WESTMINSTER 2010: Northern Ireland elections:THE SDLP has proposed a single corporation tax rate for the island of Ireland as part of a plan to create 42,000 jobs in the North over the next five years.
The party's manifesto, published yesterday, focuses on a number of issues, including tackling sectarianism and crime, improving the health service, and creating the conditions for Irish unity, but the dominant issue is the economy.
"We are hearing a four-letter word time and time again on the doorsteps - jobs," said new SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie.
Turning to electoral strategy, she was again dismissive of Sinn Féin's decision to withdraw its candidate, Alex Maskey, from the election in South Belfast, describing it as an "insult to the intelligence of the electorate".
Reducing corporation tax to 12.5 per cent to harmonise it with the Republic would help establish 12,000 jobs, she said. Corporation tax rates in the North vary between 21 per cent and 28 per cent, depending on company size.
A further 30,000 jobs could be created in sectors including tourism, renewable energy and the green sector, and through "additional investment in the employment-rich construction sector".
Ms Ritchie, striking a distinction with Sinn Féin - which refuses to takes its seats in the House of Commons - said the SDLP would fight to ensure the British government did not reduce the block grant to Northern Ireland. She said there would be opportunities for the party were there a hung parliament."Westminster is really important. Those who say it is not are wrong. Westminster sets the total Northern Ireland budget, and decides on many other social and economic issues which are not devolved. We need to be there," she said.
Northern Ireland needed more economic independence from Britain, and ultimately its own taxation and welfare regimes, she added. "Northern Ireland needs to be able to control more economic levers and retain the gains made through better economic management. We believe in devolution and want more of it."
Other tensions between the SDLP and Sinn Féin were evident when former leader Mark Durkan accused the rival party of telling "lies" about the SDLP's record, attendance and performance at Westminster.
"A party that spent years justifying actual assassination has no problem in its conscience at all about outright character assassination of another party," he said.
Ms Ritchie said Mr Maskey's decision to stand down in South Belfast, where the outgoing SDLP MP is Dr Alasdair McDonnell, was a Sinn Féin "stunt" designed to prompt unionist voters to rally behind one of the two unionist candidates in the constituency.
"Disguised to appear as an act of nationalist solidarity, Sinn Féin set out to ensure there would be a united unionist candidate so that they could achieve their real goal - to unseat Alasdair McDonnell, a man who has been an outstanding MP for all the people of the area."
She again rejected Sinn Féin calls for SDLP candidate in Fermanagh-South Tyrone, Fearghal McKinney, to withdraw to allow Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew a free nationalist run against the unity unionist candidate, Rodney Connor."How dare anyone suggest he should stand aside to facilitate a sectarian headcount in favour of someone who doesn't think Westminster is important and doesn't even intend to take their seat," she said.
Ms Ritchie, who is standing in South Down, said the SDLP believed "unambiguously" in a united Ireland. The party was campaigning for Northern party leaders to have speaking rights in the Dáil, for Assembly chairpersons and vice-chairpersons to have attendance and speaking rights on parallel Dáil committees, and for 11 members representing the North elected by the major Assembly parties sitting in the Seanad.
She also called for the re-establishment of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, which she described as a "forum for unity".
SDLP MANIFESTO MAIN POINTS
To create 42,000 jobs over next five years.
To create 12,000 of those jobs through the harmonisation of corporation tax with the South.
Tackling sectarianism through a comprehensive strategy on a shared future.
Restarting the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.
Giving Northern party leaders speaking rights in the Dáil.
Establishing a Northern panel in the Seanad appointed by main Northern parties.
Creating a special preventative health fund and stopping cuts to frontline health services.
Stiffer sentences for violent crime and more victim protection.