Abortion issue ‘is huge for some Catholic voters and they’ll be supporting TUV’

Jim Allister has called on parties outside the DUP and Sinn Fein to join him in an official opposition if the Stormont Assembly is eventually resurrected after the election.
By Henry McDonald
Published 16th Apr 2022, 08:00 BST
Updated 16th Apr 2022, 10:46 BST
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The TUV leader also appealed to traditional, conservative Catholics in Northern Ireland opposed to abortion to vote for his party on May 5.

He claimed that he has had “lots of messages” from Catholic voters supporting his anti-abortion stance.

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Mr Allister said he would be happy to work with the nationalist SDLP if that party chose to stay out of any renewed power-sharing coalition.

Jim Allister said he knows ‘for a fact’ some Catholics will be voting TUV due to the party’s strong position on abortion issuesJim Allister said he knows ‘for a fact’ some Catholics will be voting TUV due to the party’s strong position on abortion issues
Jim Allister said he knows ‘for a fact’ some Catholics will be voting TUV due to the party’s strong position on abortion issues

“It is beyond comprehension that we have a situation whereby the people of Northern Ireland are about to go to the polls in three weeks’ time but the one thing they can’t do is what every other voter can do elsewhere in the world, and vote a party out of government. We can’t do that under mandatory coalition.

“Voters are left in a scenario that they could have a bad government with no opposition to hold it to account. That is the worst of all worlds. That is why I want vigorous opposition. The only way Stormont can work is through a coalition of the willing and a strong opposition. So whoever is not in government at Stormont should be in opposition.”

Asked if an official opposition could include TUV and the SDLP, Mr Allister said: “If I was in opposition then I would be working with anyone who sought to oppose bad government.”

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Mr Allister said he has received messages from traditional Catholic voters offering support.

“They look at Stormont and they see a Sinn Fein that is totally sold one way on the abortion issue.

“They also look at the SDLP and see that while there might be one or two MLAs who oppose it, that party’s leadership are pushing down a very strong pro-abortion line. Some of these Catholic voters for whom abortion is a huge issue I know for a fact will be voting TUV, and they are very welcome to do so.

“I have got lots of email messages from them telling me that the right to life is fundamental to them and they despair of the fact that they have politicians who are in the business of trying to snuff out the life of the unborn.”

See also:

TUV leader Jim Allister confident he will have ‘significant company’ in next Assembly

Jim Allister: PM betrayed Northern Ireland so I would not miss his mendacity

Related topics:Jim AllisterSinn FeinDUPNorthern Ireland