WITH parties and individuals now jockeying for political position as Northern Ireland prepares to hold Assembly elections soon, there’s a lot to consider for an electorate keen to have their voices heard, but perhaps a little uncertain of where the would-be MLAs stand on a range of issues.
And so, over the coming weeks – starting today – we’ll be looking at the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA candidates running in our area, who were happy to talk to The Impartial Reporter’s Ciarán Flaherty, Jessica Campbell and Victoria Johnston about where they stand on several issues.

Topics
Whether on topics such as the current cost of living and energy crises, to the Northern Ireland Protocol, to ongoing health and education issues and other topics, the candidates across the political board have shared where they stand, and what their vision is for Northern Ireland and our area.
Featuring the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA candidates in no particular order, The Impartial Reporter asked each of them the following questions which arguably matter most, answered opposite, with the other candidates’ answers following in coming weeks.
Finally, no matter where you stand on these issues, and regardless of who you would like to support at the ballot box, please do cast your precious vote when the opportunity arises, and help to make sure that your voice is heard.

Question 1:Tell voters a bit about yourself – why are you in politics/how long for?

Question 2:From speaking to people in the constituency, what issues are affecting the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone?

Question 3:What will be the main issues you will be working on, if elected?

Question 4:How can Stormont work best for the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone?

Question 5:What will you bring as an MLA if elected?

Question 6: Why should people vote for you?
 

Answer 1: I have played a leading role in a series of campaigns and in the local renaissance of the trade union movement.
I think it is fair to say that I have gained a robust reputation for setting forth a cross-community Labour position on a wide variety of issues, including defending NHS services, banning fracking, exposing the historic sex abuse scandal, challenging the overflow of sewerage into the River Erne, demanding the return of a full-time fire station, raising the call for free school meals for all, and demanding a public inquiry into the Covid-19 care home scandal, to name but a few.

Answer 2: There are two stand-out issues: the cost of living crisis, which is very sharp, and the near collapse in local NHS services.
Others include the mental health crisis, the inadequacy of accommodation for domestic violence, and even the amount of homelessness caused by greedy landlords hiking up rents.

Answer 3: I will continue to expose and challenge the cuts and privatisation of our NHS and other public services; work with local campaigners and remain rooted in the trade union movement.
I will have a focus on raising issues such as the effective shutdown of our neonatal unit – threatening maternity services, and the collapse of GP and out-of-hours GP services locally.
I will argue for rent caps, more public housing, renationalisation under workers’ control of energy and other commanding height sectors to lower the cost of living burden and enable a Green transition. I’ll also seek to work with the trade unions to repeal legislation impeding the right to organise collectively and take industrial action to improve pay.
Stormont remains totally silent on these issues – that needs to change.

Answer 4: Stormont has never delivered for our area and the managed decline policy will continue unless there are new politics.
Our election should be about how our NHS is being dismantled and privatised before our eyes, or how working class people are having their living conditions eroded.
So long as Stormont is dominated by the politics of division, working class people can only lose out.
Every worker knows “unity is strength” and how bosses will do anything they can to divide and conquer so that workers have to settle for the crumbs.
It is the same in Stormont; they play divide and conquer to get through another election and then continue on as before. Until we change that, Stormont will continue to fail Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

Answer 5: I am an active trade unionist and a campaigner and would remain one, if elected.
I would be a very different MLA and will seek to use my position to build a trade union rooted in Labour politics, with people standing on a cross-community Labour platform in the upcoming Council elections to build the transformation of politics.
In addition, I will continue to fight on environmental issues of huge concern to Fermanagh and Tyrone.

Answer 6: I am the genuine alternative candidate. If I wasn’t elected, I would still be active in campaigns – I am not a career politician.
People have seen my approach and the challenge I am capable of mounting at Council level, and I would seek to do similar at Stormont.
I would bring the issues of workers and of Fermanagh and Tyrone to Stormont in a way that they just are not at present. My election is only part of what is needed – we need to build broad cross-community Labour politics. I want to encourage others to get involved in that.