Northern Ireland Conservatives’ spokesperson, David Symington, has called the SDLP’s plans to regularly swap executive ministers “selfish and disrespectful to voters”.
“Alasdair McDonnell says that the SDLP will rotate its executive ministry every 18 months, in order to strengthen the party. His plan shows startling disregard for the people of Northern Ireland. Voters are entitled to expect ministers who are picked on merit.”
“The chief priority for any party selecting a minister should be to ensure that the right person is nominated for the job, in order to provide the very best government possible for Northern Ireland. Instead McDonnell proposes to use the executive table as a kind of training programme for SDLP representatives and as a sop to keep various personalities in his party happy.”
“Sinn Féin and the DUP already take a similarly slap-happy approach to selecting ministers and it’s disappointing to see the SDLP follow suit.“
“In contrast, the new Northern Irish Conservative party, which will be constituted over the next weeks and months, will always put the interests of the people of Northern Ireland over the interests of the party.”
“We will offer a common-sense, issue-focussed alternative to the current parties at Stormont and the self-centred, incestuous approach to politics which Alasdair McDonnell’s latest plans neatly encapsulate.”