A Democratic Unionist (DUP) party deal to prop up a minority Tory government next May would not be in the socio-economic interest of ordinary unionist voters, a shadow cabinet minister has warned.
Labour’s Northern Ireland spokesman, Ivan Lewis, has issued an appeal to the DUP not to back the Conservatives in the event of a hung parliament after the general election.
The DUP already has eight MPs at Westminster and is aiming to increase its number in the new House of Commons.
But ahead of the launch of a special commission to devise Labour policies aimed at helping those left behind by the peace process in Northern Ireland, Lewis pointed out that in the last election the Tories put up parliamentary candidates against the DUP.
Lewis said: “We are focused on winning an overall majority and we believe that that clarity is in the best interests of the people of the country. However, in the event of a closer election obviously other parties come into the equation.
“But I would remind the DUP that the Tory party more than any time in its history is representing the interests of the few against the many. And it is a Tory party that only five years ago fielded candidates here in Northern Ireland against the DUP. I think there are many many people in the DUP who have long memories about that and the arrogance of the Tories in assuming the DUP would join forces with them is extremely ill-conceived. “
On Labour’s new commission, Lewis said he was very concerned about those communities who have not benefited from peace and power-sharing at Stormont.
He cited the west bank of the Foyle in Derry, where there has been support for hardline dissident republicans, and loyalist east Belfast, which has produced many of the footsoldiers of the violent flag protests, as areas where there needs to be fresh investment.
Lewis said the Conservative policies of austerity were helping to drive young people without any social prospects into the arms of extremist forcesd. Such policies were also not in the interests of the average DUP voter.
Labour’s commission will be chaired by Prof Deirdre Heenan, pro-vice chancellor at Ulster University, and Colin Anderson, an advertising executive based in Belfast.
Supported by experts, they will release a report in February into social deprivation and suggest policies to tackle it. This will form the basis of the Labour party’s manifesto on Northern Ireland.
Lewis added: “We will use the findings to consider how the economic pact between the Westminster government and Northern Ireland executive can be developed to have a sharper focus on reducing inequality.
“At the heart of the next stage of Northern Ireland’s journey from conflict to a shared future must be a relentless focus on inequality. I am optimistic that the Heenan/Anderson commission will play an important part in identifying the policies which will make the greatest difference and ensure the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland feel they have a stake in a better future.”
Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, said on Wednesday that the chances of a deal between the political parties over outstanding post-peace process issues including flags, controversial marches and the legacy of the Troubles were slim.
Her warning followed several days of bitter exchanges between the two main parties, Sinn Féin and the DUP. At the weekend, DUP MP Gregory Campbell repeatedly mocked the Irish language and described Sinn Féin wishlists at the talks as “toilet paper”.
The leader of Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams, then on Monday described unionists who said were opposed to equality as “bastards”. Adams later apologised for using a swear word in his speech at Enniskillen.
Both parties have also come under fire from rivals over their alleged abuse of the expenses systems at Stormont that has emerged in two BBC Spotlight investigations.
The former chair of the Westminster Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, told the programme on Tuesday that the police should investigate the payment of £700,000 to a research company run by Sinn Féin party finance officers.
“That sounds to me very near fraud – fraudulent behaviour – and I would have thought was a very clear breach of even the current rules in Northern Ireland,” he said.
“And I would’ve thought was worthy of police investigation.”
