Castlereagh Alliance Group Leader Geraldine Rice has condemned the DUP’s move to form a pact in Castleragh Council with the UUP after the DUP lost their overall majority on the council. Cllr Geraldine Rice said: “This is a clear sign of panic from the DUP at the Alliance performance in Castlereagh and East Belfast. Sara Duncan and Michael Long topped their polls and so did Máire Hendron in Pottinger. “Alliance also took the most votes in Belfast City Council’s Victoria area and gained an extra seat there. We also gained extra seats in Castlereagh East and Central which has removed the DUP majority in the council. Peter Robinson is obviously deeply worried about this and hence the DUP’s move to form a tribal pact with the UUP on the council. “The creation of this tribal pact also shows how much Peter Robinson wants a shared future by excluding non-Unionists from positions in Castlereagh. Under pressure the DUP always reverts to the tribal and negative politics of the past. Their move in Castlereagh is very bizarrre given that at the same they are happy to share power with Sinn Fein at Stormont. “As for UUP, they have for years been DUP lapdogs and have in Castlereagh lost seats at every election for the past few terms going from 6 to a lowly 3 today as people realise a vote for the UUP is essentially a vote for the DUP. The only party of change in Castlereagh and everywhere else is Alliance. I wonder what tawdry little deal they will have dreamt up as they UUP jumped into bed with DUP “We will continue to work for fairness and equality in Castlereagh. This was a great election for Alliance and given the actions of the UUP and DUP I can see many more great results for Alliance in the future too.” ENDS