18.2.05
Irelandclick.com
Fury at UUP leaflet
by Joe Nawaz
A controversial new campaign leaflet distributed by the Ulster Unionist Party implies that Catholics are less industrious than Protestants, denies that nationalists are the victims of employment discrimination and claims that the PSNI will become ‘unfair’ with a 50/50 religious quota.
The leaflet, entitled ‘It’s Not Fair’, features a list of areas in which the UUP claim that unionists are losing out to nationalists.
Representatives across the political spectrum united this week to condemn the leaflet, which many see as an opportunistic attempt to win ground from the DUP.
Water charges, the leaflet states, will affect unionists more because "rates and water charges will be based on the capital value of your home, penalising those who have worked and saved to own their home."
Jim Barbour, spokesperson for the ‘We Won’t Pay’ anti-water charges campaign refuted the leaflet’s allegations and described its authors as "reprehensible".
"This is utterly abusive. Never mind religion – people, rich and poor, across the board will be affected by the water charges.
"I am disgusted that the UUP would stoop to these levels."
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A controversial new campaign leaflet, distributed by the Ulster Unionist Party, has upset a leading anti-water charges campaigner who says he’s “disgusted” that the party would “stoop to these levels” while South politicians have angrily lashed the flier as “offensive” and “hateful”
Jim Barbour, spokesperson for the ‘We Won’t Pay’ anti-water charges campaign has refuted claims contained in a new Ulster Unionist Party election leaflet and described its authors as "reprehensible".
The leaflet’s most contentious claim is that unionists will be particularly badly affected by water charges because they have “worked and saved to own their home.”
"This is utterly abusive. Never mind religion – people, rich and poor, across the board will be affected by the water charges,” said Jim Barbour.
"I am disgusted that the UUP would stoop to these levels."
On alleged discrimination against state schools, the leaflet claims, "proposed school budgets will reduce yearly funding in the state sector by three pounds per pupil and increase funding in the maintained (Roman Catholic) sector by five pounds per pupil."
The controversial pamphlet goes on to claim that employment discrimination against Nationalists in the North is a "lie".
"The government accepts the republican lie alleging discrimination against nationalists.
"It’s time for the Equality Commission to publicly state that there is no discrimination against Catholics."
South Belfast MLA Alex Maskey dismissed the leaflet as “offensive” and said he was amazed at its use of language.
"For a start, their assertions are incorrect, sectarian and very dangerous and divisive.
"In areas like education, there has been a lot of cross-party co-operation to fight budget cuts and to get a better deal for all our children,” he said.
The South Belfast councillor added: "For them now to come out with this is disgraceful. Catholics pay rates and work hard as well and for them to say that we are getting a better deal is simply ridiculous.
"This leaflet is deeply offensive to an entire community."
Cllr Maskey went on: "How does this hateful language square with their new-found, bleeding-heart despair for their own community?
"I despair at the maturity at these people – the bottom line is that this is offensive and sectarian and will do a lot of damage."
A UUP insider said that he believed that the party was wrongly attempting to "outdo the DUP".
"I got this through my letter box a few days ago,” he said.
"I couldn’t believe it. Even if you ignore the sectarian aspect of the comments, for us to attack the British government after we called for direct rule is hypocritical at best.
"This is not going to win any voters back from the DUP and it certainly won’t appeal to our own voters."
Prospective Alliance councillor for Laganbank, Allan Leonard, said that he found the wording of the leaflet remarkable.
"I can’t understand the mentality at work here. The UUP have produced a hateful and ludicrous document. To imply that Protestants have less rights than Catholics is just crazy and harmful.
"Is this the kind of stuff that the UUP will be producing from now on?"
Speaking from the UUP headquarters yesterday, an Ulster unionist spokesperson denied accusations that the leaflet was sectarian.
"The intention of the leaflet is certainly not to be divisive. It is flagging up legitimate concerns that ordinary unionist people hold.
"If people choose to see it as sectarian, then that is their choice," he said.
