NI Conservatives’ chairman, Irwin Armstrong, has criticised the Labour leader’s comments implying that his party will not become involved in politics in Northern Ireland. Ed Miliband said he was ‘very wary’ of standing candidates in elections here, in response to a question at the Labour Party’s annual conference, in Manchester.
“It’s bitterly ironic that Mr Miliband attempted to paint Labour as a party for ‘One Nation’ just before announcing its decision to exclude Northern Ireland from centre-left, national politics”, Irwin pointed out. “Clearly this concept does not extend to citizens from this part of the UK”.
“Anyone with a grasp of history will appreciate that building ‘One Nation’ has always been a Conservative idea. It seems that the Conservatives are also still the only national party committed to normalising politics in Northern Ireland and giving voters here a say in who forms the government at Westminster.”
“The NI Conservatives are a Northern Irish party, with a common-sense, centre-right take on Stormont politics, but we’re also a full part of the national Conservative Party, which is committed to offering voters in Northern Ireland politics from the council chamber to the cabinet table. We’re confident that many people here support our values of rewarding hard work, protecting the vulnerable, helping business create jobs and building a strong, integrated community.”
“We would have welcomed a debate about these matters with the Labour Party on the basis of its alternative vision, but, unfortunately, it appears that its leadership doesn’t wish to engage with people in Northern Ireland. That’s deeply disappointing, deeply condescending, but hardly surprising from a party which has never shown any desire to include people from this part of the Kingdom in UK politics.”