The Socialist Party has begun to distribute thousands of leaflets naming and shaming local councillors who voted for a 2.95% rise in domestic rates in the Pottinger area of East Belfast.
Tommy Black, the Socialist Party’s candidate for Pottinger and East Belfast in the upcoming elections, today said: –
“With rising food and fuel prices and wages under pressure, it is clear that working people cannot afford any more hikes in bills. Pottinger’s councillors disagree- not one of them voted against the rise in rates! We believe people have the right to know how their ‘representatives’ voted, especially when councillors like May Campbell tell the electorate they are ‘committed to a low rates policy in the City Hall.'”
“All Pottinger councillors in attendance voted for this rate rise, including the party colleagues of the two absent- the DUP’s Margaret McKenzie and the PUP’s John Kyle. This rates hike will squeeze the incomes of ordinary people even further, and they will be getting less for their money as Belfast City Council is launching a programme of cuts to jobs and services. This demonstrates that working people have no voice on the Council.”
Protest - 5.30pm Thursday 15th October, BBC Broadcasting House, Ormeau Ave, Belfast
Over 40,000 people in Northern Ireland are now on the housing waiting list, making it the highest in 30 years. A further 20,000 people are officially described as being in “housing stress” where the cost of housing is high compared to housing income. There are also over 8,000 homeless cases in the North, most of them are single households, but a third are family households with children and 11% are elderly.