Fred highlights DUP hypocrisy over Civil Service cuts

Fred Cobain,

Conservatives and Unionists candidate for North Belfast

The recent street protest by NIPSA civil servants is the latest visible sign of DUP economic mismanagement.

Earlier this week they tried to scare the electorate with forecasts of cuts that would come if the Conservatives and Unionists win the forthcoming Election. Those claims were exposed as lies and if further proof were needed, it has emerged today in the shape of the NIPSA protests over fears that the DUP Environment Minister is about to cut 270 jobs in the Planning Service.

This is in addition to the £113 million of cuts which the DUP Finance Minister has imposed on the local Health budget in this financial year.

People are not stupid. They know the economy is in a bad way and they know that hard decisions will need to be taken.

But they also know that it is utter hypocrisy for the DUP to scare-monger about what the Conservatives and Unionists might do if they came to power, at the same time as DUP cuts are already crippling the Health Service and forcing civil servants onto the street.

At Stormont the Ulster Unionist Party has consistently warned the DUP about the black hole which had been allowed to develop in the Stormont budget, but the DUP's response was to deny reality and accuse us of being financially illiterate.

Peter Robinson is busy saying one thing on public spending - and printing entirely another in his manifesto wish list.

As recent events have shown, it is the DUP who are financially illiterate. Except it would seem when it comes to claiming Westminster expenses, munching their way through mountains of food or selling off plots of land.

Mike Nesbitt speaking at the Conservatives and Unionists manifesto launch

Lesley Maccaulay speaking at the Conservatives and Unionists manifesto launch

Ross says Northern Ireland has everything to gain from 25 year plan for businesses

Ross Hussey,

Conservatives and Unionists candidate for West Tyrone.

The shocking misreporting of what David Cameron actually said does nothing to assist the debate on how we achieve what everyone knows needs to be done - namely the rebalancing of the Northern Ireland economy and the growth of local enterprises.

The Conservatives and Unionists already have plans to help businesses employ more people - by cutting corporation tax, stopping labour's tax on jobs, and promoting more flexible employment so that work pays.

No one disputes the need to tackle the UK's national debt and make public services more efficient. The UK will pay £42billion on interest payments this year alone. That is money that will never be spent on health, education or infrastructure. If we do not get the national debt undercontrol interest rates will also go up hitting every mortgage holder in Northern Ireland. We also risk the long-term economic stability of the UK. You only have to look at Greece to see how badly it can go wrong if national debt ets out of control.

In direct contrast to the policy Labour would be forced to adopt, the Conservatives and Unionists want to develop a 25-year plan to re-build the private sector in Northern Ireland and move away from our dependence on public funding in a managed way. It is essential there are Conservatives and Unionists elected as MPs to ensure this remains high on any incoming government's agenda.

Thus, the choice at this election is again clear. We can have five years of chaotic and unplanned cuts under Labour with no voice for Northern Ireland, or we can have change and the development of a 25-year economic plan for growth under the Conservatives and Unionists directly influenced by MPs from Northern Ireland.

Danny asks for the DUP to clarify where they stand on public spending

Danny Kennedy,

Conservatives and Unionists candidate for Newry and Armagh 

The DUP's rejection of David Cameron's call to grow the private sector in Northern Ireland is a staggering rejection of previously stated DUP policy.

The DUP's confusion, however, does not stop there. On the issue of public spending the DUP leader has now explicitly contradicted his own manifesto, less than 1 week after its publication.

The opening paragraph of the DUP manifesto economy section states:

Growing the private sector is the key to economic success. It will be the private sector that will lead the UK into economic recovery. We need low interest rates and must reign back public spending and invest more wisely. Spending reductions must be pursued rather than seeking to increase taxes, though restricted spending cannot jeopardise recovery. A key priority of the next Government must be reducing debt. Public spending in recent decades, and particularly over the last two years in response to the recession, has caused the United Kingdom to be laden with exceptionally high levels of debt.

Yesterday, however, Peter Robinson totally refuted this stance and his previous statements on the size of the public sector in Northern Ireland. He said:

The public sector in Northern Ireland as a percentage of the population is of a similar size to elsewhere in the United Kingdom … We need more public funding.

The DUP must tell voters in Northern Ireland which position it actually stands for. Is it the "spending reductions" of their manifesto or the "more public funding" of yesterday's Peter Robinson statement?

