Leaflet a sign of decency or desperation? Long

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 27th Apr 2005

Naomi Long MLA, Alliance East Belfast Westminster candidate, has stated that she has been inundated by complaints about a leaflet being circulated claiming to support Alliance but calling for people to vote Ulster Unionist.

Cllr Long stated: "This leaflet is deliberately branded in precisely the same way that Alliance brands its leaflets, yet has been published and distributed by a mysterious organization providing only a PO Box number which can be traced to the Holywood Road.

"Therefore, this has all the hallmarks of a dirty tricks campaign. I have taken advice and there may be criminal legal implications arising from this.

"In any normal election, it would be truly astonishing that any party to be ashamed of its record, and so unable to put its case to the electorate, that it should resort to hoax leaflets such as this containing misleading advice and false statistics. However, given what has already come to light during this campaign in terms of bribes, resignations and tricks, no one

should be too surprised.

"Clearly this is not a decent measure, but a desperate one. As the leaflet advocates voting Ulster Unionist, I would challenge Sir Reg Empey to check the facts behind this thoroughly and confirm that no part of his party was in any way involved with this."

ENDS