Thursday 22 April 2010

Political careers seem to begin in West Belfast!

Bill Manwaring,
Conservatives and Unionists candidate for West Belfast

In February 1969 a young man took his first steps as a political activist, canvassing a small area of West Belfast for the Ulster Unionist Candidate Basil McIvor. This young man knocked on doors and extolled the virtues of Mr. McIvor as a good man and a caring politician. That young man's name was David Trimble.

41 years later it was my good fortune to be able to invite Lord Trimble to help me canvas a part of that same area - the now much expanded Riverdale area of West Belfast.

For Lord Trimble it was an opportunity to revisit the start of a political career which has so far included the glowing achievements of the Good Friday Agreement and a Nobel Peace prize.

For me it was a great chance to show the resulting political changes where I, a pro- union politician, can knock on doors across West Belfast and talk openly with the residents, regardless of their religious or political beliefs, about change for us and our children.

The work that has been done by Lord Trimble and so many others in the last fifteen years has made Northern Ireland such a better place - but we are only at the start of this journey. Over the last three weeks, knocking on doors all over West Belfast, I keep hearing that people want change, they want politicians who will address the economy, poverty, housing and crime - these are the things that the people today in Riverdale were talking about.

That is the change I am proud to be campaigning for.

2 comments:

  1. Think you better fix the title which currently reads "Political careers seem to being in West Belfast!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Alan - bit of a slip changed now.

    ReplyDelete