Tory leader David Cameron visited Belfast yesterday to give a speech at an Ulster Unionist rally.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Conservative Party have formed a loose alliance known as the "Conservatives and Unionists."
The two parties will field joint candidates for elections to the House of Commons and the European Parliament and Cameron - who wishes to strengthen the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK - has insisted that should the Tories win the General Election then at least one Ulster Unionist will be in the British Government.
Yesterday, in Belfast, which straddles both County Down and County Antrim, Cameron told members of the Ulster Unionist Party, which is led by Sir Reg Empy, that the province will not face spending cuts.
Cameron told the UUP: "We will continue to fund Northern Ireland according to its needs, and we will tackle the deficit while protecting the essential frontline public services that we all rely on."
Northern Ireland is the part of the UK which is most reliant on public sector funding, more so even than socialist Scotland. The high dependency on public spending in NI, Wales and Scotland, far higher than in England, has lifted the UK from 23rd in the world for public spending to 6th.
It is unusual for a party leader to visit Northern Ireland as the province has separate political parties - though they still sit in the Commons - but the Tories have a foothold in Northern Ireland thanks to their alliance with the UUP.
Ulster would not face cuts - Cameron
David Cameron addresses a Conservative and Unionist rally in Belfast
The News Letter
04 May 2010
CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron has used a Belfast platform to outline his case to be the UK's next Prime Minister.
Mr Cameron was speaking during a ground-breaking election visit to the Province which was almost halted because of the danger to aviation posed by fresh clouds of volcanic ash from Iceland.
The Tory leader, who has forged an electoral pact with the Ulster Unionist Party, used his visit to back candidates standing on a joint Conservative/UUP ticket and to reassure Ulster voters that a Tory administration would not target the province for cuts.
Mr Cameron said: "We will continue to fund Northern Ireland according to its needs, and we will tackle the deficit while protecting the essential frontline public services that we all rely on."
The Tory leader also reiterated his view that he "would not be neutral on the Union" and vowed to do all he could, if elected as Prime Minister, to resolve the long-standing PMS crisis.
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/BELF/TH1_45201016ELECTION Tories 134822.JPG
David Cameron, hoping to be Northern Ireland's new Prime Minister, arrives in Belfast despite the volcanic ash
In his address to a rally in County Down he also made clear his determination as polling day approaches to rise above the political scrapping of the campaign and to present himself as a unifying figure who can represent the whole nation, regardless of race, gender or sexuality and regardless of whether they are part of a group - such as the poor or public sector workers - who have traditionally backed Labour.
"Let me tell you what we're fighting for," the Tory leader said.
"We're not fighting Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg in this election.
"We're fighting poverty, we're fighting disadvantage, we're fighting blocked opportunity in our United Kingdom.
"We're fighting for people.
David Cameron addresses the Conservative and Unionist rally in Belfast yesterday
"We're fighting for the couples who can't afford to own their own home.
We're fighting for all the children growing up in homes where nobody works and sometimes haven't worked for generations. We're fighting for all those who are held back because of their race, their gender or their sexuality.
"We're fighting for all the businesses trying to stay afloat, trying to get on. We're fighting for all the parents who can't find a good school for their kids. We're fighting for all those who are trying to make ends meet, month after month.
"We're fighting for the nurse or the doctor or the police officer covered in red tape who just wants to do their job. We're fighting for the pensioner who's saved and doesn't want to have to sell his home to pay for his care.
"We're fighting for everyone who just wants to do the right thing, to do the best for their families and to make a difference to their country.
"That's why we're fighting for change. That's why we're fighting to win."
Sir Reg Empey is the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
Mr Cameron's decision to campaign in Northern Ireland is highly unusual for the leader of one of the mainstream parties, which have previously left the fight for votes there largely to the provincial parties.
His flying visit forms part of a 36-hour non-stop whirlwind tour taking in all corners of the UK, which will see him campaign through the night, meeting bakers, fishermen and others who work through the early hours.
www.newsletter.co.uk
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Conservative Party have formed a loose alliance known as the "Conservatives and Unionists."
