Staunch Alliance, the youth and student wing of the Alliance Party, today pledged their commitment to the Alliance Party.

"We are committed to promoting the unique vision and policies of the Alliance, now and in the future," said spokesperson Julie Fairey.

"We are saddened by the decision of some MPs to leave the party, and consider that the issues that led to it were far from irreconcilable. The reality is that some people are not comfortable in a democratic party and have thus decided to start their own. They now need to let us get on with the job of running the Alliance with our own choice of leadership."

Fairey says there are some positive aspects to the departures that Staunch will be discussing at their national gathering in May. "We believe that young urban voters will be attracted to a dynamic new leadership in the Alliance. People like Laila Harre, Willie Jackson and Matt McCarten represent a new generation of the left and we will fight to see them stay on the political stage."

"Also, nobody has more credibility arguing for free education than Liz Gordon, which will help us in attracting votes for the Alliance from our growing population of tertiary students," said Fairey.

"There are lots of young people eager to stand for the Alliance. We think our party has a brighter, longer future than the vehicle Jim Anderton is patching together from the long dead Social Credit party."

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