Kate Nicholl

If you need any support, my team & I are here to help ⤵️

Every year, we spend hundreds of millions maintaining a divided society. We're underfunded by Westminster and must commit to transformation, but for Sinn Féin and the DUP to reject even looking into this wastage beggars belief. @KateNicholl

Most important work I do in my office is advocate for children with special educational needs & their families. Credit to Alma White who has built a strong community who won’t take anything less than care plans from birth to death for all children with complex needs.

@Anmaidrinrua I love wine and cheese and went to Methody 🙈😆 But my mum was a working single parent on benefits & we just about got by! I know the importance of trade unions & looking forward to working with them closely on this bill, which will hopefully be with us soon!

I used to think the Alliance was all Wine and Cheese Parties, Methody and inter generational wealth. On nearly every issue I'm interested in: Police accountability, social justice and Trade Unions, They are front and centre. Fair play to them @KateNicholl

A good job shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be the baseline. People across Northern Ireland have waited long enough. The Good Jobs Bill needs to be introduced to the Assembly - now. We’re ready to get to work. -@KateNicholl

I’m pleased to see there are 3 bedroom properties in the pipeline, but disappointed that they’ll not be finished before 2027 at the earliest. Belfast needs three bed houses!

@NoNameDrifter Not actually true, most people who come to me have already exhausted most other avenues - we don’t always have success but plenty of the cases my office & I deal with get results because they’ve involved an MLAs office - wish it wasn’t the case but often is.

@KateNicholl A MLA can't do anything more than a random member of the public.

I think a lot of people genuinely don’t get that MLAs do more than just argue in the chamber! We’re here to help. If you’re in South Belfast & need help please get in touch Kate.nicholl@co.niassembly.gov.uk

@JBrown1B @allianceparty I don’t know how long in total but will try to work it out! I think there’s a lot of misconception about what we do, TBH the chamber bit is mostly performance - the real work happens in committee and in the consistency office.

@KateNicholl @allianceparty In the past year, how many minutes have you spoken in the chamber? Doing media comms and getting pictures with others who are actually doing work is what MLAs are seen by many to do most.

@naomi_long I loved working with @PBNINews when I was mayor. Those exiting the justice system are some of the most marginalised in society & the team working with them are actual heroes. Class that Carl Frampton is using his platform to shine a light on their work

Probation is one of the least understood and appreciated parts of the justice system. It's vital to public protection, rehabilitation and providing victims with information. Having previewed a few episodes, the complexity of the work and dedication of officers shines through.

@AndyBurnhamGM Whenever you’ve been in Belfast we have seen first hand your commitment to working with others to get things done. A deeply human, collaborative politician who listened. Not my party, not my election but lord knows we need more of your qualities in Westminster. Good luck 🙌

I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election. I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics. Ten years ago, I decided to leave Westminster. Why? Because, after 16 years, I came to the conclusion that our national political system does not work for areas like ours. I learnt this fighting its failure to invest in the Wigan borough, for justice for the Hillsborough families and against its treatment of Greater Manchester during the pandemic. Over the last decade, I have been challenging this failure from the outside and building a new and better way of doing politics. We have built Greater Manchester into the fastest-growing city-region in the UK and put buses back under public control, introducing a £2 fare cap to help people with cost-of-living pressures. However, there is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to Parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people. Millions are struggling and they need the Labour Government to succeed. It has already made changes to make life better for them in its first two years. After this week, we owe it to people to come back together as a Labour movement, giving the Prime Minister and the Government the space and stability they need as the by-election takes place. I want to recognise the difficult decision taken by Josh Simons and the sacrifice he and his family are making. I have worked closely with him as Mayor on issues like flooding and illegal waste dumping and have seen first-hand how effective he has been. He has put the communities of Makerfield first, made a real difference for them and should take great pride in that. Finally, I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times. We will change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again. ENDS

Reading NISRA figures for drug-related deaths & thinking of all the people I met when I’ve been out with council safer neighborhood officers (who do gods work) - deaths highest in Belfast & concentrated in deprived areas reflecting impact of inequality nisra.gov.uk/news/drug-rela…

Remarkable people & what a legacy for their son. This is one of the most important charities we have. Wishing them well for their future

Very concerning to see images of Irish waste facility on fire in Carryduff - massive blaze, thoughts with the fire brigade who are dealing with it right now 🙏

Nuala McAllister wouldn't be silenced on the Katie Simpson case. When others looked away, she stood her ground. She didn’t care if people in high places were upset with her. That’s what serious public service looks like & we desperately need more of it. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/comment/opinio…

@PMcReynoldsMLA Inspo for next year!

It’s even better than I remember.

Ah the small pleasures of being an elected rep 😆

The testimonies today were a sobering reminder of the human impact of the crisis in HE funding & vision, so many people fearful for their futures at Ulster University. Grateful for their time & their voices which I’ll make sure are reflected in future engagements.

Stormont has been down for almost half its life, with progress blocked and time wasted on division. Time for Democratic Renewal. No more one-party walkouts, dodging accountability, vetoes or dark money. The argument for reform has been won – let’s seize this opportunity.

This is good to see - Scotland recently issued guidance to their schools & right we do too - but disappointing Departments developing are policy in the absence of the Executive Office AI Strategy - FM & dFM have had it since Christmas, when is it being published?