Politics is failing the people of Londonderry, says PUP

The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) in Londonderry has accused the main parties at Stormont of failing ordinary people with thousands locally living in poverty and homelessness, and endemic drug abuse and anti-social behaviour blighting communities.
Derry is still the unemployment capital of the North.Derry is still the unemployment capital of the North.
Derry is still the unemployment capital of the North.

PUP spokesperson Nigel Gardiner launched a scathing broadside on the compulsory coalition in Belfast after being contacted by a number of concerned local tenants who told the party they could face eviction due to their landlords’ bankruptcies.

He commented: “I think we are looking at failure. Failure in politics. I believe we are living with the legacy of Margaret Thatcher.

“At the end of the day one can put up the argument that the poor are getting poorer. You look at the abject poverty there is here in Northern Ireland today.”

Mr Gardiner told the Sentinel chronic levels of poverty, unemployment and deprivation in Londonderry brought with them a whole series of attendant social issues.

“We have an increase in anti-social behaviour. We have an increase in theft. We have a pandemic drug culture, where the young have become addicted to prescribed drugs or illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, mephedrone, etc, etc, and it’s causing problems for families and families basically can’t have their loved ones in the house.

“They then ask them to leave and this creates another trail where these young people find themselves homeless but the sad effect is, where they fall into ruin and hard times, where they feel they have no hope, no future, despair kicks in, and then you look at the recent increase, sadly in young people taking their own lives,” he added.

Mr Gardiner said he doesn’t believe the authorities are generally doing enough to protect the most vulnerable.

“So, statutory bodies are they really living up to their obligations? I don’t believe they are. They will probably put up an argument to counter what I’m saying but you have statistics here in front of both you and I think that says it all,” he said.