Irwin Armstrong, NI Conservatives chairman, has pledged that the NI Conservatives will become the opposition to the carve-up at Stormont, which the current system lacks. He spoke after Mike Nesbitt was elected UUP leader on a platform of remaining in the Executive.
“Today’s contest means that there is still no effective opposition to the cosy consensus at Stormont, it confirms a complete lack of direction from the smaller executive parties and it demonstrates that there is no viable alternative for voters in Northern Ireland, among the stale old slate of options”, Irwin explained. “We at the NI Conservatives intend to change that. We will offer effective opposition to the current carve-up, which now includes 5 parties.”
“The NI Conservatives will be the common sense, centre-right alternative for voters in Northern Ireland. We will continue to question ceaselessly the waste, economic illiteracy and lack of direction which characterises this Executive, while backing it whenever it gets things right. We will stand candidates for the Assembly who pledge not to enter government on anything other than the NI Conservatives’ terms.”
“People in Northern Ireland are crying out for an alternative, for a party to hold the Executive to account, for an opposition voice. We invite everyone who wants to deliver that change to join the NI Conservatives.”