Jeff Dudgeon, Ulster Unionist Party candidate for the Balmoral area in the forthcoming Belfast City council elections, has stated that the Alliance Party needs to clarify its position on the Euro and on Northern Ireland’s constitutional position after their candidate, Anna Lo, described herself and her party as ‘proudly pro-European’.

Mr Dudgeon said:

“Now is a very appropriate time to ask Alliance some serious questions about their support for the Euro and exactly what they mean when they say they are ‘proudly pro-European’.

“Previously Alliance advocated the UK’s entry into currency union and for the Euro to replace the pound. Alliance said that joining the Euro was “vital to the long-term economic interests of Northern Ireland, particularly given our land border with the Republic of Ireland.”

“Neither the Ulster Unionist Party nor the vast majority of the people of the United Kingdom supported Alliance in their economically disastrous policy. The question remains - does Alliance still support joining the Euro?

“Another key question is what Alliance means by being ‘proudly pro-European’? Is the Alliance Party  in favour of us becoming part of an all-Ireland state – as Anna Lo has already stated - which in turn would be part of a Federal United States of Europe? Effectively governed from Brussels and Frankfurt as well as Dublin?  

“The Ulster Unionist Party is not anti-Europe. In contrast to Alliance we support a referendum on continued UK membership of the EU, after a review and renegotiation of our country’s relationship with Brussels. Alliance have serious questions to answer as to their true intentions.”