ALEX EASTON MP QUESTIONS ALLIANCE PARTY LEADER’S CALL FOR BORDER POLL CRITERIA
Alex Easton MP has today questioned why the leader of the Alliance Party, who claims to represent the “middle ground” in Northern Ireland politics, is now echoing nationalist demands for a border poll.
Mr Easton stated:
“The recent call by Alliance Party leader Naomi Long for the Secretary of State to outline the criteria for a border poll raises serious questions about where the so-called ‘middle ground’ party truly stands. For a party that claims to bridge the divide, this sounds much more like an attempt to court nationalist sentiment than to represent genuine moderation.”
“At a time when the people of Northern Ireland want stability, better public services, and a focus on issues that affect everyday life, it is deeply disappointing to see the Alliance Party giving oxygen to divisive constitutional debates. Is this the last hurrah from Naomi Long as leader, as her party’s vote begins to slip and soft unionists increasingly see through the pretence of being neutral?”
Mr Easton also criticised the Alliance Party’s voting record in the Northern Ireland Assembly:
“Let us not forget that the Alliance Party voted alongside Sinn Féin and other nationalist parties to remove the word ‘innocent’ from a motion dealing with victims of the Troubles. That decision spoke volumes about where their priorities truly lie. Actions like this show that the Alliance Party is far from being a neutral voice — they are taking positions that alienate the very people they claim to represent.”
Mr Easton concluded:
“The people of Northern Ireland deserve honesty from their politicians. The Alliance Party cannot continue to pretend to be both unionist and nationalist, nor to claim to represent the middle ground while consistently siding with nationalism on key votes. It’s time for them to come clean with the electorate about where they really stand.”
Alex Easton MP
Member of Parliament for North Down