Journalist:: Joe Nawaz
Fury at UUP leaflet
by Joe Nawaz
A controversial new campaign leaflet distributed by the Ulster Unionist Party implies that Catholics are less industrious than Protestants, denies that nationalists are the victims of employment discrimination and claims that the PSNI will become ‘unfair’ with a 50/50 religious quota.
The leaflet, entitled ‘It’s Not Fair’, features a list of areas in which the UUP claim that unionists are losing out to nationalists.
Representatives across the political spectrum united this week to condemn the leaflet, which many see as an opportunistic attempt to win ground from the DUP.
Water charges, the leaflet states, will affect unionists more because "rates and water charges will be based on the capital value of your home, penalising those who have worked and saved to own their home."
Jim Barbour, spokesperson for the ‘We Won’t Pay’ anti-water charges campaign refuted the leaflet’s allegations and described its authors as "reprehensible".
"This is utterly abusive. Never mind religion – people, rich and poor, across the board will be affected by the water charges.
"I am disgusted that the UUP would stoop to these levels."
----------------------
A controversial new campaign leaflet, distributed by the Ulster Unionist Party, has upset a leading anti-water charges campaigner who says he’s “disgusted” that the party would “stoop to these levels” while South politicians have angrily lashed the flier as “offensive” and “hateful”
Jim Barbour, spokesperson for the ‘We Won’t Pay’ anti-water charges campaign has refuted claims contained in a new Ulster Unionist Party election leaflet and described its authors as "reprehensible".
The leaflet’s most contentious claim is that unionists will be particularly badly affected by water charges because they have “worked and saved to own their home.”
"This is utterly abusive. Never mind religion – people, rich and poor, across the board will be affected by the water charges,” said Jim Barbour.
"I am disgusted that the UUP would stoop to these levels."
On alleged discrimination against state schools, the leaflet claims, "proposed school budgets will reduce yearly funding in the state sector by three pounds per pupil and increase funding in the maintained (Roman Catholic) sector by five pounds per pupil."
The controversial pamphlet goes on to claim that employment discrimination against Nationalists in the North is a "lie".
"The government accepts the republican lie alleging discrimination against nationalists.
"It’s time for the Equality Commission to publicly state that there is no discrimination against Catholics."
South Belfast MLA Alex Maskey dismissed the leaflet as “offensive” and said he was amazed at its use of language.
"For a start, their assertions are incorrect, sectarian and very dangerous and divisive.
"In areas like education, there has been a lot of cross-party co-operation to fight budget cuts and to get a better deal for all our children,” he said.
The South Belfast councillor added: "For them now to come out with this is disgraceful. Catholics pay rates and work hard as well and for them to say that we are getting a better deal is simply ridiculous.
"This leaflet is deeply offensive to an entire community."
Cllr Maskey went on: "How does this hateful language square with their new-found, bleeding-heart despair for their own community?
"I despair at the maturity at these people – the bottom line is that this is offensive and sectarian and will do a lot of damage."
A UUP insider said that he believed that the party was wrongly attempting to "outdo the DUP".
"I got this through my letter box a few days ago,” he said.
"I couldn’t believe it. Even if you ignore the sectarian aspect of the comments, for us to attack the British government after we called for direct rule is hypocritical at best.
"This is not going to win any voters back from the DUP and it certainly won’t appeal to our own voters."
Prospective Alliance councillor for Laganbank, Allan Leonard, said that he found the wording of the leaflet remarkable.
"I can’t understand the mentality at work here. The UUP have produced a hateful and ludicrous document. To imply that Protestants have less rights than Catholics is just crazy and harmful.
"Is this the kind of stuff that the UUP will be producing from now on?"
Speaking from the UUP headquarters yesterday, an Ulster unionist spokesperson denied accusations that the leaflet was sectarian.
"The intention of the leaflet is certainly not to be divisive. It is flagging up legitimate concerns that ordinary unionist people hold.
"If people choose to see it as sectarian, then that is their choice," he said.
Journalist:: Joe Nawaz
