Ritchie Condemns Sham Politics

“The debate around the title of the First Ministers is a further sham. It is a joint and equal office, always has been and always will be. If other parties have allowed their equal position in government to be diminished then that says more about their tenure in the Executive than anything else. “However, if changing the title to Joint First Ministers or removing the deputy element helps reinforce the equal status of the office – the SDLP have no problem supporting this change. “But as we go into this election the issues that really matter to people are jobs, economic recovery and the provision and maintenance of first-class public services. These are the areas the SDLP will be focussing upon as we attempt to show devolution can deliver and improve peoples’ lives.”]]>