Carmichael launches 2025 'People First Pledge' for East Londonderry

The UUP constituency chairman added that the association considered it “a real and genuine privilege to once again serve the people of this great constituency throughout 2025”.

Mr Carmichael said: “The constituency work of the UUP Association is built around our personal pledge of putting people first through positive politics. We intend to continue with this political vision in future years.

“Our politics are the politics of helping people with their problems in health, housing, education and farming. Our policies are built upon the three pillars of putting people first, putting patients first and getting prices that are fair for farmers.

“At the top of the health agenda is the real need to put patients first. To achieve this we must fight for a reduction of the waiting lists, for more nursing home places, for adequate funding for the care of the elderly, and for more time to be given for Home Help assistance.

“We, as a UUP Association, fully support the campaign to get better wages for nurses, carers and health staff. This also goes hand in hand with the need to develop a modern paramedic ambulance service, especially to cover isolated regions of our constituency.

“Our continuing People First Pledge also recognizes the need for our constituency’s farming community to receive a fair price for its produce. Our agricultural sector is at the heart of economic development in East Londonderry.

“Urgent measures also need to be taken to develop our constituency’s potential for tourism, especially in the coastal regions, thereby providing jobs for the unemployed. Our People First Pledge also stresses the need for more assistance in the education of young people for life and in their training for industry.

“To make this People First Pledge a success, we need the support of our legislative Parliament as a whole and specifically the Ministers who comprise the Stormont Executive,” said Mr Carmichael.