Unionist unity would harden politics

Editorial Department • Published 19 Aug 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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Dear Sir - Arlene Foster’s recent outpouring in the Impartial Reporter of her desire for Unionist Unity comes exactly at a time when High Court proceedings are well underway to challenge the recent Westminster result in Fermanagh South Tyrone.

For Nationalists of all of shades and hue the 2010 election result will be solely remembered for Arlene Foster’s premature rejoicing on the announcement of the first count result on BBC Television which was in Rodney Connor’s favour. Having got involved in election work for the first time in 1981 for the Bobby Sands election campaign this letter writer can report that Nationalists in this iconic constituency took great satisfaction in seeing that all the planning and meticulous efforts of Arlene Foster and the County’s former grand master of the Orange Lodge, Tom Elliott to get the former Council Chief Executive Rodney Connor elected came to nothing!

For Nationalists of the SDLP and Sinn Fein varieties they see Arlene Foster’s repeated cries for a Unionist Unity candidate as nothing more than coded calls for a preferred sectarian headcount to take place in elections.

This voter looks forward to next May’s referendum which hopefully will result in a proportional representation voting system (that is already in place in Southern Ireland) being finally introduced. This should do away with Arlene’s obsession for Unionism at general elections to be represented by a single Unionist Candidate as voters under PR system can vote freely for a choice of Unionists candidates in order of their preference.

Let me take issue with Arlene who is seemingly obsessed with the task of claiming back Fermanagh South Tyrone from Michelle Gildernew by insisting on Unionists going to elections with one single unionist candidate only.

Despite nationalism having been divided with two Westminster candidates in 2010, Sinn Fein, despite odds being stacked against them, won through again.

Nationalists of their own free will elected again to vote for Sinn Fein with up to 45.5% of the share of the voter turnout. This share of the Fermanagh South Tyrone electorate is Sinn Fein’s largest share ever since the 2001 and 2005 Westminster elections.

At the same time, the SDLP’s share of the vote over the same election period (2001 to 2010) has continued to drop dramatically to just 7.6% which, putting it succinctly, has collapsed to a point where nationalist voters will view it not even worthwhile voting for SDLP as Sinn Fein, with Michelle Gildernew (three time winner) is clearly the only show in town.

On reflection, Arlene Foster needs to be told that any repeat of the shenanigans and the choreography that finally unearthed a Unionist Unity candidate that has obviously brought questions marks to the past governance of Fermanagh District Council will only “harden” politics in the County. Let all voters be freely able to choose from a range of candidates as their basic right to do so. Nationalists have done this voluntarily for years, voting for either the SDLP, Sinn Fein or Independent candidates. Freedom to choose from a pool of candidates in order of preference is the only answer to freedom of expression at elections. This is more fairer and progressive and reduces the need for coded calls for sectarian head counting which single Unionist/Nationalist candidates would present.

Yours,

“Freedom to choose”

This letter appeared in Impartial Reporter 19 Aug 10

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