Northern Ireland parties react to general election

Political leaders across Northern Ireland have been reacting to the news that the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a general election for 4 July.

The announcement comes after UK Cabinet members cancelled travel plans and prior arrangements to meet at Downing Street for a cabinet meeting.

Eighteen Northern Ireland seats are up for grabs, out of a total of 650.

In a statement, Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill said it was “time for change”.

She said: “The Tory government has been a disaster for the people in the north – bad for the economy, bad for public services and bad for workers and families as the cost of living soared putting them under pressure.

She said the Westminster election on 4 July is an opportunity to “send a clear message that you want decisions about your life and your future to be made here in Ireland, and not in London”.

Ms O’Neill added that Sinn Féin MPs “will stand up for your interests”.

“Let’s seize the opportunity to return the strongest Sinn Féin team in this Westminster election,” she added.

In a party statement, interim DUP leader Gavin Robinson said: “It has been clear for some time that this government is fast running out of steam”.

He said that the general election will “provide the people of Northern Ireland with a clear choice as to who they think is best placed to represent them and deliver the best outcomes for them”.

Mr Robinson said that the incoming government will have much more to do to “ensure Northern Ireland benefits as an integral part of the United Kingdom rather than remaining subject to European laws in some areas of our daily lives”.

He added that the DUP will “fight this election having a track record of speaking up for Northern Ireland in Parliament” and will use the opportunity to “strengthen the unionist position – not divide and weaken it”.

The Alliance Party leader, Naomi Long, said she welcomes the announcement of a general election.

“It has been a long time coming and finally presents a real opportunity for people to remove the failing Conservative government from power,” said Mrs Long.

She said the people of Northern Ireland want “positivity, progressiveness, responsibility and delivery in their politics”.

“That is what Alliance is providing and the substantial growth of the party in recent years is proof people are responding positively to that,” she added.

She said that “polls, pundits and the public all state Alliance is the main challenger to the DUP in several constituencies, with a real possibility of defeating them in this election”.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Colm Eastwood said he was not expecting an election to be called, but added that “you never know what to expect with this Tory government”.

“This is probably the first time I have ever agreed with Rishi Sunak on anything because, after 14 years, it really is time to get rid of the Tories.

“They have been a disaster for Northern Ireland – destroying our economy, wrecking our public services, starving departments of money and bringing in the Legacy Bill.

Mr Eastwood confirmed that he and Claire Hanna will be standing for the SDLP bringing “more positive representation in Westminster for Northern Ireland”.

“I think the people in Northern Ireland are sick of the Tories, and we could be looking at a hung parliament, so every single vote will count,” he said.

“We know Sinn Féin don’t take their seats, but we (SDLP) do, so it’s important that we are there to vote on behalf of Northern Ireland,” he added.

Mr Eastwood also said relationships between London and Dublin had “been destroyed because of these Tories”.

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader, Jim Allister, said he was surprised by the prime minister’s announcement.

He said: “I thought the government were more likely to run the clock down because it seems inevitable that they are out of office come the general election,” he said.

“But they have gone early. So be it.”

He told BBC News NI that his party will fight the election with Reform UK with whom his party signed a memorandum of understanding in March.

“We will fight it on the basis of our campaign to re-unite the United Kingdom after its partitioning and division by the iniquitous protocol,” he added.

His party “would be the only unionist party campaigning against the Irish Sea border because we are the only unionist party who hasn’t come to terms with it,” Mr Allister said.

Northern Ireland has enjoyed nearly four months of political stability since devolved government was restored after a two-year hiatus.

But a Westminster campaign may well place Stormont in a fresh state of flux.

Most under pressure could be the DUP, still reeling from the shock resignation of leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

Sinn Féin, now the largest party at assembly and council level, will be eyeing up completing the hat-trick.

Constituency boundary changes – as well as the election happening during the summer parading season – could add to the unpredictability of this campaign.