Queen's Jubilee tree sparks political row

A political row has broken out around the planting of a tree at Stormont to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee later this year. Sinn Fein Finance Minister Conor Murphy was accused of blocking the move on ideological grounds by DUP MP Sammy Wilson. Sinn Fein rejected the claim insisting their minister was following rules.

Mr Wilson said when he held the post of finance minister he reluctantly allowed a GAA commemoration to take place despite reservations and hit out at Conor Murphy for not allowing a tree or a rose bush to be planted at Stormont to mark Northern Ireland's centenary last year.

"He has refused, purely I assume on the basis that as a republican he doesn't like the Queen and he didn't like Northern Ireland," he said. "So therefore he is not going to allow any recognition..." In a statement Sinn Fein said Conor Murphy was simply following the long established practice in relation to the use of the Stormont estate which prohibits the installation of memorial plaques and benches.

Trees can be planted, but only for international events, the party said.

Sinn Fein said if the political parties wanted to bring forward a new and agreed approach, Mr Murphy would be happy to consider it.