LETTER:Northern Ireland's changing electoral map
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.From Cllr James Winston
Sir: Whoever leads the Ulster Unionist Party, it will not be a fresh start (leading article, 29 August), it will do little to weaken the grip of the Orange-Green axis over political debate. It should be equally apparent that a political system determined by sectarian response means there is little scope for new or lateral thinking on either side, nor for addressing the "bread and butter" issues of the economy, welfare provision, and education with the energy they require.
Supporters of a secularised politics for Northern Ireland will be familiar with this impasse. There is a crying need among the electorate for more than mere lip service to be paid to their daily concerns - job losses, hospital closures, education cuts, the Tories' broken promises on tax. It is the tragedy of the Province's democracy that such issues are treated as no more than diversions from the "real" issues of the Union.
The only way Northern Ireland politics can move out of the sectarian bog is for the other political parties to take their responsibilities seriously and allow the people there to join in the wider political debate. The reasons why we campaign for Labour Party membership for the people of Northern Ireland - to realign Northern Ireland democracy on grounds of citizenship, not subjection, to realise the need for a social economy as redress for 16 years of Tory mismanagement - should be emphasised.
Bringing other issues into the debate will underline the incoherence and redundancy of what passes for social policy by both the Unionist and Nationalists parties. Breaking the mould will end the view of the electorate as knee-jerk Protestants and Catholics, but treat them as citizens, employees, consumers, benefits recipients, hospital patients - in other words, with the maturity they deserve.
Yours sincerely,
James Winston
Secretary
Democracy Now
London, N5
29 August
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments