LETTERS
From Anthony C. Cowdy, J. R. L. Curling- ham, W. A. Miller, D. G. Leslie, Miles Hud- son, Peter Conder, Alan Smith, Cohn Welch, T. C. Skertngton-Lodge, Richard Cobb, P. H. Can ham, Gerald MacDonald, I. Anthony 0. Lewis.
New forces in Ulster
Sir: To accuse Ulster moderates of ensur- ing a Paisleyite victory by splitting the vote in South Antrim (25 April) is wholly irrele- vant. What has happened and is happening in Northern Ireland is that for the first time in forty years voters have something to vote for. Issues—not merely the preser- vation of official Unionist power—are at stake. Party politics, as distinct from one- party power tactics, have emerged and they must not be allowed to die for lack of atten- tion from the British government, which is in danger of ignoring this single hope of a peaceful solution with the minimum inter- ference from Westminster.
The formation of the Alliance party rep- resents a vital stage in solving the bedrock problem: reforming the political structure of Northern Ireland. The single sectarian party fell into disarray the instant it was confronted with real political and social issues in the society it governs. O'Neillism, an attempt to reform the political structure through Unionist party machinery and from the top down, has inevitably col- lapsed.
The Alliance party is a combination of all sections of the community, determined on full, normal participation in politics for all citizens. An average of two constituency branches of the Alliance party are forming, literally, every twenty-four hours. If West- minster ignores the Alliance and continues to talk only with the official Unionists it can only accept the consequences.
Anthony C. Cowdy Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, 76 Cromwell Road, Belfast
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