Speaking at the launch of the TUV manifesto today North Antrim candidate Timothy Gaston spoke on economic issues:
“Northern Ireland is lagging behind the UK when it comes to the recovery. We believe that the private sector needs to grow and that more needs to be done to bring jobs and investment to the Province.
“The disproportionate focus of Invest NI on Belfast and Londonderry has meant that many parts of our Province feel left behind. And justifiably so. For example, North Antrim only had 8 visits through Invest NI in the last five years by potential foreign investors. Yet the Belfast constituencies in the same period had been feted with 739 foreign investment visits.
“TUV will fight for fair promotion of all of Northern Ireland.
“We have a system of government which shackles us to the bankrupt Republic by way of multiple North-South bodies, while we fail to exploit the advantages of being part of one of the world’s biggest economies as part of the United Kingdom.
“TUV’s vision is UK centric, not Dublin aligned.
“TUV wants to see a prosperous Northern Ireland, but corporation tax is not the silver bullet.
“Just last month our leader Jim Allister flushed out the Enterprise Minister Mrs Foster who, under questioning, was forced to admit that “following discussion with JTI management, it is clear that the availability of a lower corporation tax regime would not be a significant factor in their decision to cease operations at Lisnafillan.”
“Not only that but any cut to the level of corporation tax in Northern Ireland will see a corresponding cut in the block grant.
“A cut to corporation tax will therefore result in a drastic reduction to the money Northern Ireland receives from Westminster which in turn will have serious consequences for public services in our Province.
“Sinn Fein made it clear at their manifesto launch earlier this week that they want to see the devolution of a whole raft of additional fiscal and taxation powers to Stormont.
“Who in their right mind would give Stormont any more powers, let alone fiscal ones?
“Sinn Fein don’t want to see Northern Ireland prosper as part of the UK but they do want to cut the fiscal ties with London and move us closer to the Republic of Ireland by harmonising the corporation tax rate.
“The UK should retain its unified taxation system. That is the natural Unionist position and it also makes sound fiscal sense for Northern Ireland.
“We believe in incentivising work so that staying on benefits must never be more attractive than getting a job. Yet, the latest Sinn Fein/DUP deal on welfare reform will see the impact of reform nullified by the folly of robbing vital funds from the block grant to keep benefits topped up to the highest level of anywhere in the UK. £565m is siphoned off our money for hospitals, schools and vital services to fund the Sinn Fein wish list on benefits: that was the cornerstone of the Stormont House Agreement. TUV was the only party in Stormont to speak out against raiding the money set aside for our schools and hospitals to sustain excessive benefits.
“The DUP/Sinn Fein deal means all will be sustained on this level of benefit, whereas in GB a benefit cap of £26,000 will apply.
“TUV seeks a lower tax take on fuel to ensure that the British motorist is best protected from any future shocks on oil prices. Though prices have fallen in recent months, they are still high. Expensive fuel erodes the competitiveness of British industry and costs jobs.
“TUV STANDS AS THE REAL AND ONLY ALTERNATIVE. ON MAY 7TH WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.”