Galling hypocrisy of South Belfast’s part-time MP costs us all

South Belfast deserves a full-time MP, Alliance candidate Paula Bradshaw has said, not the current part-time, doubling jobbing representative who still splits his time between Stormont and Westminster – despite promises to the electorate. The Alliance Party’s South Belfast representative made the comments on the week an SDLP motion on the possibly of a hung […]

McCarthy welcomes Justice Minister’s comments on legal highs

Alliance Strangford MLA, Kieran McCarthy, has welcomed the pressure that the Justice Minister has put on the Home Office to ban so called legal highs, which is a matter that can only be legislated on at Westminster. Mr McCarthy also welcomed his commitment that he would seek an urgent meeting with the next Home Secretary […]

Lo angered by OFMDFM failure to take racial equality seriously

Alliance South Belfast MLA, Anna Lo, has criticised the failure of OFMDFM to answer several questions she has tabled on ethnic minority issues. She is still waiting for answers to seven Assembly questions, including one tabled in June 2014 asking when the revised Racial Equality Strategy will be implemented. Anna Lo MLA said: “It is […]

Alliance will not back any ‘in-out’ EU referendum

Alliance will oppose any potential ‘in-out’ referendum on Europe in the next Parliament, its East Belfast Westminster candidate Naomi Long has said. Mrs Long said Northern Ireland and the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU) was an important boost to our economy, with any potential withdrawal having a “devastating” impact on the community and […]

Long calls for renewed focus on freedom of and from religion

Alliance will call for a renewed focus on the right to freedom of and from religion in the new Parliament, one of the party’s candidates has said. East Belfast Westminster candidate Naomi Long said the entitlement had a strong link with other human rights and civil liberties, giving people other political, social, economic and cultural […]

Bradshaw disgusted by South Belfast sectarian hate crime

Alliance Belfast Councillor Paula Bradshaw has condemned those behind an attack on a house in the Walmer Street area of South Belfast that the Police are treating as a sectarian hate crime. A brick was thrown through the front window of the house on Sunday. Nobody was injured in the attack, but sectarian abuse was […]

Lo praises Employment Minister’s work to address economic inactivity

Alliance Employment and Learning Spokesperson, Anna Lo MLA, has welcomed the Employment and Learning Minister’s work to support the economically inactive enter and sustain employment if they voluntarily opt to do so. She was speaking after the Minister launched the ‘Enabling Success’ strategy with the Enterprise Minister. Anna Lo MLA said: “High rates of economic […]

Alliance to tackle planning loophole with greater transparency over donations

The Alliance Party has continued to push for openness and transparency when it comes to political donations, tackling the loophole that could see developers influence planning decisions under new Council powers. As it stands Councillors – who have inherited greater planning powers under local government reform – do not have to reveal if their parties […]

Ford says Ringland comments backs Alliance claims about opposition to pact

Alliance Leader David Ford has said that the remarks by Trevor Ringland in the News Letter have backed what Alliance has been saying about opposition to the pact in East Belfast. Mr Ringland, who stood in 2010 as a UUP-Conservative candidate, said that in a straight fight between Naomi Long and Gavin Robinson, he could […]

Long urges former S and R Electric employees to avail of Employment Service support

Naomi Long has encouraged the former employees of S and R Electric Ltd, also known as Sam’s Yer Man, to seek help from the Employment Service’s Redundancy Advice Service. It was announced on Wednesday that their two shops in East Belfast and Newtownards would close, with a loss of 20 jobs. Alliance East Belfast Westminster […]