Alliance Unaware Of Economic Realities – UUP

Councillor John Stewart has said he is "amazed" by comments made by Alliance Party MLA Anna Lo.

In an interview earlier this week, Ms Lo voiced her support for a united Ireland, but her comments have divided her fellow politicians.

In response, UUP party member Stewart, said: "I was amazed at comments by the Alliance Party MLA Anna Lo in which she said that a united Ireland would be 'better placed economically, socially and politically.'

"Anna Lo is totally wrong on all three counts and her comments display a complete lack of awareness of economic realities.

"As a businessman I can assure her that Northern Ireland is far better served economically as part of the United Kingdom rather than as part of a united Ireland."

Mr Stewart, who is also deputy Mayor of Carrickfergus, went on to question whether the Alliance Party thought the Irish Government would supply the £8bn subvention Northern Ireland receives from London each year.

He continued: "Indeed since Partition, the Republic can hardly point to a legacy of economic success. Generation after generation of the Republic's citizens were forced to emigrate – ironically, many to Great Britain – to seek work and a better life.

"The presence of large Irish communities in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow are testament to the fact that hundreds of thousands of the Republic's own citizens certainly didn't believe that Ireland was or is a more viable economic option that the United Kingdom.

"Socially there is also no doubt in my mind that we are better off with the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom offers a more open, inclusive, multi-cultural, multi faith society, which I embrace and cherish.

"Politically, the Republic has had to come to terms with a legacy of corruption inquiries such as McCracken, Moriarty, Flood and Mahon. Are Alliance seriously suggesting we would have been better off under such a political system?

"The Alliance Party Leader David Ford needs to confirm very quickly if it is now official Alliance Party policy to call for a United Ireland and to make that clear to the electorate in advance of the Council and European elections."

(JP/MH)