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Good morning John
As we get ready to knock doors next week across Northern Ireland, we go to the doors with a record of delivery on issues such as childcare, victims of terrorism and help for pensionersand with a range of other campaigns running.
The DUP is the Party for Northern Ireland, we will always work to make Northern Ireland the best it can be. We are advocates for the people who elect us regardless of whether that view is popular with the TV commentators. We are focused firmly on making NI work and thereby securing the Union.
Meeting the Secretary of State this week alongside
Michelle McIlveen MLA and Carla Lockhart MP
This week once again shone a light on the misguided priorities of some parties in our Executive.
On Tuesday, the Assembly voted, despite our opposition, to spend £1 million per year on a new Climate Change Commissioner for Northern Ireland. That’s £1 million that could have gone towards reducing health waiting lists, improving SEN provision in our schools, further tackling the environmental crisis in Lough Neagh, or investing in much-needed infrastructure.
Those supporting this lavish new quango couldn’t even say what this Commissioner would do that isn’t already being done.
If it weren’t so serious, it would be laughable. But it’s not. A blank cheque has been signed off to appease net zero populism, without taking account of cost or consequence.
Read Emma-Little Pengelly’s platform piece on why
we oppose a NI Climate Change Commissioner here ([link removed])
We also had a revealing insight into how our current Sinn Fein Economy Minister views her responsibilities. When challenged this week by our Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley on the tariffs issue and how Northern Ireland is vulnerable should the EU and US engage in tit-for-tat action, the Minister’s priority was not the Northern Ireland economy, but rather the “all-island economy.” That’s not just disappointing, it’s irrational.
In the same Committee meeting, our North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett asked the Economy Minister if any employer had contacted her in support of her draft Good Jobs Bill. He received a long-winded answer but no indication any employers backed the draft bill which will lumber employers with more red tape.
Northern Ireland deserves an Economy Minister who is focused first and foremost on the Northern Ireland economy. The clue is in the job title. We cannot afford to have Ministers who would rather bat for another team or try to play for both sides. We need leadership across each Department that puts Northern Ireland first. That’s what the community expects from our Economy Minister.
These two examples, wasting £1m on a pointless role, and an Economy Minister who won’t commit to prioritising our economy, expose the very real challenges we face in making the kind of progress I want for Northern Ireland.
The same parties that cry about underfunding and the pressures on our public services are the ones who support vanity projects over what really matters to working people across Northern Ireland. How can we make a genuine pitch to Treasury for more funding for our public services, when we see such obvious examples of wasted taxpayers’ money?
Faced with these challenges, we will continue to stand up for common sense. We will fight to ensure that every penny of public money is spent wisely and on priorities that matter to you and your family - not squandered to appease a narrow or flawed political agenda that ignores realities faced by every home in Northern Ireland.
Have a good weekend.
Rt Hon Gavin Robinson MP
DUP Leader
** Weekly review with Brian Kingston MLA
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