Statement by TUV Party President and East Londonderry candidate William Ross:
“The fact that Gregory Campbell should produce what amounts to a canvass leaflet on the back of Parliamentary expenses will rightly disgust many people in East Londonderry.

“The front page of the leaflet carries a number of photographs of Mr Campbell and the words: “Gregory Campbell MP working for, communicating with, speaking for you” and features no less that four photographs of the outgoing MP.

“One message is clear – vote for Mr Campbell.

“Another message is much less prominent. On the back page of the leaflet in minute type are the words “This leaflet has been designed and produced with the help of the communications allowance payable from the House of Commons”.

“Doubtless Mr Campbell will claim he has got similar leaflets produced by the House of Commons which didn’t just appear on the mouth of an election. But isn’t it extremely convenient that Gregory was able to find a wee bit of taxpayer cash to produce one just before the election?

“This leaflet isn’t about informing the voters of East Londonderry. It’s about an attempt to get Gregory Campbell re-elected.

“I have no doubt that the hardworking taxpayers of East Londonderry will deeply resent this use of Parliamentary allowances. Have the DUP been doing similar things in other areas in the run-up to the election? Has Parliamentary - and indeed Assembly – allowances been employed to promote their party and candidates? Is there a policy within the DUP to employ these allowances on the mouth of the election?

“People deserve clarity in relation to these matters. The misuse of expenses was one of the great scandals of the last Parliament. That expenses should be used in an attempt to get members of this discredited Parliament re-elected is outrageous.”