In this election, I will not be voting for
:55:03. > :55:06.any Unionist party. Can you see yourself in your lifetime ever
:55:07. > :55:10.putting for a Unionist party, second or third preference votes? I didn't
:55:11. > :55:14.election by-election. Please answer the question. You like to present
:55:15. > :55:18.yourself as progressive and you are for all, so it is a pretty relevant
:55:19. > :55:22.question. If you looked at a Unionist politician and you got I
:55:23. > :55:27.like what their policy is rather than the colour of their underpants.
:55:28. > :55:30.Would you vote for them? If you find me a Unionist politician who is
:55:31. > :55:36.against Brexit and against austerity then you might have me in. Even if
:55:37. > :55:40.they were a Unionist? Absolutely. That is interesting. I think it
:55:41. > :55:43.tells us a lot about the competence of Mike Nesbitt. When he couldn't
:55:44. > :55:50.even manage first of all to get his own party behind him. Because Philip
:55:51. > :55:57.referred to criticism by the members from the DUP. I have heard of much
:55:58. > :56:00.criticism from members of the UUP of what Mike Nesbitt said and did.
:56:01. > :56:03.Secondly, if you are going to do something like this, first double.
:56:04. > :56:07.Euro on party and get them on board, and then secondly you would actually
:56:08. > :56:11.try to get some reciprocation from the SDLP. He didn't even call up
:56:12. > :56:18.Colum Eastwood to ask if he would do the same. It says something about
:56:19. > :56:22.his competence. Mike said that we do not do election packs and we are not
:56:23. > :56:28.descriptive then transfers. You do not have a pact with Mike Nesbitt?
:56:29. > :56:37.No. Bought for Arlene and Michelle and get Theresa May. Because you
:56:38. > :56:42.will be getting a mystery box. Mike hasn't offered as a pact and we have
:56:43. > :56:47.not offered him. He has offered you a second preference Ford. Yes,
:56:48. > :56:51.absolutely. And many SDLP voters and many members will get him on but
:56:52. > :56:54.what we are collectively offering is an alternative Government. Let me
:56:55. > :56:58.understand, I need you all to be quick. Do you think we are going
:56:59. > :57:01.back to direct rule? There will be negotiations. I think it will take
:57:02. > :57:05.more than a few weeks to have those negotiations. How long do you think
:57:06. > :57:11.it will take? You have been around a long time. Do you think it is the
:57:12. > :57:14.end of the year at least? I would certainly hope it would be shorter
:57:15. > :57:20.than that but I would not attempt to put a time on it. There will be a
:57:21. > :57:27.period where we will... Yes, probably, but who knows? Do you? We
:57:28. > :57:29.are in politics to make the Government work for all of our
:57:30. > :57:35.people. The DUP know what they have to do. Let's make Government work.
:57:36. > :57:40.You have given no red lines to them, actually. They do not know what they
:57:41. > :57:45.have to do. They are not in Government today. You're not in
:57:46. > :57:57.Government either. We took the stand to put the DUP out of Government
:57:58. > :58:01.because we are serious. Kellie? I will say to everyone, we are soon
:58:02. > :58:04.going to go to a 75% budget and that will hurt every single person in
:58:05. > :58:07.this country. We will have to close hospital down and lose teachers
:58:08. > :58:13.because of this. It is time to get back round the table. OK, just to
:58:14. > :58:16.tell the gallery tonight, Philip. I figured people bought for parties
:58:17. > :58:21.that are going to deliver then we will not have a prolonged period of
:58:22. > :58:24.direct rule. He has spoken about Tory austerity and yet he wants to
:58:25. > :58:29.give them the reins of everything. Nelson at the G2 doc about
:58:30. > :58:39.incompetence. APPLAUSE Ridiculous, unbelievable.
:58:40. > :58:45.It worries me that you actually believe that. Just a minute. The
:58:46. > :58:53.point is first of all that we have an enquiry set up by Mairtin
:58:54. > :58:56.O'Muilleoir... 20 seconds. I prefer to wait for the outcome of an
:58:57. > :58:59.enquiry rather than predetermined outcomes would seems to be the
:59:00. > :59:06.position of some people. Both people knew about RHI for a year and did
:59:07. > :59:11.not do anything until we found out about it.
:59:12. > :59:18.THEY ALL TALK OVER EACH OTHER APPLAUSE We are done.
:59:19. > :59:20.OK, that's all we have time for tonight.
:59:21. > :59:23.We'll be back again on the telly on the 8th of March,
:59:24. > :59:26.In the meantime, I'll be on the radio,
:59:27. > :59:28.bringing you the latest election coverage right up
:59:29. > :59:31.until the big vote on the 2nd of March.