Recently, fighting between government and opposition forces has escalated - sparking
When asked about what evidence he was drawing on, Allister said the last time he canvassed a street in the area with 50 houses, he came "upon five local, if I can call them that, residents of Ballymena".He added: "If you find a street where only five of fifty houses are occupied by local people, then I think there is an imbalance which is storing up trouble."
Allister said that while some work and integrate, "many of them sadly have not integrated and have sought to pursue a lifestyle which is not compatible, in many ways, with what is expected in a town community such as Ballymena".South Belfast MP Claire Hanna responded by saying "some politicians are choosing to explain away" episodes of violence."We are hearing words of condemnation which are, at best insincere, and many people would describe as weaselly," the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader added.
"You can choose each day when you have a mandate and a platform to get up and try and solve problems or you can choose to exploit them, you can choose to try to calm tensions or you can try and fan them."In response, Allister said: "If Claire is trying to pretend that I am insincere in my condemnation of violence then I utterly repudiate and indeed resent that comment."
He accused her comments of being "supercilious lectures from someone who thinks they are superior on these issues".
Earlier, previous comments from Jim Allister on Monday, that there had been a demographic change due to "unfettered immigration" in the area, were criticised by Hanna's party colleague Matthew O'Toole, who said they were "deeply irresponsible"."I constantly meet pensioners who live very comfortably. I go to the cinema and the theatre regularly and they are packed with my ilk, most of whom don't need this money."
Alice thinks its unfair that some young people earning less than £30,000 are expected to pay what she calls "extortionate rent and travel expenses".money should be put towards the NHS or tackling the housing crisis.
Ian Bryant, from Nailsworth in Gloucestershire, is pleased with the government's decision.He earns more than £35,000 as a pensioner so will not be receiving the payment himself but is