Bill Manwaring, candidate for West Belfast in the general and assembly elections, has joined the Northern Ireland Conservatives. The organisation is in the process of reconstituting as a mainstream, centre-right, pro-Union party, which has significant powers and autonomy within the UK Conservative Party.
“I’m committed to making Northern Ireland the very best it can be, for all of the people here, and that’s why I’ve joined the Northern Irish Conservatives”, Bill explained. “The new party will put Northern Ireland back where it belongs, at the centre of national politics and it also offers a fresh, centre-right approach which can transform local politics.”
“There’s a growing constituency of people who now vote, without enthusiasm, for the same old faces, or who have given up voting at all. We want to appeal to those people and address the day to day issues which they care about. The new party will give voters a meaningful say on issues which are decided at Westminster, like taxation and foreign policy and it will offer a different, common-sense, centre-right approach to local matters.”
“Northern Irish Conservatives stand for a culture of enterprise and entrepreneurship which can grow our economy and create jobs. We stand for tackling welfare dependency and the social problems which it creates. We stand for a common-sense attitude to health, which prioritises services and outcomes, rather than institutions or buildings. And we stand for a shared-future, rather than a shared out future.”
“I can’t wait to explain that vision to the people of Northern Ireland and to the people of North and West Belfast.”
Northern Ireland Conservative chairman, Irwin Armstrong, welcomed Bill to the party. “Bill has done an extraordinary job in West Belfast, working hard on the ground for local people, and that’s been reflected in the way that he has built up his vote. He epitomises the tireless approach of hard work within communities, which the new Northern Irish Conservative party intends to employ.”
“I look forward to working with Bill in order to make mainstream, centre-right politics in Northern Ireland a success, for everyone here.”