UUP '˜schools first' pledge

Robbie Butler and Jenny Palmer, the Lagan Valley Ulster Unionist Assembly candidates and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Councillors, have stressed that a vote for them on May 5 is a vote to seek an increase the number of nursery, pre-school and primary school places of choice throughout the constituency.
Jenny Palmer.  Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.Jenny Palmer.  Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Jenny Palmer. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Their pledge to make education in Lagan Valley their number one priority came as the two UUP candidates issued their own ‘People First Pledge’ to the constituency’s electorate.

In a joint statement Mr Butler and Mrs Palmer said: “During our extensive canvassing across the constituency, time and again the issue of education was raised repeatedly. As UUP candidates, we pledge if elected to campaign for a significant increase in the number of nursery, pre-school and primary places throughout Lagan Valley. Choice in these matters must be the order of the day.

“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 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 People First Pledge also recognizes the need for our constituency’s farming community to receive a fair price for its produce. We fully understand that our agricultural sector is at the heart of economic development in Lagan Valley.

“Urgent measures also need to be taken to develop our constituency’s potential for tourism, 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 a responsible legislative Executive which involves all parties – not just the supposed ruling two. This can only be achieved by the electorate of Lagan Valley accepting its responsibility for its own future and casting its vote on 5th May for us as Ulster Unionist candidates.

“If our positive politics are to be effective in the new Assembly, the electors of Lagan Valley must give us a strong mandate to represent them.”