The Alliance Party Party Political Broadcast: Alliance

In Alliance, we believe that unless we change

the politics of Northern Ireland,

things will stay exactly as they are at the moment -

our society will remain as divided as ever.

Our Assembly will continue to be bogged down by the past,

live by the rules of the past

and be limited and overshadowed by the past.

Our budget will continue to be over £1 billion worse off

because that's how much extra it costs to govern our divided society.

Our economy will limp along, as it always has done,

too dependent on the public sector.

Alliance is working to change this.

We have a vision of a society where everyone can live,

work, and socialise together in safety.

The old-fashioned separations and divisions will start to be dismantled

and, with them, the heavy cost burden we currently endure

to sustain a divided society -

a cost currently calculated at over £1 billion a year

that could be used to invest in childcare,

to create first-class education, a responsive health-care system

and to protect the vulnerable in society.

That's got to be a change worth making.

Our Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry,

is working at the front line, to grow and transform our economy

through investing in skills

and our world-class universities and colleges,

and providing the training to give people better job opportunities

while meeting the needs of employers.

He and Justice Minister David Ford

are ensuring that building a shared future

is always at the forefront in any decisions their departments take.

This is real change that other parties are unwilling to make.

In the Department of Justice,

David Ford is working to transform the justice system,

tackling difficult issues like legal aid and prison reform.

No more so-called "peace walls" are being built to divide our people,

and for the first time in a generation,

we're seeing barriers re-opened -

Alliance ministers delivering change.

At Westminster, Naomi Long MP has led the debate

on how we should mark upcoming centenaries

of sensitive events in our shared history,

and on the need to address our more recent troubled past,

focussed on building a more united community.

She has challenged the government

on welfare reform

and their plans for economic growth,

actively supporting both our regional and international transport links

and building the case for devolution of corporation tax,

so that everyone can have a stake in a more shared and prosperous future -

an Alliance Member of Parliament delivering change at Westminster.

Last year, the public showed growing support

for Alliance's vision of a shared society

by electing an extra Alliance MLA, giving us two seats in the Executive,

and by increasing the number of Alliance councillors by 50%.

This growing number of Alliance representatives

will continue to lead the way to deliver positive politics,

where politicians pull together, rather than apart.

Where they genuinely share the future together,

rather than simply carve it up between them.

Our membership is growing, too.

By joining Alliance, you can play your part

in building a genuinely shared future.

For more information, or to join Alliance,

visit our website or write to us at our Freepost address.