People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said,
“In the last week the DUP, Sinn Féin and SDLP have rushed to publish cost of living pledges in a pathetic attempt to outdo each other in claims to put “people first”.
“All of their proposals fall way short of what is necessary to address the hardship crisis workers and the least well-off face.
“They’ve spent the last twenty years cheerleading privatisation of public services, lobbying for tax cuts for big corporations and justifying pay cuts for essential workers.
“Over the last year of the cost of living crisis they’ve failed to act with any urgency. The DUP, Sinn Féin and SDLP all ignored demands for the Assembly to declare a hardship emergency in December. All three of them voted to impose a Tory real terms pay cut on health and social care workers. All three of them voted for and then voted against a 10% reduction of private rents. They refused to use devolved power to increase the minimum wage.
“It’s a different story when it comes to elites and corporations. They’ve gifted their CEO friends running private care homes tens of millions. Capita corporation was handed a new contract worth tens of millions. The well heeled Royal County Down Golf Club was handed “future” profits. Minted Moy Park bosses get to shape Stormont’s economic strategy.
“People Before Profit represents a real alternative in this election. We are for ending privatisation of public services. We are for a £15 minimum wage. We are for a means tested £1,000 hardship payment targeted to workers and the least well-off outside the top earners. We are for an above inflation pay rise for health and all essential workers. We are for fully scrapping the cruel Tory welfare reforms brought in by Executive parties. We are fully opposed to the Executive’s plans to slash taxes on big profitable corporations.
“Putting “people first” means challenging a system rigged to favour elites, corporations and the politically connected. Not one of the Stormont Executive have done this and they won’t do it after May 5.”