NI Conservatives spokesman, Bill Manwaring, has said that the Shadow Secretary of State’s ‘fraternal’ appearance on an SDLP platform is a blow for local Labour Party activists.
“During the Labour Party conference Ed Miliband admitted that he was ‘very wary’ of standing candidates in Northern Ireland”, Bill pointed out. “Now Vernon Coaker has relayed ‘fraternal greetings’ to the SDLP conference, implying that Labour prefers to offer its support to the nationalist party, rather than giving voters here the choice of a national, centre-left platform.”
“That will be a blow to local Labour Party activists, who have already found themselves at odds with their party leadership on the issue of Corporation Tax cuts. Currently Conservatives remain the only national party who are committed to normalising politics in Northern Ireland and who believe people here deserve a say in who forms the government at Westminster.”