Thanks to everyone for all your hard work

We just want to acknowledge our gratitude and deepest thanks to everyone who helped in working towards the General Election and after.

It was a lot of hard work, fun and now we have a new age in UK politics.

Interesting times ahead.

The BBC NI Leader's Debate

Conservatives and Unionists - the only party who cares about the Creative Industries

Creative Boom the regional online magazine about the creative industries in Belfast asked each political party standing the the General Election in Northern Ireland to set out their policies for the creative industries here. 

Only the Conservatives and Unionists replied 

And only the Conservatives and Unionists will deliver.

Here's what we had to say:

The Conservatives and Unionists believe that the Creative Industries have an important role to play in the growth of Northern Ireland's economy. Many businesses in the Creative Industries are small and under a Labour government have faced a struggle to establish themselves, to build and to expand. Many young people coming out of universities are planning to start their own businesses. They have an entrepreneurial spirit and have been inspired by others from Northern Ireland who have built careers and businesses here and around the world. They know Northern Ireland can be a hub for the Creative Industries and the Digital Economy, but they face enormous problems establishing themselves.

The Conservatives and Unionists will make the process of starting and running a business easier and reduce the costs.

It is the link between the Conservatives and Unionists in Northern Ireland and the support we will give a Conservative government that will benefit the Creative Industries. We will be a voice within a Conservative government where the real decisions will be made about how all our industries will flourish. Any new business started in the first two years of a Conservative government will pay no Employer National Insurance on the first ten employees it hires during its first year. This is crucial assistance to young entrepreneurs who have the vision and drive that Northern Ireland needs for our economy to prosper.

Many businesses in the Creative Industries require and rely on technological infrastructure here in Northern Ireland and through out the UK to reach and supply their customers. Being in Northern Ireland is not a disadvantage to many in the Creative Insustries. With better connectivity, businesses here can work for customers around the world. We will deliver a faster more widely available broadband infrastructure and link our Creative Industries globally. In Northern Ireland we recognise the potential of project Kelvin and we will work with our Ulster Unionist colleagues to ensure that the project's economic potential is maximised.

Entrepreneurs will be supported through a network of business mentors and provide loans to entrepreneurs who are just starting out. And all those forms you need to fill in when you are starting a business will be a thing of the past. A "one-click" registration model will make the UK the fastest place to start a business.

We have heard small and medium sized businesses complain about endless problems with government procurement. We will open up government procurement to small and medium sized businesses by reducing admin costs with the ambition that 25% of government contracts go to SMEs. Businesses in the Creative Industries are suppliers to government and will continue to be. We want to make it easier for them to work with government. We will work with the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure best practice throughout the UK.

Conservatives and Unionists will get the UK working by boosting enterprise - so we'll cut corporation tax rates, abolish taxes on the first ten jobs created by new businesses, promote green jobs, and get people off welfare and into work. And we'll stop Labour's jobs tax which would wreck the recovery.

Conservatives and Unionists will look at specific measures to turn Northern Ireland into an economic 'Enterprise Zone'. We will bring forward a government paper to look at the mechanisms for a different corporation tax rate in Northern Ireland.

We recognise that the Labour Government has neglected the crucial Digital Economy up until now and that legislation is urgently needed. We support the ambition of the Digital Economy Bill and much of what it contains. But we will not support specific measures which prop up old business models and create unnecessary duties.

Conservatives and Unionists launch Armed Forces Manifesto

The Conservatives and Unionists Armed Forces Manifesto was launched by the Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox today in East Belfast.

In a statement Liam said:

"I am delighted to be in Northern Ireland again to launch the Conservatives and Unionists Armed Forces Manifesto. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces, many of whom are from Northern Ireland. It is shameful that the Military Covenant has been neglected by Gordon Brown and the Labour government.

"If elected, a Conservative and Unionist government will work from day one to improve the lives of everyone in our Forces. And we will work to improve the lives of all their families.

We pledge to:

• Give the Armed Forces clear leadership - we'll hold a Strategic Defence and Security Review to make sure resources match commitments. In the meantime, we'll protect the defence budget for 2010/11.

• Equip our Armed Forces properly - we'll reform procurement so our Forces get the equipment they need when they need it, at a reasonable cost to the taxpayer.

• Support our servicemen and women - we'll double the operational allowance, improve rest and recuperation leave and establish a tri-Service Military Covenant.

• Support service families and children - we will work to give Forces children extra support in school, and seek to provide college and university bursaries for the children of Forces personnel who have been killed.

• Support our veterans - with a new mental health screening process and work for a new 'Troops for Teachers' programme to get ex-service personnel into teaching.

Speaking at the Launch, Trevor Ringland, Conservatives and Unionists candidate for East Belfast said:

"For generations people form all backgrounds in Northern Ireland have made an outstanding contribution to the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom. It is right and proper that their service is recognised and that those garrisoned in Northern Ireland get the support they need.

"Michael McGimpsey in particular has done excellent work to ensure that service personnel get the support from Health and Social Services they deserve. However, we believe that every Executive department should make a pledge. This manifesto today will help us deliver for the men and women, and the families, who serve our country and place themselves in harm's way. We are committed to rebuilding the Military Covenant in every part of the United Kingdom.

"Other parties may talk about renewing the Military Covenant. Only the Conservatives and Unionists can deliver for our armed forces and their families".

Conservatives and Unionists reject poverty of ambition for Northern Ireland.

Sir Reg Empey, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, has responded to Peter Robinson's comments about a hung Parliament.

Sir Reg has said that the DUP's entire election strategy is to campaign for political and economic instability across the United Kingdom.  A hung Parliament would mean a government paralysed and unable to take the key decisions necessary to secure economic recovery.

Conservatives and Unionists reject this complete poverty of ambition for Northern Ireland.

Sir Reg reaffirmed that Northern Ireland's semi-detached political status will end and bring Northern Ireland back into the mainstream of UK politics.  This was acknowledged in 2008 when Conservative leader, David Cameron, said at the Ulster Unionist Party conference "The semi-detached status of Northern Ireland politics needs to end. This is not true representative democracy and it has got to change."

Conservatives and Unionists believe Northern Ireland deserves better.

The full story can be found here

Welcome to Vote4Change

Welcome to the Vote for Change in Northern Ireland social media hub.