My response to your questions

It has been a busy couple of weeks but we are heading into the final stretch. I wanted to take the time before you go to the polls to answer some of the questions you might have. After receiving quite a few questions we set up a page where you can read my answers. ('Your Questions' can be found within the main menu). One issue in particular that I want to address is that of paramilitaries.

Historically, UVF/RHC ex-prisoners were linked with the PUP. The PUP has always been primarily a party for people, for working people, who found themselves ignored by other political parties.

These members have been and continue to be committed to finding ways to create a peaceful future. The PUP wants to lead the way forward through conflict transformation, through improving communities, and by empowering people

To condemn paramilitaries is simple; we take on a far more difficult role than our political opponents. In attempting to engage with all sections of our community to bring about a better Northern Ireland, we have never hidden from that fact or our responsibility to help Northern Ireland achieve its potential.

We are witnessing the end of history. Only by achieving a sustainable peace and an accountable democracy can we bring about an end to paramilitarism. I want to thank all of you for taking a look around the site, for supporting my candidacy and for going out to vote Wednesday.

Welcome and why I am here

What a rollercoaster ride it is has been! In the last couple months, I
have laughed and cried as we said good-bye to David Ervine, a dear
friend, and mentor, in my life. David inspired us in life and now in
death. He wanted people to move away from fear and towards peace—a new
dawn. That is the message guiding my campaign.

This is an election unlike any other I have seen in my lifetime.
Although the question of power-sharing lurks in the background, there
is the comforting sense that the Assembly will resume. Standing on
doorsteps all over East Belfast, I hear instead the worry about
quality of life issues.

We all crave an accountable democracy, we all want our politicians to
tackle the issues that impact us on a day-to day basis, we all want to
hear about the real things, like education, housing, and poverty. I am
talking about those issues because we want to move our city and our country
forward.

On this blog I will be telling you where I stand on the issues you
care about. I will talk about my experiences and your needs and
hopefully together, with your first-preference vote on March 7th, we
can bring about the change that David Ervine envisioned for Northern
Ireland.