DUP leader accuses other parties of ‘making it worse’ for struggling families

DUP leader Gavin Robinson has said other parties in the powersharing Executive are “making it worse” for people who are struggling to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

Mr Robinson accused Sinn Fein, the Alliance and Ulster Unionist parties of “gesture politics” and of backing proposals when the “financial consequences are unresolved”.

In his weekly email to party members, Mr Robinson said people in Northern Ireland are “being squeezed from every direction”.

He added: “Some of those in power are making it worse.”

The powersharing Executive met this week and announced a support package for some households which use home heating oil.

Ministers pledged £19.2 million to go with £17 million already set aside for the scheme from the UK Government.

The scheme will see up to 340,000 lower-income households receiving a £100 payment to go towards their heating oil bills.

Mr Robinson said this was “delivery” from his party colleague, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.

The DUP leader then referenced the Holiday Hunger Bill, which aims to support children in receipt of free school meals financially during holidays, which passed its second stage at the Northern Ireland Assembly.

He said: “At the Assembly this week, parties backed a proposal to provide free school meal payments over the summer holidays carrying a price tag of over £20 million this year, rising to more than £30 million annually – with no credible answer to one basic question: where does the money come from?”

He added: “Because the answer is uncomfortable. That money comes out of the education budget.

“It means fewer resources in classrooms, reduced support for children with special needs, and cuts to frontline services.

“That is the trade-off, and too many parties simply refuse to say it out loud.”

Mr Robinson said the “same is happening” with support for net zero emissions targets.

He said: “Sinn Fein, Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party have backed both the summer meals proposals and refused to face up to net zero realities – knowing full well the financial consequences are unresolved.

“They want the headlines, they want the social media clips.

“But when the bills arrive, it will not be their politicians who pay them, it will be the families, farmers and small businesses already struggling to get by.

“That is gesture politics and it has a real cost.”

The DUP leader said if parties wanted to spend more they should “say where the money comes from”.

He said: “If you cannot answer that question, you have no business casting the vote.”