The two parties will field joint candidates for elections to the House of Commons and the European Parliament and Cameron - who wishes to strengthen the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK - has insisted that should the Tories win the General Election then at least one Ulster Unionist will be in the British Government.
Yesterday, in Belfast, which straddles both County Down and County Antrim, Cameron told members of the Ulster Unionist Party, which is led by Sir Reg Empy, that the province will not face spending cuts.
Cameron told the UUP: "We will continue to fund Northern Ireland according to its needs, and we will tackle the deficit while protecting the essential frontline public services that we all rely on."
Northern Ireland is the part of the UK which is most reliant on public sector funding, more so even than socialist Scotland. The high dependency on public spending in NI, Wales and Scotland, far higher than in England, has lifted the UK from 23rd in the world for public spending to 6th.
It is unusual for a party leader to visit Northern Ireland as the province has separate political parties - though they still sit in the Commons - but the Tories have a foothold in Northern Ireland thanks to their alliance with the UUP.
Ulster would not face cuts - Cameron
David Cameron addresses a Conservative and Unionist rally in Belfast
The News Letter
04 May 2010
CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron has used a Belfast platform to outline his case to be the UK's next Prime Minister.
Mr Cameron was speaking during a ground-breaking election visit to the Province which was almost halted because of the danger to aviation posed by fresh clouds of volcanic ash from Iceland.
The Tory leader, who has forged an electoral pact with the Ulster Unionist Party, used his visit to back candidates standing on a joint Conservative/UUP ticket and to reassure Ulster voters that a Tory administration would not target the province for cuts.
Mr Cameron said: "We will continue to fund Northern Ireland according to its needs, and we will tackle the deficit while protecting the essential frontline public services that we all rely on."
The Tory leader also reiterated his view that he "would not be neutral on the Union" and vowed to do all he could, if elected as Prime Minister, to resolve the long-standing PMS crisis.
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/BELF/TH1_45201016ELECTION Tories 134822.JPG
David Cameron, hoping to be Northern Ireland's new Prime Minister, arrives in Belfast despite the volcanic ash
In his address to a rally in County Down he also made clear his determination as polling day approaches to rise above the political scrapping of the campaign and to present himself as a unifying figure who can represent the whole nation, regardless of race, gender or sexuality and regardless of whether they are part of a group - such as the poor or public sector workers - who have traditionally backed Labour.
"Let me tell you what we're fighting for," the Tory leader said.
"We're not fighting Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg in this election.
"We're fighting poverty, we're fighting disadvantage, we're fighting blocked opportunity in our United Kingdom.
"We're fighting for people.
David Cameron addresses the Conservative and Unionist rally in Belfast yesterday
"We're fighting for the couples who can't afford to own their own home.
We're fighting for all the children growing up in homes where nobody works and sometimes haven't worked for generations. We're fighting for all those who are held back because of their race, their gender or their sexuality.
"We're fighting for all the businesses trying to stay afloat, trying to get on. We're fighting for all the parents who can't find a good school for their kids. We're fighting for all those who are trying to make ends meet, month after month.
"We're fighting for the nurse or the doctor or the police officer covered in red tape who just wants to do their job. We're fighting for the pensioner who's saved and doesn't want to have to sell his home to pay for his care.
"We're fighting for everyone who just wants to do the right thing, to do the best for their families and to make a difference to their country.
"That's why we're fighting for change. That's why we're fighting to win."
Sir Reg Empey is the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
Mr Cameron's decision to campaign in Northern Ireland is highly unusual for the leader of one of the mainstream parties, which have previously left the fight for votes there largely to the provincial parties.
His flying visit forms part of a 36-hour non-stop whirlwind tour taking in all corners of the UK, which will see him campaign through the night, meeting bakers, fishermen and others who work through the early hours.
www.newsletter.co.uk
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