THE DUP is facing further criticism following controversy over a councillor's "local homes for local people" election leaflet after it emerged another party rep appeared to share a similar message online.
Tracy Kelly – a DUP election candidate who works in MLA Christopher Stalford's office – shared a post on Facebook by a community worker about a house daubed with 'locals only' graffiti being allocated to a "local" resident.
In the post, Trevor Greer of Belfast South Community Resources uploaded an image of the graffiti on the property at Ebor Street in south Belfast.
He wrote: "I know the frustrations of local people waiting on the housing list, but after a discussion with Radius Housing this house is now in the process of being offered to a long-time local resident.
"Could I ask for the vandalism to stop as all this will do is delay the move for the new resident."
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Mr Greer's Facebook post last month was shared by Ms Kelly, who is a Botanic area candidate in May's council election.
It's understood the house was offered to an individual, but after the graffiti incident, this offer was not taken up and it was then offered to the next person on the list.
Some comments by internet users underneath the original post included, "look after our own, glad this is going to local people" and, "All this has shown is that intimidation works as a decision has been reversed."
It emerges following outrage over an election leaflet by DUP councillor Graham Craig in which he said he will focus on "local homes for local people" and "taking back control of immigration".
DUP councillor Lee Reynolds said the leaflet was "not sanctioned by the party" and has been "referred to party officers".
"Housing and immigration are important issues but also deeply sensitive and should be handled in that manner. This leaflet clearly fails to do so," he said in a statement.
He added that Mr Craig has been instructed not to distribute the leaflet any further.
Alliance leader Naomi Long said there was no place for "this kind of dog-whistle racism and sectarianism in our community".
Sinn Féin's Ciaran Beattie branded it "disgraceful", while SDLP Botanic representative Gary McKeown said it was "so shocking that at first I thought it was a hoax".
Mr Craig switched from the UUP to DUP in 2016. He had similarly faced criticism in 2014 for using "local homes for local people" on a UUP election leaflet.
Reacting to the Facebook post, the SDLP's Mr McKeown urged Mr Craig's party colleagues to clarify their stance on social housing.
"This messaging sends out the wrong signal about South Belfast, which prides itself as a welcoming and diverse community," he said.
"Social housing is, and always must be, allocated on the basis of need alone."
A DUP spokesman said: "The DUP believes that houses should be allocated to people on the basis of merit using the points system.
"There can be absolutely no justification for any attacks on property or individuals and it is right that all efforts are made to stop such incidents. We condemn all such incidents."
Mr Greer said he supports housing allocation based on need, but believes the points system should be reviewed so that additional points are given to those from the local area.
"I have never agreed with anybody writing 'locals only' – I have in the past said on different occasions said that it is not right," he added.
A Radius spokesman said all housing allocations are "based on housing need" and "no consultation or discussion took place about this allocation".
