Alliance land '˜exclusive interview' with ex-MLA

The party, which has long had some of the most creative televised party election broadcasts, has produced a 16-page glossy A5 magazine called ‘South Belfast Choice’.

The leaflet, which is being pushed through letter boxes, would have cost a considerable sum, suggesting that Alliance is not merely focusing its resources on leader Naomi Long’s attempt to regain neighbouring East Belfast.

The front cover contains headlines including ‘getting to know Paula’ and ‘Brex appeal’. It also describes what are comments from former Alliance MLA Anna Lo endorsing Ms Bradshaw as an “exclusive interview”. Lest householders fear they are being charged to receive such material, a prominent slot on the front cover states: ‘Free!’.

Inside, written in the third person as if by an independent voice (though presumably the words of Ms Bradshaw or an Alliance colleague), the leaflet modestly refers to her “unending work” for the area.

And, in an ‘interview’ with the candidate the author begins by saying “this certainly wasn’t’ what we expected to find walking into her campaign headquarters” which seems odd given that the piece is presumably written by a party colleague or press officer.

But despite the resources which have gone into the leaflet, it mangles Mrs Bradshaw’s position on the sensitive issue of abortion, saying that she supports “full decimalisation”.