Opinion

Irish parliamentarians at Westminster have achieved nothing

When Michael Davitt walked out of Parliament (Westminster) for the last time after lengthy service as an MP, he commented: ‘No just cause could proceed there unless backed by massive agitation’.

In the 1918 General election 111 MPs were elected from Ireland, including 73 republicans, 29 unionists and nine independents. This followed a long history of Irish parliamentarians who sat in that chamber.

Many of them, including Davitt himself, Stewart Parnell, Joe Devlin and many others were excellent orators and astute politicians.

Yet they were never able to stop the genocide of more than 2,000,000 Irish people caused by thieving landlords, backed by legislation and protected by the Royal Navy.

They could not stop the Black and Tans, the Auxiliaries or use their influence to stop thousands of Irishmen from being slaughtered in a war against a nation who had never invaded us and who had done nothing to offend us.

Nevertheless, Davitt’s  resistance to the landlords and the evictions was successful, but only because he mobilised massive agitation by the tenant farmers. In the 1960s the Civil Rights movement took to the streets after all parliamentary attempts to redress the unionists human rights abuses were ignored.  In more recent times the relief of Irish citizens here from many other human rights abuses have been secured. Legislation to block discrimination in employment was secured after dogged resistance here and organised publicity campaigns here and in the US eventually brought immense pressure to bear on the British government.

And the Orange Order who managed and administrated all those human rights abuses can no longer decide who gets jobs or houses, rig the electoral boundaries, chain up the children’s swings on Sundays, or march and display their sectarian hatred wherever they like.


We still have a long way to go but all of our successes were won by people who formed pressure groups, agitated, mobilised international support, organised protests, sat down on roads and were beaten off those roads by the state police.

None of it was ever achieved by the politicians who were sent over to Westminster during the last half century. On the contrary many human rights were secured despite their opposition.

The late Tony Benn summed it up very well when he once stated his desire to give up his Westminster seat and go in to politics.

JACK DUFFIN 


Belfast BT11

Can we rely on larger parties to work for benefit of everyone?

The political map of Northern Ireland is now starkly divided and polarised. That is a cause for concern for those of us who care for this place and it gives us pause to think about what we are handing on to future generations. It is easy to slip into the politics of hatred and fear, without fully considering the consequences.

The new landscape is a belated outworking of the two governments’ strategy of cultivating the DUP and Sinn Féin, rather than parties that were, at the time, considered ‘centre ground’. This thinking reached its nadir at the St Andrews Agreement, when a sectarian headcount at election time was entrenched in our devolved institutions.  

Both the larger parties have changed in pursuit of power, but can we rely upon them to work for the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland?  


We will get an answer to that question in the next few weeks. The DUP, in particular, has an unparallelled opportunity to embrace mainstream politics and use its new found influence at Westminster to make our society and our economy more successful.

If the principle of consent, which underpinned the Good Friday Agreement, means anything, it means that MPs from Northern Ireland can and should aspire to have a say in the government of the United Kingdom.

As to nationalism, it is not for me to say someone cannot aspire to a united Ireland but I can challenge the methods they use to pursue it.


I would expect a similar challenge to my constitutional preference that Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom, with great relations with the rest of Ireland and of course Europe.

Trashing this place which we have agreed to share is in no one’s interest and condemns us all to misery and further heartache.


So I would suggest we become more demanding of those who are elected to take responsibility that they do so constructively.

As I have said so often before we are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the world and its people have tremendous qualities which are brought to the fore by constructive leadership.

TREVOR RINGLAND


Holywood, Co Down

Reasons for concern

There are real reasons to be concerned at a DUP-Conservative linkup in Britain. While holding office, several of the senior figures in the DUP attempted to implement the surely madcap doctrine of ‘young creationism’ in the north’s school and university curricula and in its museums.  This particular belief-system eschews centuries of scientific and evolutionary research, in favour of a literal interpretation of the Christian/Judaic ‘Adam and Eve’ story. Centuries ago, Islamic and Judaic scholars turned their backs on this notion. So do the vast majority of Christians today.

Its many other social and ideological viewpoints are, likewise, problematic. There is the persistent charge of homophobia, as well as the issue of the DUP’s perceived misogynistic and Islamophobic image.


A former Conservative PM and others have warned of the possible ‘undermining’ of the Good Friday Agreement, in the event of an enduring DUP-Conservative pact. And there are also two major money-related stories, which have not gone away.


It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the broad British electorate are more than a little jumpy at present. Their concerns are very real.

BILLY FITZPATRICK


Terenure, Dublin 6W

SF stymied again

Oh dear, and there was Gerry, Michelle and Mary Lou, expecting a ‘united Ireland’ any day now – but united with whom and what, I ask? Stymied again, folks. But keep the futile hope of that ‘fourth’ green field in the foremost of Sinn Féin thoughts, otherwise the young won’t have a clue as to ancient history, even if they cared in the first place.

Arlene and Theresa are the winners, so stop the sobbing.

ROBERT SULLIVAN


Bantry, Co Cork

SDLP demise

Brian Feeney’s assertion (June 10) that abstentionism was the only substantial difference between the SDLP and Sinn Féin in the recent election is insulting to the non violent history of the SDLP. As a ‘nonconformist/dissenter’ with nationalist aspirations I could never vote for Sinn Féin but have voted for the SDLP for the past 15 years. If the demise of the SDLP predicted by Feeney comes to pass I would fear that there would be no party for Protestants with Irish nationalist views to support.  

NOEL  McCUNE


Newry, Co Down

Patter of Orange feet

Now that Arlene’s DUP and Theresa’s Tories have agreed to consummate their political marriage, how long will it be before we hear the patter of Orange feet on Garvaghy Road?

TOM COOPER


Dublin 2