SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood
Mr Eastwood said that the DUP had handed the Tories the perfect excuse to deprive local groups of money at a time when many arts, community and voluntary sector organisations are considering service cuts, staff redundancy or even closure.
Said the Foyle MP: “At some point people have to say enough is enough. We have been denied a government and urgent reform to public services for well over a year now as a result of the DUP boycott.
“Now vital community funding is being withheld by the British Government under the guise of having no functioning Executive.
“The Tories will jump on any excuse to deprive our communities of vital resources but the DUP is making it far too easy for them.
“Without an Executive, we know that there is immense financial pressure on the arts, community groups and services, and critical regeneration projects across the North. We can’t afford to be turning money down or to have it snatched away.
“There are two clear parties to this failure – the Tories and the DUP. It’s time they got back to work in the interests of all the people we represent.”
