Equal Lives?

I recently had the privilege to visit Muckamore Abbey Hospital to listen to some of the adult patients 'Tell it like it is'.

It is not easy talking to a large group of people and if you have learning difficulties it can be much more challenging. The seven patients who presented their views on things that are important to them, not only told us politicians and policy-makers how life is for them, they cut through the usual hot air and told us what sort of future they wanted.

At present some are sleeping in a dormatory with other patients with doors locked at night; they cannot go to the shop on their own; they feel trapped. Some patients have been here over ten years and have been on a discharge list for the last while.

What the patients see as important to them is somewhere nice to live, a flat, house or bungalow, near family and friends and some help with medicines and money. Also a place to learn new skills or even better, a job. More especially, they would like a say in their own care, in their own future. Not much to ask for...

Why should our fellow human beings be asking for things that the rest of us take for granted?

Our Executive has given a commitment in the Programme for Government to move people from institutional care back into the community where they should be. As each patient asked - why is it taking so long?

Déjà vu

So a cross-party group of MPs have laid an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that will extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. If the amendment is passed in the autumn it will mean equality at last for women in this part of the United Kingdom. It will mean that women will not have to beg, borrow and put themselves in debt to access what is effectively a health service. It will mean that women will have access to safe and legal abortions. I really do hope that the amendment will go through but...I have a nagging doubt. Call me cynical.

Naturally the DUP, in the shape of Jeffrey Donaldson, Junior Minister in the department charged with promoting and upholding equality (one wonders for whom), objected strongly to the amendment on the grounds that the public here are opposed to abortion (not that public opinion has ever been tested through referendum and I am not aware of any political party apart from the PUP ever having their policy on abortion included in an election manifesto).

Similarly the SDLP, as their theology dictates, have also objected to the amendment but have argued that the devolution of policing and justice would mean that the Assembly would have the power over whether or not the 1967 Act is introduced. In other words - let's get devolution and then you can sort the issue out yourselves. Could the NIO be at their work? Peter Hain and water charges spring to mind...

Revolving door at Downing Street should end!

The Prime Minister needs to tell Sinn Fein that the shop is shut, and that they need to turn around and come back to the Assembly and start discussions with Peter Robinson and the DUP over the remaining issues to be resolved. This is politics, this is what Sinn Fein wanted to work - if it isnt working - fix it! but the fixing should be done here, not in Downing Street and not in Dublin.

The people of Northern Ireland have no stomach for another election 15 months after the last one, they thought they had seen the end of helicopters on lawns, they thought they had seen the end of parties vying for negotiating positions and the parties need to realise that what they do has an effect on the communities outside.

Robinson has made it clear he is willing to find ways to resolve the outstanding issues, Sinn Fein need to give him that opportunity.

Website updates and how to follow me on twitter

We are in the process of rejigging our website including redesigning the layout, I am planning on using this blog on a regular basis as part of that.

You can also check out what I am up to on twitter. A constant criticism of politicians has always been "Sure what do they do anyway?!" - well now you can see for yourselves using twitter and twitter mobile I will try and update as often as possible.

For those unfamiliar with twitter it is a kind of mini blog whereby you can keep up to date with where people are, what they are doing or what they are thinking. If you become a member you can choose to follow me and be updated automatically.

Check it out, if you have any comment for me or the party you can use this form

My twitter page is http://twitter.com/dawnpurvis

My response to your questions

It has been a busy couple of weeks but we are heading into the final stretch. I wanted to take the time before you go to the polls to answer some of the questions you might have. After receiving quite a few questions we set up a page where you can read my answers. ('Your Questions' can be found within the main menu). One issue in particular that I want to address is that of paramilitaries.

Historically, UVF/RHC ex-prisoners were linked with the PUP. The PUP has always been primarily a party for people, for working people, who found themselves ignored by other political parties.

These members have been and continue to be committed to finding ways to create a peaceful future. The PUP wants to lead the way forward through conflict transformation, through improving communities, and by empowering people

To condemn paramilitaries is simple; we take on a far more difficult role than our political opponents. In attempting to engage with all sections of our community to bring about a better Northern Ireland, we have never hidden from that fact or our responsibility to help Northern Ireland achieve its potential.

We are witnessing the end of history. Only by achieving a sustainable peace and an accountable democracy can we bring about an end to paramilitarism. I want to thank all of you for taking a look around the site, for supporting my candidacy and for going out to vote Wednesday.

Welcome and why I am here

What a rollercoaster ride it is has been! In the last couple months, I have laughed and cried as we said good-bye to David Ervine, a dear friend, and mentor, in my life. David inspired us in life and now in death. He wanted people to move away from fear and towards peace—a new dawn. That is the message guiding my campaign.

This is an election unlike any other I have seen in my lifetime. Although the question of power-sharing lurks in the background, there is the comforting sense that the Assembly will resume. Standing on doorsteps all over East Belfast, I hear instead the worry about quality of life issues.

We all crave an accountable democracy, we all want our politicians to tackle the issues that impact us on a day-to day basis, we all want to hear about the real things, like education, housing, and poverty. I am talking about those issues because we want to move our city and our country forward.

On this blog I will be telling you where I stand on the issues you care about. I will talk about my experiences and your needs and hopefully together, with your first-preference vote on March 7th, we can bring about the change that David Ervine envisioned for Northern Ireland.