“It has been my privilege to serve the people of North Belfast as their Member of Parliament since 2001 and I have no hesitation in standing for re-election. The election battle in North Belfast will be a straight choice between myself as the sitting DUP MP and a Sinn Fein abstentionist who offers only non-representation. I have every confidence that the North Belfast electorate will vote for continued representation at Westminster. 

Our national Parliament at Westminster is the primary focus of democratic legislative power across the UK and is the central arena at which every constituency should be represented. Everyone in North Belfast who values such representation, and an effective constituency service, should vote for my re-election. North Belfast must not be reduced to the farcical level of constituencies where Sinn Fein refuse to take their seats yet claim all the expenses and accommodation allowances for a parliament they never attend. 

In the context of a ‘hung parliament’, which is an increasing prospect, there is clearly much greater influence and bargaining power for a cohesive group of MPs from Northern Ireland . That has been proved before. I believe it will be demonstrated once again. 

It is very important for the people of North Belfast to be represented. Otherwise our case is simply not heard. Otherwise our issues and concerns are simply ignored as they were in the past. The electorate of every constituency has the democratic right to be represented in its national Parliament as well as in the local Assembly and local Councils. There should be no area of policy or decision making from which the people of North Belfast are excluded. The issues are simply too important since they affect the lives and livelihoods of all of our people.”

Nelson McCausland MLA, said,

“My party colleague Nigel Dodds is a hard working and widely respected MP. His is a voice of authority and he is held in high regard by members of all political parties at Westminster and is a strong advocate for the people of North Belfast. 

Constituents from all religious and political backgrounds can testify to his caring and effective constituency service. Changes by the Boundaries Commission mean that the North Belfast constituency is expanding at this election to include 6 additional wards in Newtownabbey in the Glengormley and Cloughfern areas. We have received a warm welcome from residents during door-to-door visitation in these additional wards and we urge them to use their vote wisely to ensure effective Westminster representation.”

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