Statement by TUV East Belfast candidate John Ross:
“Alliance leader Naomi Long has very serious questions to answer about the advert which has emerged seeking to recruit unpaid and underpaid overseas workers in her party’s election campaign. Seeking to take advantage of vulnerable people – with some offered nothing more than accommodation while carrying out their work for the Alliance Party is to my mind shameful.
“If any other party were to be linked to such a practice I can only imagine the lectures they would be subjected to by the holier than thou Alliance Party.
“The advert raises serious questions about the Alliance campaign.
“The propaganda from Mrs Long’s party claims that there is an “Alliance surge” yet it appears they have to fly in foreign labour presumably to do basic tasks during the election.
“How well informed about Northern Ireland politics can these unpaid Alliance workers be?
“I can assure the public that all of my canvassers and postering teams will be out working because of their belief in TUV cause. It appears Alliance may not be able to say the same.
“There is a duty on the Alliance leader to come clean on these issues – and for the media to give them the attention they deserve.”