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| DUP launches election manifesto | DUP launches election manifesto |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| The DUP has called on voters to increase its Westminster team from nine to 10 MPs. | |
| Party leader Peter Robinson said this was "in order to ensure Northern Ireland has a strong voice in the event of a hung parliament". | |
| Mr Robinson launched his party's manifesto which included a demand for Northern Ireland to be treated as special economic zone within the UK. | |
| The DUP won nine seats in the 2005 general election. | |
| On Monday, Mr Robinson said that this is the first time the DUP manifesto has concentrated on the economy as the primary issue - evidence in his view of how far Northern Ireland has come. | |
| The party wants a reduction of local corporation tax without any compensating cut in the amount of money Northern Ireland gets from Westminster and VAT on construction work cut to just 5% to boost the building trade. | |
| If there is a hung parliament, Mr Robinson said he "could work with Labour or the Tories - but only if they meet DUP demands". | If there is a hung parliament, Mr Robinson said he "could work with Labour or the Tories - but only if they meet DUP demands". |
| 'Key themes' | |
| Mr Robinson told supporters in the Ulster Hall in Belfast: "The determination of the DUP has helped deliver a present-day infinitely better than our recent past with the prospects of a future, brighter still". | |
| "And in the next Parliament, a strong united DUP team will continue that progress. The ever-growing potential for a hung Parliament offers unprecedented opportunities for a focused cohesive unionist bloc in the House of Commons." | |
| He added: "It is the DUP that is the only party who are free to act in such circumstances." | |
| The manifesto contains two "key themes". | The manifesto contains two "key themes". |
| The first one is "building stability and prosperity in Northern Ireland through improved and more efficient local political institutions." | The first one is "building stability and prosperity in Northern Ireland through improved and more efficient local political institutions." |
| The second one is "directing resources in public services towards preventative and early intervention measures, and frontloading funding for the first few years of life". | The second one is "directing resources in public services towards preventative and early intervention measures, and frontloading funding for the first few years of life". |
| The main points of the DUP manifesto include: | The main points of the DUP manifesto include: |
| • Economy: Create wealth generating export oriented economy; reduced corporation tax; 5% VAT rate for construction; special economic zone status for NI; establish Invention and Innovation Institute | • Economy: Create wealth generating export oriented economy; reduced corporation tax; 5% VAT rate for construction; special economic zone status for NI; establish Invention and Innovation Institute |
| • Business: Reduce regulatory burden on business; improve basic skills; overhaul public sector procurement; single government department for economy; creating jobs; more small business start-ups; tackle late payments | • Business: Reduce regulatory burden on business; improve basic skills; overhaul public sector procurement; single government department for economy; creating jobs; more small business start-ups; tackle late payments |
| • Education: Pilot Child-Parent Centres based on Chicago model; extra funding in primary schools and more classroom assistants; enhanced extended schools programmes; increase youth services budget; pupils matched to post-primary school on basis of ability; end special privileges for integrated and Irish medium sectors; single body to own and promote controlled schools | • Education: Pilot Child-Parent Centres based on Chicago model; extra funding in primary schools and more classroom assistants; enhanced extended schools programmes; increase youth services budget; pupils matched to post-primary school on basis of ability; end special privileges for integrated and Irish medium sectors; single body to own and promote controlled schools |
| • Health: Increase spending on prevention and early intervention; NICE to focus more on identifying non-cost effective practice; screening programme for prostate cancer; broaden opportunities for charities and other proven providers to deliver care; create unit to co-ordinate multiple hospital attendances of older people; address failure to meet cancer waiting times; access psychological therapies within two weeks. | • Health: Increase spending on prevention and early intervention; NICE to focus more on identifying non-cost effective practice; screening programme for prostate cancer; broaden opportunities for charities and other proven providers to deliver care; create unit to co-ordinate multiple hospital attendances of older people; address failure to meet cancer waiting times; access psychological therapies within two weeks. |
| Click here to read the DUP Manifesto | Click here to read the DUP Manifesto |
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