Speaking after an attempt to filibuster the bill through an extended Committee Stage was voted down in the Assembly today, the South Belfast representative said:

"The DUP has used every trick in the book to defeat this legislation and I’m glad that today’s latest attempt has failed. By attempting to filibuster the bill through an extended Committee Stage and dress that up as legitimate scrutiny, the DUP are gaslighting the many families across Northern Ireland who want to see an end to abusive flags in their communities.

“The fact is that the Committee needs to get on with scrutinising the bill more efficiently, which will enable the whole Assembly to make a decision on it in its final form, no doubt with amendments to address issues already raised in Committee and elsewhere.

"I have already drafted amendments based on that and on the responses to the Committee, which show clear support for each clause in the bill. I have also offered meetings with other parties directly, giving ample opportunity over months to discuss the detail of the bill. That they have chosen not to take up this opportunity shows that they are not interested in genuine scrutiny because they have already made their minds up.

"The Committee Chair and others are, of course, fully entitled to have already decided they want to oppose the Bill; what they should not do is attempt to gaslight us about their endless attempts at delay, nor to hide behind technicalities.

"They will need to be absolutely clear with the public, in the context of issues they have raised around the application of the Rule of Law, about why they are endorsing a status quo which sees the unlawful display of flags and emblems on public infrastructure, including in support of paramilitary organisations. However they like to dress it up, that is their position, and they will need to stand over it."