The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

Opposition must get fair say

6.20.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th May 2006

Portrait-yellow: LONG Naomi (photography: Allan Leonard)

Alliance Deputy Leader Naomi Long MLA

Alliance Deputy Leader Naomi Long MLA has said the Opposition must get a fair say when the Assembly in reconstituted.

The East Belfast Assembly member stated: "Alliance is the only Opposition party in the Assembly. This must be recognised to enable the Assembly to operate democratically.

"The people of Northern Ireland must not be denied the right available in any other democracy to differentiate between the parties in Government, and the parties in Opposition.

"Alliance is not going into this Assembly to provide a link between warring parties in Government. It is going in to provide a clear alternative.

"The four governing parties will seek to promote the politics of a divided community. We will seek to promote a united community. That difference must be clearly displayed to the public, so they can make a choice between the two."

ENDS

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