Alliance response to collapse of the proposed nationalist pact in South Belfast

“The Green Party have belatedly recognised their own naivety in even considering pacts, and have become more desperate in doing in the past few days.

“To think Alasdair McDonnell, a socially conservative incumbent SDLP MP, would step aside in South Belfast or Sinn Fein would renounce their long-standing and counterproductive abstentionist policy was never realistic.

“The Green Party is now tainted from chasing a nationalist pact and their seeming desire to turn several constituencies into a sectarian headcount.

“Alliance has been clear from the outset in our rejection of pacts as a matter of principle and we have not been interested in giving any mixed message on that point from having any meetings on the matter.

“We remain happy to talk to any party on matters of common cause around policy matters, including on how we can avoid a hard Brexit and secure a special deal for Northern Ireland.”