Orange v green is stale - New battle in local politics is against segregation

1.44.55pm GMT Mon 14th May 2007

Lagan Valley Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn

Lagan Valley Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn has said that since devolution day, they dynamics of local politics has changed. With the DUP and Sinn Fein forming an Executive with tribal second-string parties, the UUP and SDLP, the new battle is not unionism v nationalism, it is now segregation v integration.

The Mayor of Lisburn said: "Now that the DUP and Sinn Fein have formed an Executive together with the tribal reserve teams, the UUP and SDLP, local politics is not simply about nationalism and unionism any more. Local politics is now about the segregationist stance of the Executive parties versus integrationist policy of our United Community Group. We have a strong opposition group which will hold the Executive to account, aim to end segregation and create a genuine shared future.

"We don't care about united Ireland or United Kingdom, our goal is a united community.

"The tribal Executive only offers a carve up combined with further division. This is no way to govern Northern Ireland, so we will pile the pressure on the Executive to ensure a fair deal for everyone.

"Segregation costs taxpayers 1 billion pounds every year. Alliance has identified the savings to be made by ending segregation and re-directing expenditure to priority areas. Other parties have ignored the need to end segregation for decades and refused to acknowledge the social and financial benefits of this move."

ENDS