Dear Madam, - We read with some interest the contribution from a ‘Nationalist voter’ last week suggesting that the SDLP will be punished for refusing to engage in sectarian politics to get an absentee MP re-elected.

Let’s be clear- Sinn Féin have not offered a ‘pro-agreement’ pact with anyone. They have offered a dirty sectarian deal to get their candidate re-elected, whatever the cost to anyone else. How else can they justify excluding other pro-agreement parties? Why are the Alliance Party excluded? Why, too, is the Ulster Unionist Party excluded?

Both those parties were signatories to the Agreement and both have committed to the institutions. The answer is, of course, because Sinn Féin have no interest in a ‘pro-agreement’ union. It’s an attempt to suppress choice and plurality. The SDLP will not play those games.

SDLP voters are not blind followers. They will not vote for another party because they are told to and we will never presume that we ‘own’ their vote in that way.

We are committed to giving people a choice. The variety of political choice is the basis of powersharing. Forsaking that to serve party self-interest is, in itself, anti-agreement.

The SDLP has consistently stood up for Fermanagh. We ensured stringent environmental impact assessments are applied to those who want to frack our beautiful natural landscape. We have ensured a package of rates relief during local government convergence. Voters want parties that will deliver for them, not those engaged in political rhetoric. We will continue delivering for Fermanagh and will seek a mandate to represent our people at Westminster.

Why would we stand by and allow another absentee MP to be elected? Someone who doesn’t represent this area and has no intention of representing us? Michelle Gildernew has already said that she wants to leave Westminster and come back to the Assembly. How could we back a party whose MPs don’t want to be MPs?

We will stand on our record of delivery and allow the people to judge us for that. The SDLP is fighting back in Fermanagh/South Tyrone and understandably, that has the establishment parties worried.

Yours faithfully, Councillors J Coyle, B Gallagher, S McAleer, R McPhillips, D Mullen and P Rogers.