I genuinely believe in the redistribution of wealth and in a fairer society based on inclusivity. I believe there is more than enough wealth in the country to pay for all the needs of society, to include free healthcare, free education, nationalised, subsidised and even free public transport.
I believe in welfare support for those in need and social care for the elderly, the disabled and those in need of support but what we have is neo-liberal austerity where debt is socialised and profit is privatised.
End tax avoidance and the deficit could be wiped out overnight, leaving plenty of money to pay decent wages and fund social care for all.
I have decided to place on hold my political ambitions in the short term in order to address some of the realities that have been born of austerity.
I volunteer at a local food bank and once a week. I volunteer along with many others with a homeless outreach group in downtown Belfast – providing hot food, tea, coffee, sandwiches and buns – as an act of solidarity with those in need.
Attacks on those on benefits, those who need housed and those who need medical treatment are only set to increase.
I wanted to help those people affected by being elected to speak for those who are seen but not heard, to articulate their concerns.
If I cannot do that then I am determined to make a difference – no matter how small – to help those I believe the political elite have abandoned and are condemned to a life on the streets or the poverty of the just-about-managing.
Fighting injustice and raising awareness around those injustices is embedded in my DNA.
The Labour party is dead in Ireland. It is struggling in Britain and was strangled here at the onset of partition in 1921/1922.
There will always be room for those who advocate for a better, fairer society. People Before Profit, the Workers Party and the Greens all advocate real politics for change for real people.
Austerity causes pain, along with zero hour contracts, coupled with no wage rises for many to combat inflation.
Labour does well when the greed of the Tories incites the people to demand change but I won’t be voting comrades. It’s a two horse race here between the ‘no gay marriage’ DUP on the right and the ‘let’s shed 20,000 public servant jobs to pay for tax cuts’ Sinn Féin on the other right.
Until there is national reunification and an end to partition the politics of sectarianism will continue to spoil politics here.
FRA HUGHES
Belfast BT14
Mr Davis’s grasp of history is exceedingly loose
Either Scottish schools have given up on teaching history or Elliot Davis (May 8) skipped the classes. His grasp of history is exceedingly loose but perhaps he is more interested in covering up the crimes of Israel against the Palestinian population of Israel and the West Bank than in elucidating the problems in the Middle East.
He states that at the San Remo Conference in 1920 “the world agreed to the creation of a reconstituted Jewish state of Israel” and formed 22 separate Arab states. Where did he get this amazing information?
The conference was formed to divide up the lands formerly governed by the defeated Ottoman Empire and the only formations were two mandates, one French (Syria and Lebanon) and the other British (Palestine and parts of Iraq). The one and only mention of Jews, Zionists or Israel was the incorporation of the Balfour Declaration in the Peace with Turkey Treaty.
He goes on to state that “Israeli Law guarantees equality for all irrespective of race religion...” etc, whereas every knowledgeable person knows that Palestinians are treated as second-class citizens and the unfortunate Arabs in the West Bank have been under harsh military rule for 50 years, their homes and lands stolen, all in direct conflict with the Genevan Convention and world opinion.
For some years now Prime Minister Netanyahu has been pressing for a change in Israel’s basic law (its Constitution) “to insist Israel is the nation state of one people only – the Jewish people – and no other”.
Would Mr Davis be pleased if the Scottish assembly passed a similar law defining Scotland as “the nation state of one people only – the Presbyterians – and no other”?
Would he accept that he, as a Jew, would no longer be a first-class citizen?
Where, then, would he choose to live?
EUGENE F PARTE
Belfast BT9
Don’t shy from truth of reality
It is always noticeable at times of terrorist attacks like the one in Manchester that they are never carried out by the much maligned groups like National Front, UKIP, EDL or the so-called French Far Right and those of similar unpopular beliefs the media wish us to beware of and condemn even when they are guilty of nothing.
Strange values we share when most arrests in street protests etc are those of the ‘liberal’ persuasion who become animated and even violent that others might display differing political viewpoints.
There will now be ritualistic claims that ‘we must never give in to terrorists’, while at the same time warning of the mythical dangers coming from law-abiding bogey-men or those who merely make a bit of noise regarding their national identity.
They are not making bombs and setting out to destroy the lives of their fellow British. Concentrate instead on those who are the real enemy.
Let us not shy away from the truth of reality.
ROBERT SULLIVAN
Bantry, Co Cork
Immigration policy is a flawed one
In the 1995 Children’s computer animated drama Reboot the community known as Mainframe was downgraded to 8-bit in an episode and a protagonist entering a race was hindered by his old robot allies who keep repeating, ‘We are helping’.
Perhaps, the British policy of bringing in immigrants from communities and nations it has mistreated – Ireland, Jamaica, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East – has been a flawed policy which has culminated in the suicide bombing in Manchester targeting little girls at an Arianna Grande concert.
Next time superpowers offer ‘help’, remember that it’s because of a guilty conscience.
DESMOND DEVLIN
Ardboe, Co Tyrone
Shame on US president
Ihave two nieces working in Manchester and my first calls after the explosion were made to find out how they were.
What mad people do this? Tormented by an ideology which glorifies death and destruction. My feelings are with Manchester and yet the US president agrees an arms deal with Saudia Arabia. Shame on him.
PAUL DORAN
Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Scraping to royalty alive and well in Kilkenny
The fame of hurling must have received a huge boost on Thursday May 11 down in Kilkenny when the two royals, King Henry and Prince Charles showed how it should be played to the delight of their adoring Union flag waving fans. It is clear that tugging the forelock and bowing and scraping to British royalty is still alive and well in Kilkenny.
VAL MORGAN
Newry, Co Down
