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04/11/2019
UUP Stand Aside In North Belfast
The Ulster Unionist Party has confirmed it will not put forward a candidate in North Belfast for the upcoming Westminster election.
Sunday's announcement followed news that the DUP will stand aside in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and support the UUP's Tom Elliot in an attempt to re-take the seat.
The decision regarding North Belfast leaves Sinn Fein's John Finucane to contest the seat currently held by the DUP's Nigel Dodds.
Incoming leader of the UUP Steve Aiken said his party stood aside to afford the DUP greater chances of maintaining their unionist voice in Parliament. "It is better to elect Nigel Dodds in North Belfast and hold him to account for his promises on the Union than facilitate the election of an abstentionist Sinn Fein MP," Mr Aiken said.
"In the face of Boris Johnson's terrible deal which forces Northern Ireland towards the edge of the Union, we cannot gift a seat to Sinn Fein who support this direction either in North Belfast or Fermanagh and South Tyrone."
The decision follows a number of threats and intimidation attempts against Ulster Unionist members and staff.
Sinn Fein councillor and current Lord Mayor of Belfast, John Finucane appealed to anti-Brexit unionists to back him on 12 December.
The candidate said: "With the UUP withdrawing from this contest under pressure from loyalist paramilitaries, there is now no unionist candidate representing those who voted to remain in Europe.
"There are many unionists in north Belfast who voted against Brexit. These voters are not represented by Nigel Dodds, one of the chief architects of the Tory Brexit.
"The choice is clear between an Uber-Brexiteer or a candidate who will faithfully represent the views of the majority of people - unionist, nationalist and others - who reject the disaster of Brexit," Cllr Finucane concluded.
Meanwhile, Alliance has put forward its own candidate for North Belfast while the SDLP has taken the decision not to stand candidates in North Down, North Belfast and East Belfast in the hope of returning more pro-Remain MPs to Westminster in December.
Alliance's Nuala McAllister, the party's candidate for North Belfast, said the area requires inclusive leadership and the decision by Steve Aiken was an act of backtracking.
"Threats towards the UUP from any quarters have to be condemned as the anti-democratic crimes they are," she said.
"However, paramilitaries cannot be allowed to win. This backtracking by Steve Aiken is not only him caving in but also effectively bowing the knee to the DUP before he has even taken the reins of the UUP.
"North Belfast is one of the most divided parts of the city, and this situation has not improved under the term of the current DUP MP. Alliance offers the only fully inclusive solution with a strong anti-Brexit message, which we will voice in Parliament for all the people of the constituency."
(JG/CM)
Sunday's announcement followed news that the DUP will stand aside in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and support the UUP's Tom Elliot in an attempt to re-take the seat.
The decision regarding North Belfast leaves Sinn Fein's John Finucane to contest the seat currently held by the DUP's Nigel Dodds.
Incoming leader of the UUP Steve Aiken said his party stood aside to afford the DUP greater chances of maintaining their unionist voice in Parliament. "It is better to elect Nigel Dodds in North Belfast and hold him to account for his promises on the Union than facilitate the election of an abstentionist Sinn Fein MP," Mr Aiken said.
"In the face of Boris Johnson's terrible deal which forces Northern Ireland towards the edge of the Union, we cannot gift a seat to Sinn Fein who support this direction either in North Belfast or Fermanagh and South Tyrone."
The decision follows a number of threats and intimidation attempts against Ulster Unionist members and staff.
Sinn Fein councillor and current Lord Mayor of Belfast, John Finucane appealed to anti-Brexit unionists to back him on 12 December.
The candidate said: "With the UUP withdrawing from this contest under pressure from loyalist paramilitaries, there is now no unionist candidate representing those who voted to remain in Europe.
"There are many unionists in north Belfast who voted against Brexit. These voters are not represented by Nigel Dodds, one of the chief architects of the Tory Brexit.
"The choice is clear between an Uber-Brexiteer or a candidate who will faithfully represent the views of the majority of people - unionist, nationalist and others - who reject the disaster of Brexit," Cllr Finucane concluded.
Meanwhile, Alliance has put forward its own candidate for North Belfast while the SDLP has taken the decision not to stand candidates in North Down, North Belfast and East Belfast in the hope of returning more pro-Remain MPs to Westminster in December.
Alliance's Nuala McAllister, the party's candidate for North Belfast, said the area requires inclusive leadership and the decision by Steve Aiken was an act of backtracking.
"Threats towards the UUP from any quarters have to be condemned as the anti-democratic crimes they are," she said.
"However, paramilitaries cannot be allowed to win. This backtracking by Steve Aiken is not only him caving in but also effectively bowing the knee to the DUP before he has even taken the reins of the UUP.
"North Belfast is one of the most divided parts of the city, and this situation has not improved under the term of the current DUP MP. Alliance offers the only fully inclusive solution with a strong anti-Brexit message, which we will voice in Parliament for all the people of the constituency."
(JG/CM)
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