Lyons’ response to watchdog report ‘straight from Trump playbook’

Gordon Lyons has been told that his response to a watchdog report that he broke the ministerial code is “straight out of the Trump playbook”.

However, the Communities Minister has told the Northern Ireland Assembly that he “would not be taking any lessons from Sinn Fein” on ministerial standards.

Mr Lyons was investigated by the former independent Assembly commissioner for standards, Melissa McCullough, over a Facebook post he published in June after immigrant families were forced to flee their homes during racially motivated riots.

The report concluded that Mr Lyons’ actions fell short of standards on leadership, accountability and community relations and said the minister had failed to show empathy for those who had been moved from their homes.

Raising the issue at the Assembly, Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew said the findings were that Mr Lyons had breached the ministerial code.

He said: “You failed to prioritise public safety, you failed to show empathy, and you failed to show leadership.

“Do you accept the findings report?

Mr Lyons said he did not accept the findings.

He added: “I welcome much of the evidence that has been brought forward because it is based on fact in relation to what I did, what I published, and the reasons why I published it on that day.

“But she is wrong on a number of levels: the entire point of the post was to ensure public safety.

“It was to deal with the violence that had broke out and that was anticipated would break out.

“And the members can tut all they want, but I will not take any lessons from Sinn Fein on ministerial standards, absolutely not.”

Mr Gildernew responded with a reference to US President Donald Trump: “Your response here and earlier in the media is straight out of the Trump playbook.

“Denial of the facts, ignoring reality and showing utter contempt for the commissioner and the mechanisms put in place to hold ministers to account.

“Do you accept you are demonstrating absolute contempt for the public?”

Mr Lyons said Mr Gildernew had called for a motion of no-confidence in him within hours of the incident last year.

He said: “He had not asked any questions of me, he had not sought out any information for me, yet within hours, without looking at any evidence whatsoever, he proceeded to a vote of no-confidence in me.

“So, it’s a bit rich for him to talk about facts and to talk about evidence when he wasn’t prepared to do that.

“It’s not surprising at all that he has taken the view that he has taken, because it’s been his position from day one, regardless of any evidence.”

The minister encouraged everyone to read the full report and his comments within it.

He added: “Unfortunately we had a commissioner in place that looked at the evidence but seemed to ignore it whenever it came to her analysis and her viewpoint and her opinion, because that is all that, it is her opinion.

“There’s no expert analysis.”