Peter Robinson says Sinn Féin fears the SDLP

Mr Robinson criticised republicans for voting against the Welfare Reform Bill and accused them of ducking difficult decisions.

He said Sinn Féin lacked the courage to oppose the SDLP on welfare and pension reform and parades.

"This has been bad for community relations and bad for government," he said.

Mr Robinson made the remarks at the Blossomhill party branch in west Tyrone last night.

"The result is not increased electoral support for the SDLP, just further gridlock as the nationalist parties struggle to come to terms with reality," he said.

"Too often Alex Attwood's position one day is Sinn Féin's the next. Or worse still, a fear of what the SDLP will say or do can often paralyse their ability to take decisions."

He said the SDLP's ability to unnerve Sinn Féin was considerable.

Republicans wanted the Welfare Reform Bill to go through but did not want to be seen voting for it, the DUP leader claimed

He said that was exposed when the SDLP challenged Sinn Féin to sign a petition of concern that would have stopped the bill.

"Such chicanery may be par for the course in the Republic, where they languish in opposition, but it is not the behaviour of a party of government in Northern Ireland," the East Belfast MLA said.

The new legislation has already been passed in England and Wales.

The Westminster government has said the overhaul will streamline payments and stop fraud.

Six benefits, including housing benefit, would be brought together in a single, monthly Universal Credit payment.

The bill would also replace Disability Living Allowance with a personal independence payment.

It would mean claimants being independently assessed every three years, instead of assessing themselves, as happens at the moment.

Sinn Féin wanted the Bill to be deferred to allow more negotiation with the government in Westminster, but other parties, including the DUP, said it should go through or Northern Ireland risked losing millions of pounds in Treasury funding.

The SDLP called for the Bill to be delayed for 30 days to hold a special committee to consider the equality implications of the measure.

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