People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said, “The British Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris is continuing the well-established Tory tradition of treating people here with contempt.

“There’s a legitimate need for a Westminster election to get rid of a bankrupt government – but the Tories won’t agree to it. “But the Tories are threatening to call an election here that few people want and that people expect will change very little. “A December Stormont election has nothing to do with helping people in a cost of living crisis. The Tories want to inflict even more cuts and more misery. “And this has nothing to do with challenging the DUP on its reckless and selfish boycott of Stormont. “The DUP props up the Tories and the Tories prop up the DUP no matter the consequences for people in all our communities here. “If there is a Stormont election we need to make sure working-class demands are heard loud and clear. “However, regardless of whether an election is called, we need to escalate people power protests and mass strikes to drive back Tory attacks and challenge Stormont inaction.”