SF to consult Equality Commission on emblems

The Moyle councillor said this week he has received legal advice on the cross-party agreement which allows the Union flag to be flown year-round at Smiley Buildings; permits flying of the Ulster flag at the Somme anniversary; and the display of portraits of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in the council chamber during meetings.

Mr McMullan, who is his party’s spokesman in East Antrim, also replied to critics in the council who, in last week’s Larne Times, claimed he was “electioneering” and that he had no mandate in the borough. He also denied an accusation that he was “trying to stir the pot” by lobbying on flags, emblems and applications for dual-language street signs in Seacourt.

Mr McMullan argued: “I do have a mandate because I represent the Glens, which is now part of the East Antrim constituency, and I am Sinn Fein’s representative in East Antrim. Having said that, I don’t not go anywhere unless I am invited and almost daily now I am being contacted by people in the Larne area. In some weeks I have more calls from Larne than I have even from my own area, so there has to be a void there.

“I am no stranger to Larne, or a blow-in, or whatever they might like to call me. I have been working in the borough in a political capacity for a long time and elected representatives in Larne are well aware of that, just as in their time Larne representatives have in the past come in to the likes of the Glens, campaigning on a political issue or even, on one occasion, to complain about a flag being flown on a pole.

“I have also stood for election in East Antrim on a number of occasions and I have a mandate from those people who voted for me.”

He added; “Regarding the claim that I am somehow trying to nationalise Seacourt: nothing could be further from the truth. When people in Seacourt needed help in the past I was one of a very few people - myself and a few political activists - who were asked to go and help.

“It was also said I don’t know what makes the nationalist people in Larne tick. I would ask: where were all those political representatives when people in Craigyhill and Antiville were being put out of their homes? Were they standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them then in estates that were mixed 50-50 and are now 100 per cent loyalist?”

Mr McMullan said dual-language signage was covered by legislation and signs could only be put up in areas where there is majority consensus. “In the council’s own policy, it is quite clear there must be a two-thirds majority in the street or on the road for it to happen and in the end it is up to councillors to make the final decision,” he added.

“I think they are worried that I am letting people know that the legislation on dual-language signs is there and the people who are complaining are the very people who put this policy together in 2009. I am only working according to their policy.”

On the subject of flags and emblems, Mr McMullan said Sinn Fein’s views had been sought by the council. “Larne council accepted my application to be one of the consultees in the process they have embarked on - a process the council would not have had to undertake if they had not dug such a hole for themselves and if they had faced up to the equality issue.”

It was his view that the council “should never, from day one” have agreed to purchase and erect red, white and blue bunting in the town centre, which he maintained should be “a neutral and shared space, welcoming of everyone”.

He said: “The same councillors who are criticising me are the ones who allowed that to go ahead and now they have realised that the equality laws don’t allow them to do it.”

Despite the council’s insistence that the consultation is restricted to the bunting issue only, Cllr McMullan maintained that he intends to comment on the wider council policy on flags and emblems. He said: “According to legal advice that I have sought the council may be in default of equality issues in flying the Union flag all year round. My understanding is that there is a set standard number of designated days when the flag should be flown. The advice I have is that flying the Ulster flag beside it is not allowed either.

“These are all equality issues and the council can talk to me about, or they can talk to the Equality Commission, but I certainly will be talking to the Equality Commission this week.

“This is not about hyping up tension: it is about the council trying to get out of the deep hole they have put themselves in.

“There should be no bunting or flags flown in the town centre. I’m sure that business people in Larne want people to come in from outside and shop and if there is a vibrant and inviting town centre more jobs will be created and it will be easier to attract more businesses to set up in the town.

“If the town centre is not neutral, it is detrimental to the economy. Larne was one of the most vibrant towns on the coast at a time and it can be again.”