“They are evidence of common gangsterism”

As previously predicted here, the Alliance Party has announced that it will not be supporting a UUP candidate for the position of Lord Mayor of Belfast.. not as Fair Deal predicted speculated, however, the party has decided that they will be supporting a SDLP candidate.. to the obvious delight of some.. Once again, though, the comments, this time by the Alliance Party’s Naomi Long..

“We have made it clear that whilst the UUP maintain their formal links with the PUP and the UPRG, and whilst the paramilitary groups to which they are linked are not on ceasefire and refuse to address decommissioning, Alliance will not be in a position to support them for any of the top posts”

..should call into question the position of the Chair of the PUP on the Policing Board.. after all, as the Alliance Party leader David Ford has said –

“Political leaders must recognise that these appalling incidents are not remotely ‘political’. They are evidence of common gangsterism. That common gangsterism must be wiped from the political map forever, not given credence by people claiming to be ‘democrats’.”