Other News In Brief

UUP Will Not Be Intimidated - Doug Beattie

Ulster Unionist leader, Doug Beattie, has said that his party would not be intimidated following an attack on his Portadown Constituency Office.

Mr Beattie said: "The attack on my office overnight is one of the inevitable consequences I have been warning about. My primary concern is for the welfare of my staff and this was a cowardly attack on their workplace which provides a service to the people of Upper Bann.

"What it will not do is deter me from carrying out my democratic work or speaking out when I have genuine concerns about the direction in which people are being led. Attacking offices and attempting to intimidate politicians demonstrates the weakness of your argument if that is what you have to resort to.

"We want to see the Protocol replaced and we have been expressing our consistent opposition to it since it was first mooted in October 2019, but where I differ with others is the way in which we approach that. I am a confident, positive unionist representing a party which will engage to bring about change. It is a political problem which will only be solved by finding a political solution.

"We respect the right of anyone to legally and peacefully protest. However tensions are rising, with some spokespeople at anti-Protocol rallies openly calling for people to get angry and to raise the temperature. Blood and thunder rhetoric from a lectern will not help nor solve the Protocol problem. This is exactly what we need to avoid. We need to learn the lessons of the past.

"If anyone thinks that they can intimidate me or the Ulster Unionist Party, they clearly don't know me or understand the party I represent."

Failure To Address Cost-Of-Living Crisis 'Morally Unforgivable' – Alliance

A failure to help people get through the cost-of-living crisis would be "morally unforgivable", Alliance Assembly candidate David Honeyford has said.

Lagan Valley candidate Councillor Honeyford said that inaction would result in further wider economic consequences in future.

Alliance has proposed a series of measures in its upcoming manifesto, including the introduction of a child payment scheme, rolling out a home heating support grant voucher scheme, bringing home heating oil within the remit of the Utility Regulator, reviewing the Executive's capacity to utilise further borrowing powers and retrofitting homes for renewable energy sources and insulation.

Councillor Honeyford said: "The ongoing cost of living crisis means many homes are already struggling to make ends meet, with inflation continuing to erode the value of wages and benefits.

"We have a moral obligation to provide assistance to those in poverty, which is a situation made worse by the cost of living crisis. Failure to do so would also result in further economic consequences down the line. Poverty levels and inequality in our society would increase, curtailing consumer spending, meaning more jobs being put at risk and living standards further reducing.

"In the long-term, we must mitigate cost of living pressures through job creation, productivity improvements, wage growth and more sustainable energy sources. However, we can also help people more immediately with Alliance's proposals.

"The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine will exacerbate rising energy and food costs. Urgent action is required to protect the most vulnerable people in our community to prevent lasting social and economic damage."

DUP Pledge To Introduce Cap On School Uniform Costs

The DUP has pledged to introduce a cap on school uniform costs to help families and to ensure we keep our schools world-class for every pupil.

The commitment is part of the DUP's five-point plan for Northern Ireland.

North Down Assembly Candidate Jennifer Gilmour said: "The cost of school uniforms is a significant burden for many families and it is one which in many cases is unnecessary and unreasonable. This situation is at its worst for some post-primary pupils where the total costs can run into several hundred pounds.

"Schools placing a uniform requirement in itself is not unreasonable, but it is particularly the requirement to purchase branded items and the use of limited suppliers which unnecessarily drives up costs. These branded items offer no practical benefit over any generic equivalent, but simply end up placing parents in significant financial difficulties. We know that over 70% of families feel under financial pressure due to these costs with three-quarters saying it has impacted their health and wellbeing.

"There are of course fantastic community-led schemes such as uniform exchanges which can offer assistance, but this is not a sustainable way to solve the problem. Similarly the grants available for some families are welcome, but in many cases they will only just about cover one item such as a blazer.

"The DUP has a 5-point plan to build a better Northern Ireland and to help families. As part of this we are calling for the the introduction of a cap on school uniform costs. Legislation has already been passed in other parts of the United Kingdom and we want to build on the lessons from that to see a maximum price here in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has world-class schools and parents should look at schools based on the educational outcomes and pastoral care, not based on whether they can afford the uniform or not. Similarly pupils should not feel stigmatised because they cannot afford all of the sometimes huge array of uniform and sportswear demanded by some schools."