A MOTION calling for Belfast City Council to sign up to a covenant designed to ending "disadvantages" for ex-British Armed Forces servicemen and women and giving them extra privileges has failed – by a single vote.
At the December meeting of the Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, councillors were split down the middle over a DUP motion calling for the Council to sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant.
Due to the tie, the deciding vote was left to Lord Mayor, Alliance Councillor Micky Murray, who voted in favour of the motion. Controversy then erupted when Sinn Féin group leader Ciarán Beattie claimed that party colleague Councillor Áine McCabe was having trouble accessing the meeting remotely and was not able to cast her vote, which would have been decisive.
However, the issue was brought back to Committee last month for a report and equality screening.
On Monday evening at February's full Council meeting, DUP Alderman James Lawlor once again called for Belfast City Council to sign up immediately to the Covenant. Before the meeting, Alderman Lawlor earlier accused Sinn Féin and the SDLP of rejecting equality.
"What has been clear, is that Sinn Féin and the SDLP, who pride themselves in being the champions of equality cannot have it both ways," he said. "They cannot claim that Belfast is a city for everyone and a city of equals, when they will not support a motion that seeks to put our veterans on a level playing field with everyone else."
Speaking in the chamber, Sinn Féin group leader Ciarán Beattie said his party could not support the motion, stating that the British Army were "not just defence forces but an oppressive force in this country".
MOTION DEFEATED: DUP Alderman James Lawlor who spoke on Monday night
DUP councillor Bradley Ferguson said Sinn Féin instead supported an army that murdered innocent Protestants.
"The British Army stood on the frontline and didn’t hide in bushes to shoot or burn people to death," he stated.
Alliance councillor Michael Long said his party would support the motion because the party supports equality for everyone in society,
Green Party councillor Áine Groogan said that while they recognised fair treatment in society, one of the party’s principles is non-violence and rejection of imperialism and therefore could not support the motion and they would be issuing a 'no-vote'.
SDLP councillor Carl Whyte said if people think that army veterans are being unfairly treated, then they should use their political offices to deal with the issues instead and that they would not be supporting it.
Following a vote, the motion was defeated with 29 votes for and 28 against with two no votes recorded.
