Alliance Party begins battle to hold East Belfast

The Alliance Party yesterday launched its campaign to retain its seat at Westminster by holding its "candidates' launch" in east Belfast.

The party's East Belfast MP and deputy leader Naomi Long said her victory against DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson in the 2010 election "was an important marker for progressive politics but the momentum and potential it created" needed to be built on in the May 7th poll.

She is under considerable pressure to hold on to her seat in this election as the Ulster Unionist Party, in an electoral pact, has agreed not to stand in the constituency, giving the advantage to the DUP candidate Gavin Robinson.

She said “the jubilation” following her election had “been somewhat dulled by the seemingly constant crises and talks in local politics, the lack of political leadership from other parties to deliver progress on difficult issues and the deliberately orchestrated flag protests, which have poisoned relations between communities.”

Union flag

While Alliance’s decision to support the vote that led to the limiting of the number of days the union flag flies at Belfast City Hall has caused problems for the party, Ms Long said it was not now an issue on the doorsteps.

“It’s not actually about the flag this time. Others may wish it were; it would make it a much easier campaign for some people if they could just wrap themselves in the flag and that was all that mattered, but I think the electorate are more sophisticated than that,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in what he described as the launch of the "people's pact" said his party was opposed to austerity both in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

He also made an implied attack on the DUP’s willingness in the event of a British hung parliament if they can get the right deal.

“Any parties which contemplate endorsing or supporting a cabinet of millionaires who are behind budget cuts, cuts to public services and cuts to social protections are ignoring the needs of the people in favour of narrow self interest,” he said.