Jim Allister sanctioned for 'aggressive' Stormont remarks

TUV leader Jim Allister has been sanctioned by the NI Assembly's Speaker for making "ill-tempered and aggressive" remarks during debates.

Alex Maskey said Mr Allister would not be allowed to speak in the chamber for three sitting days.

He said Mr Allister had demonstrated "unacceptable behaviour" on Monday that could not be ignored.

When challenged by Mr Allister, the Speaker said: "I can add to that (the three-day suspension), don't tempt me."

Mr Allister has said he regretted that his "constituents are to be punished in this way" but that "while I might be silenced for three days in the chamber, their voice and opinions will be heard".

On Monday, the TUV MLA had criticised Mr Maskey and the assembly commission's decision not to approve a proposal from unionist parties for a stone marking Northern Ireland's centenary.

He also referred to Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon as a "little Irelander" when the minister was appearing at question time.

Ms Mallon later tweeted that Mr Allister had used "lazy, divisive language".

Mr Maskey had said he would review language used by a number of other MLAs during the course of debates in the assembly on Monday.

He said he realised there were political tensions being reflected in debates, but that they were "not helped in the way members on different sides of the house expressed those differences".

"It is not necessary for members to express their own views in a way which would be clearly inflammatory to other members," the Speaker added.

He said he would continue to review the remarks made on Monday to establish if more action was required and that some members had expressed concern that points of order, which were "an opportunity to clarify points of procedure rather than make political points", were being abused.

'Ill-tempered - but no sanctions'

He said that on Monday the TUV leader rose to make a point of order, but "actually made clear" he was raising a query for the Assembly Commission and that it had not been the appropriate time to do so.

"I have been concerned about Mr Allister's behaviour on a number of recent occasions, he has made ill-tempered remarks," said Mr Maskey.

The Speaker also referred to a previous incident in which he said Mr Allister had interrupted Alliance Party MLA Paula Bradshaw "to the point she had to draw attention to it and Mr Allister then did apologise".

However, Mr Allister said that he was not interrupting Ms Bradshaw but had been having a conversation "obviously too loudly" with a member seated behind her.

"There was no challenge or heckling or anything else directed at Ms Bradshaw, but as became clear she found the conversation distracting and I readily apologised for same.

"I am therefore surprised to find this incident relied upon, though only in part, in justifying the penalty imposed on me. I cannot think of any member ever being disciplined for conducting a conversation too loudly - rebuked yes, but not disciplined."

He added that the debate on flags and emblems on Monday had include "some of the most bellicose and ill-tempered speeches I have heard from Sinn Féin MLAs, (Martina) Anderson, (Emma) Sheerin and (Pat) Sheehan, but no repercussions".