New political party founded in Dromore

The party which was established by people without traditional political backgrounds and motivated by a strong sense of social justice and faith, was registered on March 10, and describes itself as ‘One Diverse Community Political Party’.

Frazer McCammond, Leader of Democracy First said: “we are deeply disappointed at the quality of political leadership in Northern Ireland. Democracy First believe that our people have been let down for the last sixteen years and that opportunities for development of community and the economy have not been optimised.

“We are convinced the well-being of our people has been placed second to the continuing struggle between two nationalisms, a struggle which many in this place believed and hoped for and had started to be laid to rest with the Good Friday Agreement.

“With the failure of the Haass talks there is little to encourage us that the hearts and minds of those currently in political leadership have moved forward in the past sixteen years.”

Alan Wilson, party officer said: “As we have engaged with folk within and from outside of Dromore we have become increasingly aware that the electorate have become more and more disengaged and disenchanted with Northern Ireland politics.

“There is also a growing number of people of Christian faith, both Catholic and Protestant, finding difficulty in identifying a place for their vote that fulfils their desire for social justice from a faith perspective.”

Democracy First was born out of a heart felt vision of Frazer McCammond, a former Alliance councillor on Lisburn City Council, who has been politically inactive since 2001.

Speaking of employment and the economy, Frazer added: “The time has now come to get real with these issues and so we now wish to offer the electorate, initially, in the Lagan River District Electoral Area, at the forthcoming Council Election on 22 May, the opportunity to be represented by a Party who will promote the well being of all the people as a priority”.