Beattie’s whining like a girl remark “fell well short” of expected standards
Mr Beattie told MLAs he "got it wrong" with the remark
A remark by Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie accusing rivals of screaming and whining "like a girl" fell well short of the standards expected in the Assembly, Stormont's Speaker has said.
Alex Maskey said if the legislature was operating on a normal basis he would have considered imposing a sanction on Mr Beattie for the comment during Wednesday's recall sitting at Parliament Buildings.
Mr Maskey said given the current situation, where power sharing is in cold storage, and the fact the UUP leader apologised for the remark, he did not to intend to take further action.
During the sitting, Mr Beattie told MLAs he "got it wrong" with the remark.
The Assembly met on Wednesday for a doomed attempt to elect a new speaker to revive the power sharing institutions.
During his speech, the UUP leader told DUP members: "I know that you think you can scream and whine like a girl from the sidelines. That's up to you."
Several MLAs voiced objection to the remark and Mr Beattie apologised.
"I'm a big enough man to say when I get something wrong. I got it wrong and I will apologise because I got it wrong, because I used a terminology," he said.
The sitting on Wednesday was chaired by Acting Speaker Alan Chambers. Mr Maskey is no longer an MLA but remains the official speaker until such time as a successor is appointed.
He wrote a letter to MLAs on Friday raising concerns about a number of aspects of Wednesday's debate.
Mr Maskey said general standards of debate expected in the Assembly chamber should involve "courtesy, good temper, moderation and respect".
"Mr Beattie's remarks clearly fell well short of those standards," he said.
"Having had to address similar issues in the Assembly on a previous occasion, it is disappointing that a party leader, who should be expected to know better, made remarks of this nature in the chamber," he said.
"In the heat of politics, any of us can sometimes say things which we later regret. On those occasions, it is important to reflect. I therefore acknowledge that Mr Beattie made an apology after the first Point of Order drew attention to his remarks.
"If the Assembly was currently conducting normal business, I would have considered imposing a sanction on Mr Beattie. Given the circumstances in which we currently find ourselves, as well as his apology, I do not propose to take any further action in relation to Mr Beattie.
"However, the Assembly should demonstrate leadership and its debates should seek to set an example, and a higher standard, to the wider community.
"Much has been done to seek to increase the representation of women in the Assembly in recent years. While progress has been made, we still have much further to go.
"Therefore, I think it is important that I set out clearly that remarks which rely on demeaning language or outdated phrases and stereotypes, in relation to gender or any other characteristic, are not appropriate and are contrary to the standards which should be set in the Assembly Chamber."
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