THE SDLP has said it is standing by a threat of legal action after a Sinn Féin MLA linked the party to "potential criminal or political negligence".
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday, Declan Kearney hit out at the SDLP and UUP for voting last year in favour of keeping the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme open.
"Sinn Féin voted to close it down. Maybe we should have a public inquiry and maybe there would be a great deal of public interest into whether there has been potential criminal or political negligence on the part of the SDLP and UUP," he said.
At the time the SDLP's Claire Hanna laughed off the remarks as "spin", saying that the party had voted for an amended scheme with cost controls.
But later on Radio Ulster's Talkback programme, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood called for the "scurrilous claims" to be withdrawn and threatened legal action.
Last night the SDLP again urged Mr Kearney to "withdraw his unfounded and defamatory remarks".
"The public will not be distracted from the political failure surrounding this scheme. The SDLP will take whatever action necessary to correct the record," a spokesman said.
Sinn Féin did not respond to requests for a comment.
