Alliance Party Targets Assembly Seats

The Alliance Party has launched its election campaign at Belfast's Waterfront Hall.

Party Leader, David Ford said in his speech that they could make two or three Assembly election gains this would entitle them to another seat in the Stormont Executive.

Mr Ford stated: "We are ambitious enough to believe that we can increase both the number of Alliance councillors and our number of MLAs.

"Enough Assembly Members would guarantee a seat on the Executive under the current system for appointing Ministers. If I am returned as Justice Minister, that would mean two Alliance Ministers at the Executive table.

"Two Alliance Ministers, pledged to deliver change within their departments and to drive the Executive towards a new level of joined-up-government."

Mr Ford (pictured) also said the theme of their campaign this year was 'change' and that his party wanted to make changes to the Stormont system during the next assembly term, including cutting the number of departments.

"I believe the system has to change: I believe we have to have fewer MLAs and fewer departments. We need an executive which is formed as a voluntary coalition by a weighted majority.

"That will only happen when we persuade the people who currently hold a veto over it - the largest nationalist party - that we are doing that for reasons of good governance and it's not simply a mechanism to exclude them."

Mr Ford said his party wanted to achieve "genuine power-sharing" which would enable them to set about making "Real change that real people actually want."

Party members observed a moment's silence to reflect on the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr before launching their campaign.

(JG/BMcC)