Cameron urges voters to reject sectarian politics

Conservative leader David Cameron has called on voters in the North to leave behind "sectarian politics".

Conservative leader David Cameron has called on voters in the North to leave behind "sectarian politics".

Mr Cameron was in Bangor yesterday to drum up support for James Leslie, the Conservative Party candidate for North Down who is attempting to gain the first Conservative seat in the Northern Assembly.

Mr Leslie defected to the Conservatives from the Ulster Unionist Party in September 2006. He won an Assembly seat in 1998, although he did not stand in the election of 2003.

"I believe the Conservative Party has a lot to offer people in Northern Ireland because we ought to be getting away from sectarianism and voting on the basis of the community you belong to," said Mr Cameron.

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"Instead, people should be voting on the issues they care about and candidates who reflect your values. That is what the Conservative Party hopes to do in Northern Ireland."

The Conservatives will field nine candidates and hope to make a bigger impact than the 0.2 percentage points they gained in the election of 2003.

"I want to see the Conservative Party do well in every part of the United Kingdom. I think there is a real opportunity because we want politics here to return to normal and get away from the endless issue of how Northern Ireland should be governed."

On the issue of whether there would be a powersharing executive come March 26th, Mr Cameron was optimistic.

"I hope we will see power-sharing and will see it work, but all parties have to do what they can to make sure it does work."

One of the main issues in the election run-up has been Sinn Féin's support of the police and unionist reaction to it.

"I respect what Sinn Féin have done. It was difficult for them to support the police, and I applaud that. I think those are very important steps forward, but we need to see it reflected now in deeds as well as words.

"We need to see it happen on the ground. I think Sinn Féin have steps to take to show their support for policing is real and tangible, but I hope all parties will work together."

Earlier in the day Reg Empey, the Ulster Unionist leader, challenged Mr Cameron over whether any potential Conservative Assembly members would designate themselves as unionists once in the Assembly.

Mr Cameron said the Conservative Party was the "strongest supporter of all parts of the United Kingdom remaining part of the United Kingdom".

"Of course it is up to the candidates to decide what to do, and, having spoken to our candidates, I am sure if they have to designate they will designate themselves as unionist. But we ought to be getting away from this whole idea that you have to designate. One of the reasons we are standing is to say to people that politics does not have to be like this."