Murder of PC Ronan Kerr Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Northern Ireland Office

Murder of PC Ronan Kerr

Naomi Long Excerpts
Monday 4th April 2011

(13 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Owen Paterson Portrait Mr Paterson
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that strong comment. I entirely concur with what he said about Mrs Kerr, and I remind everyone of what she said yesterday.

“We all need to stand up and be counted and to strive for equality…We don’t want to go back into the dark days again of fear and terror.”

Naomi Long Portrait Naomi Long (Belfast East) (Alliance)
- Hansard - -

May I add my sincere sympathies to those expressed by the Secretary of State to the family, colleagues and friends of Constable Ronan Kerr. I also add to the Secretary of State’s call to those who have information that could lead to those who perpetrated the attack being brought to justice. Their destructive and murderous attack is in stark contrast to the constructive role that the PSNI plays in our community in trying to build for the future.

Does the Secretary of State agree that this was an attempt to drive young Catholics out of the PSNI, and to drive a wedge between it and the community? Does he agree that the best way to avoid that is for us to stand shoulder to shoulder with those police officers and give them our full support?