WITH parties and individuals now jockeying for political position as Northern Ireland prepares to hold Assembly elections soon, there’s a lot to consider for an electorate keen to have their voices heard, but perhaps a little uncertain of where the would-be MLAs stand on a range of issues.

And so, over the coming weeks – starting today – we’ll be looking at the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA candidates running in our area, who were happy to talk to The Impartial Reporter’s Ciarán Flaherty, Jessica Campbell and Victoria Johnston about where they stand on several issues.

Whether on topics such as the current cost of living and energy crises, to the Northern Ireland Protocol, to ongoing health and education issues and other topics, the candidates across the political board have shared where they stand, and what their vision is for Northern Ireland and our area.

Featuring the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA candidates in no particular order, The Impartial Reporter asked each of them the following questions which arguably matter most, answered opposite, with the other candidates’ answers following in coming weeks.

Finally, no matter where you stand on these issues, and regardless of who you would like to support at the ballot box, please do cast your precious vote when the opportunity arises, and help to make sure that your voice is heard.

Question 1:

Tell voters a bit about yourself – why are you in politics/how long for?

Question 2:

From speaking to people in the constituency, what issues are affecting the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone?

Question 3:

What will be the main issues you will be working on, if elected?

Question 4:

How can Stormont work best for the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone?

Question 5:

What will you bring as an MLA if elected?

Question 6:

Why should people vote for you?

I’m relatively new to politics, but I became an activist with People Before Profit in recent years because I thought traditional politics wasn’t working, and ordinary people were being left behind. I think the only way to change things is for us to get stuck in and do it ourselves.

Across the board, it’s the same issue over and over again: the cost of living crisis. Prices have been rising for months now; working people are feeling the brunt of that, and Stormont’s inaction has been disgraceful.

All elected People Before Profit reps will fight for a £1,000 direct payment to households hit by the cost of living. Alongside this, we’ll fight for inflation-busting pay rises for workers, an expansion of benefits, and a cap on spiralling energy prices.

Equally important will be opposing toxic mining and fracking, and protecting our beautiful natural environment, and its critical ecodiversity.

Stormont can work best by breaking with the dead-end politics of the past, where the big parties whip up tensions, while behind the scenes they work together to privatise healthcare, cut services and give handouts to big corporations.

The only way Stormont can work for ordinary people is by turning this on its head, and putting people before profit.

If elected, I will bring tenacity and principled politics to the table. But People Before Profit are about doing politics differently – we’re not career politicians, we’re activists, and we use our elected platforms wherever we have them to support people on the ground campaigning for a better world.

This is an election like no other. We’re surrounded by crises – a cost of living crisis, a health crisis, and a climate crisis.

People are being forced to choose between heating and eating, and workers who got us through the pandemic are being forced to go out on strike for a decent wage. Meanwhile, the big parties sat on their hands for months.

But there is another way. There’s an opportunity in this election to send a message to the establishment parties, to tell them people have had enough of the divisive politics, and to make clear that the time for ignoring the needs of ordinary working people is over.

Now is the time for a different kind of politics; now is the time for People Before Profit.