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Allister confident of strong poll performance but complains at exclusion from TV debate
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister has struck a confident note about his party’s performance at the polls.
Mr Allister said the TUV has had a good election “where it mattered — on the doorsteps”.
“I have yet to meet a voter able to argue against our unanswerable demand that as in Wales and Scotland, and everywhere else in the democratic world, voters in Northern Ireland should be able to vote a party out of office and have an opposition in their devolved Assembly,” he said.
“I also find that very many unionists recognise TUV as their best insurance policy against further runaway concessions to IRA/Sinn Fein, recognising that a strong TUV keeps the DUP and others looking over their shoulder.
“So, my expectations of polling day are high as we look forward to the next successful stage in rebuilding traditional unionism as the bulwark for democracy and stability which it has always been.”
The TUV leader, who is challenging the DUP’s Ian Paisley Jnr in North Antrim, also complained about not being involved in last night’s televised leaders’ debate on BBC1 NI.
Alliance and the Green Party have also protested at their exclusion from the main line-up. The three parties took part in a follow-up programme after the debate.
The Green Party stressed its goal of building a “new Northern Ireland for all”.
“Only the Green Party can deliver a Green New Deal that will see the creation of thousands of jobs across Northern Ireland,” the party’s North Down candidate Steven Agnew said.
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No offence Mr Monteith, but the DUP have been chest beating and arrogant for years in their post election triumphalism. Therefore the acorn hasn't fallen far from the tree. So, what exactly is Junior offering voters in North Antrim, his pamphlet tells me nothing.....nothing on jobs, nothing on education, nothing on economy. Ballymoney has lost 2000 manufacturing jobs in the last 15 years. What did Snr do to alleviate this. Nothing...
Undecided unionist voter
Posted by Undecided | 06.05.10, 08:02 GMT
"best insurance policy against further runaway concessions to Sinn Fein, recognising that a strong TUV keeps the DUP and others looking over their shoulder."
Delusions to be sure but that was why you weren't there, Senator Palpantine.
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 05.05.10, 18:13 GMT
The TUV offer nothing except an opportunity to further Jim Allister's personal and purile vendetta against the DUP. For as long as I can remember he has felt the DUP was somewhat beneath his intellect and left in his personal petulence some years ago when he was asked to withdraw from an election for the greater good of unionism.
When he was taken back and given the Euro role by the party, he did not even have the common manners to acknowledge the service Dr Paisley had given in that role for many years. His post-election speech he did not even have the good grace to mention the name of his pre-decessor in the role, he just engaged in a rant of chest beating and self praise.
The Bible says "pride cometh before a fall"
Posted by Darrell Monteith | 05.05.10, 14:43 GMT
As someone who cannot abide Mr.Allister or his party, I would nonetheless, like to see him take a number of seats in the assembly.All deals currently agreed would be dismantled and we would all be back to Square One. This party keeps rabbiting on about not going into government with terrorists and by this I guess they means Sinn Fein.
This would mean that the Sinn Fein mandate,quite sizable, and those of their supporters would be meaningless and all Nationalists would be put on the back burner, as in days of yore. Serious reality checks are now needed within Unionism if they really believe that ordinary Nationalist people will allow this to happen ever again. TUV, if successful, will galvanise Nationalism like never before and the struggle for all will become harder.In the longer term it may well be for the greater good.
Posted by HC | 05.05.10, 08:30 GMT