Bill out and about in West Belfast

Yesterday morning saw The Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Caroline Spelman visiting my constituency. Caroline has a real grasp of the key social issues facing marginalised communities and must be a real asset to her own constituents in Meriden.

We started the morning by visiting residents living in some of the worst conditions I have ever experienced. Hearing their stories of how they feel that they have been abandoned by the statutory agencies as well as their elected representatives underlines the feeling of despair being shown by many of the people in West Belfast.

From here we visited the offices of the Forum for Action on Substance Abuse (FASA) to discuss the problems that our young people are facing which are forcing more and more into drug addiction and suicide.

Caroline was involved in the formation and currently sits on the board of a similar organisation at home called 'Welcome'. It was great to have a future minister showing her clear understanding and empathy of this challenging and devastating issue.

Our next stop was to visit the Suffolk and Lenadoon Interface Group (SLIG) where we met with staff and community leaders involved with this very successful project.

Formed 16 years ago, SLIG has proven to be an excellent example of how our two communities can work together towards understanding and reconciliation. The success of this group is used throughout the UK and beyond as an excellent example of post-confrontation development.

My sincerest thanks to Caroline (and Simon) for their support today, it is exciting to think that, as Conservatives and Unionists we could have such a qualified and committed minister in the next government. All we need is for each of us who have had enough of the double jobbing and lack of accountability shown by our politicians to VOTE FOR CHANGE.

DUP’s efforts “designed to blind the electorate to the real issues”

Conservatives and Unionists East Belfast candidate Trevor Ringland has said that the DUP’s efforts to shift public attention on to South Belfast and a Unionist Unity candidate are “designed to blind the electorate to the real issues”.

“Mr Robinson does not get to decide what unionism is.  Mr Robinson does not get to decide what Unionist unity is.  Mr Robinson does not get to call other Unionists “liars” and then call for Unionist Unity.

“It is deeply insulting to the Unionist electorate to have disingenuous invitations to ‘unity’ dangled in front of them as some of sort of smokescreen. The DUP should be in no doubt – hurling insults in response to genuine questions about the activities of their leader is not the correct response – answering those questions is. .

“This is the party whose leader, Peter Robinson, called me a “liar” during a television interview on 2 April.  He also called his fellow members of the Executive, Sir Reg Empey and Michael McGimpsey, “liars”.  All this because we dared to ask for clarification on questions raised in two BBC television programmes.

“We invited him to clear his name in relation to a land deal, but he has yet to give satisfactory answers to the questions raised. 

“Following the BBC Spotlight programme in early January, the First Minister sought legal advice and temporarily stepped aside until he had received and considered this advice. 

“This advice was not published, and I call for it to be published now. Furthermore I call for Peter Robinson to withdraw his claim that I and Ministers Empey and McGimpsey are “liars”. Furthermore I again call on Peter Robinson to publish to publish the advice now.

“It appears that Unionist Unity in the minds of the DUP is to name call, attack and expect others to do their bidding.  Our politics deserves more.

“The DUP are only capable of pressing old buttons that have served unionism so badly.  Their recent behavior has been bad for unionism.”

Unionists have more in common than separates them.  Together we can build a confidence and pride in what we believe in and what we stand for.  We will be inclusive and a Northern Ireland for all in a UK for all.

I believe in a Unionism that has pride and confidence in itself, that is inclusive and will play a full role in Northern Ireland and the UK.

DUP election strategy is just to look for a free run

A Conservatives and Unionists spokesperson has said that the DUP's election strategy "speaks volumes about the reception they're getting on the doorsteps".

"Throwing leaflets at voters and asking opponents to step aside seems to be the DUP's latest 'clever device'.

"It comes as no surprise that a party employee acknowledged, on Facebook, that he would 'leaflet until the cows come home just leave out the human interaction'. Let's be honest, how could you sell what the DUP have to offer with a straight face?

"Given the public backlash over accusations against their Party leader and the flood of criticism over their 'swish' families' expenses claims, I would imagine the doorsteps on the DUP campaign trail are distinctly chilly. In that context, it's no wonder their campaign amounts to drowning voters in literature.

"Now, not content with reaching an accommodation over Fermanagh and South Tyrone, they're positively begging for their opposition to step aside in South Belfast and even West Tyrone!

"If this is their best shot at an election strategy, then they mustn't have much faith in their campaign.

"They don't want to talk to the voters, they're desperate for other parties to step aside, and poor Peter is being victimised by the media…. Perhaps the DUP should just take their ball and go home."

Television Party Election Broadcast - Conservatives and Unionists (NI)

The First of our Party Election Broadcasts (PEB) for the television

Reg welcomes the Conservative manifesto

Ulster Unionist Party leader Sir Reg Empey, the Conservatives and Unionists candidate for South Antrim, has welcomed today's manifesto launch by David Cameron.

"The manifesto launched today shows that only David Cameron and the Conservatives and Unionist have the leadership, vision and energy to deliver the change the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, needs.

"We strongly welcome David's commitment to strengthen the Union and, through the relationship between the Conservatives and the Ulster Unionists to bring Northern Ireland into the mainstream of UK politics.

"That's what his invitation to join the government of Britain means.

"David Cameron's attitude stands in stark contrast to Gordon Brown and Shaun Woodward who believe the British Government should be neutral on the Union.

"It is clear that Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK need a government with a decisive mandate for change.

"That can't be delivered by the DUP who along with their SNP and Plaid Cymru allies are campaigning for the political and economic chaos of a hung Parliament that will put our recovery at risk.

"Only by backing the Conservatives and Unionists can people in Northern Ireland elect a Conservative and Unionist Government committed to the Union and to real change."

Conservatives and Unionists Radio Party Election Broadcast

Vote for Change

Our Party Election Broadcast (PEB) first broadcast on the Radio this morning (13 April 2010)



Watch out for our television PEB tonight!!

Sandra Overend meet small business representatives on business recovery

Along with Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Theresa May, Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Sir Reg Empey, and the rest of the team, I met with representatives of the Federation of Small Businesses.

I firmly believe that only the election of a new Conservative government will provide the confidence and support which the vital small business sector desperately needs and thus aid Northern Ireland’s economic recovery.  Mid-Ulster has long been an area where small-businesses have provided much needed employment and they have been badly hit by the recent economic crisis and cannot afford to wade into another era of Labour’s financial mismanagement.

Given that small firms employ more than 62 per cent of the private sector workforce in Northern Ireland, this is clearly an area that needs a great deal of care and attention.  I know that small businesses are instrumental in delivering economic recovery and contributing to unemployment rates, but this is dependant on them being enabled to succeed.

Small businesses can help lead the way out of this downturn, enable sustainable growth and create essential new jobs for Northern Ireland.