First the DUP supported growing the private sector - now it appears to be against it. First the DUP called for spending restraint - now it wants more public money spent. When will the confusion and the flip-flops end

Sir Reg Empey at the Conservatives and Unionists manifesto launch

Sir Reg Empey,

Conservatives and Unionists candidate for South Antrim

For most of my political life manifesto launches in Northern Ireland have summed up how our politics was cut off from mainstream British politics.

Across all parties, we talked about what we would like to do ...

but it stopped there.  Why?

Because Northern Ireland was a place apart.  We had no real say in who would be Prime Minister of our country.  No meaningful role in the Mother of Parliaments.  No chance of being involved in the government of the United Kingdom.  Well, we have changed all that …

We, the two great parties who stand on this manifesto have already changed politics in Northern Ireland.  The Ulster Unionist Party - the party that ensured Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom.  The party which defended democratic values against the onslaught of terrorism during the dark years of the Troubles.  The party which took the courageous decision in 1998 to build the peace.

And our colleagues and friends in the Conservative Party.  The Conservative Party which governed the United Kingdom for most of the 20th century.  Stood firm during the Cold War, ended British decline and restored British pride.  And is now ready to give the decisive government required to lead our country out of recession.  

Our two great parties are now working together in partnership to build on these achievements.  And to end Northern Ireland's semi-detached status within the United Kingdom.

William Hague's presence with us demonstrates the Conservative and Unionist conviction that Northern Ireland is not a place apart - but an integral part of the United Kingdom.  Needless to say, you are once again very welcome to Northern Ireland.

This Conservatives and Unionists manifesto - a manifesto for a government of the entire United Kingdom - signals that the days are past when Northern Ireland was relegated to the window-ledge of the Union.  This is a manifesto to put Northern Ireland at the heart of the Union.  A manifesto which expresses unionism's historic belief in 'our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom'.

Others in this election tell us that Northern Ireland would be best served by a hung parliament.  It is hard to believe that self-proclaimed unionists are actually promoting this.  Not only would a hung parliament undermine the ability of a government to take the decisive action required to lead our country out of recession.  It would hand influence to the Scottish and Welsh nationalists, determined to break up the Union.  It would hand influence to the Lib Dems, determined to see the UK in the Euro and governed by a federal Europe.

Those of us who cherish the United Kingdom cannot be hoping for such an outcome.

Those of us who want to see our economy led out of recession and debt must be campaigning for a strong mandate for a Conservative and Unionist government.  Not the indecision and grubby back-room deals of a hung parliament.  

If we want to see change - real, meaningful change - in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom - it will only come through a Conservative and Unionist government.  The change that will restore economic prosperity.

And that, by the way, does mean - must mean - growing Northern Ireland's private sector.

Over the weekend we saw just how worthless are the words spoken by the other political parties on growing the private sector. The other parties argue against us.

Because we have the audacity to suggest that Northern Ireland should not be left on the window ledge of the British economy.  That we in this part of the United Kingdom should have the jobs and economic opportunity that come with a vibrant private sector.

I can't think of a better illustration to show how we must vote for change on 6th May.

The change that will put Northern Ireland at the heart of the Union.

The change that will deliver a government which is not neutral on the Union like Labour.

But passionately committed to our United Kingdom.

The change that will restore economic opportunity to all parts of the United Kingdom.

This is the change for which this Conservative and Unionist manifesto stands.

This is the change for which we - Conservatives and Unionists - stand.

So let's take this message right across Northern Ireland.

And take Northern Ireland into the heart of the Union.

Sandra welcomes Conservatives and Unionists commitment to female candidates

Sandra Overend, 

Conservatives and Unionists candidate for Mid-Ulster 

As Women’s Development Officer for the Ulster Unionist Party I have been well aware that there was a lack of female representatives at a senior level in the Party.

This is something which the Party has sought to address and I am delighted to say that this is now a thing of the past, as evidenced by the fact that we have four female candidates standing under the Conservatives and Unionists banner in the forthcoming Westminster Election.

Paula Bradshaw is standing in South Belfast, Lesley Macaulay is running in East Londonderry, Daphne Trimble is our candidate in Lagan Valley and I shall be contesting Mid-Ulster.

Indeed with four female candidates, that is four more than the DUP, who have in the past not been slow to criticise us on this very issue.

I myself have been keen to ensure that people are promoted on merit regardless of whether they are male or female – to do so would mean losing out on a great deal of talent.