He was speaking after the DUP, Ulster Unionist Party and TUV tabled a petition to block an Assembly motion seeking observer status for Northern Ireland in the European Parliament to ensure Northern Ireland has its voice heard more effectively and constructively. 
 
“Alliance has always been a strongly pro-European party and warned from the outset that Brexit would mean new borders and barriers. Almost ten years since the referendum, the DUP still can’t point to a solitary benefit of the Brexit they championed alongside Nigel Farage and the previous UK Government," Mr Tennyson said.
 
“The Windsor Framework, whilst imperfect, has insulated Northern Ireland from the worst impacts of Brexit, and contributed to our economy outperforming the rest of the UK. Alliance is firmly focused on building on these protections and delivering pragmatic solutions, such as securing observer status for Northern Ireland to allow our voice to be heard more effectively and constructively. 
 
“The use of a Petition of Concern in this context is a shameful perversion of democracy and a blatant abuse of process. Rather than protecting minority rights, it has been warped and wielded as a sectarian veto to protect party political interests, deny equality and frustrate the democratic process. 
 
“Abuses of that veto power, and the displays of arrogance and disrespect which accompanied them, led to many of the issues which contributed to the collapse of the Assembly in previous years. We need urgent reform to get the petition of concern back to its original intent, and away from what it has become, which is used and abused to serve parties’ selfish interests.”