Alliance Party Chief Whip, Kieran McCarthy MLA, has backed the General Consumer Council’s bid to prevent water charges. The General Consumer Council has launched a legal bid in the High Court to stop tap tax from being introduced here. Alliance is campaigning strongly to get the proposed water charges scrapped. The Strangford Assembly Member said: […]

Alliance Party Vice Chair Michael Long has condemned loyalists’ constant demands for funding, stating that any government money must go to helping those in loyalist areas who have suffered at the hands of the UDA and UVF. His comments come after loyalists launched a book yesterday and representatives of South East Antrim UDA demanded £8.5 […]

Alliance Party Spokesperson, Cllr Sara Duncan, has stated that the Ministers plan to help older people out of the rates crisis is not good enough. She stated that the rates system must be scrapped and replaced with a fair local income tax. David Hanson revealed his plan at a recent Age Concern event. The Castlereagh […]

Alliance Party Leader David Ford has said comments made by SDLP Leader Mark Durkan show up the SDLP’s position on designations and mandatory coalitions in the Assembly as “nonsensical sectarianism”. David Ford stated: “The SDLP position amounts to the idea that they should be allowed into government alongside parties they claim to have no faith […]

Alliance Party Spokesperson Alan Lawther has said that most teachers see taking time off for weddings during term time is unacceptable, and called on unions to make that position clear. Responding to a report that 1,000 teaching days are lost each year due to teachers having weddings during term time, the Antrim Councillor stated: “As […]

Alliance Party Spokesperson Cllr Tom Campbell has demanded that Ulster Unionist Leader, Reg Empey break the link between the UUP and the representatives of active paramilitaries immediately. His comments come in the wake of the IMC report stating they believe the UVF sanctioned the murder bid on Mark Haddock. The Newtownabbey Councillor said: ” For […]

Alliance Party Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy has slammed the hypocrisy of Ulster Unionists and the SDLP going on a trip to Scotland to discuss a “Shared Future” – having opposed a shared future in the Assembly. The Strangford MLA stated: “Not for the first time we hear Ulster Unionists saying one thing and doing another. […]

Alliance Party Vice Chair Michael Long has said the Ulster Unionists and SDLP are misleading people when they talk about a trip to Scotland “displaying courage and leadership” – noting that the Alliance Party has been going on such trips for years. The Castlereagh Councillor, who visited Scotland to study anti-sectarian policies with the Alliance […]

Alliance Party Spokesperson Jayne Dunlop has said the Government cannot cut back on essential services for immigrants, most obviously English language training. As concerns about the budget available for training teachers grow, the party’s Ballymena representative stated: “It is essential that immigrants coming here to contribute to our society and our economy are given every […]

Former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tom Ekin, has called on all parties to co-ordinate a coherent response to the rates crisis before next week’s talks at St Andrews. He stated that the Alliance solution of an income tax provides the best way to solve the rates crisis. Tom Ekin is making these points at a […]