Angry young Conservative
Sir: Brian Inglis's article (`No one wants Ulster', 22 September) reveals his com- plete misunderstanding of Conservative Unionism, and the reasons for the appa- rent rise of that which he calls 'Ulster nationalism'.
Mr Inglis asserts that within the Con- servative and Unionist Party, 'Unionism has gone the way of Imperialism'. Hence, by implication, he is comparing those of us concerned with the defence of the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ire- land with the small, and highly eccentric, movement on the fringe of the Party in the 1950s that argued for the preservation of the Victorian Empire. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. As Mr Inglis is forced to concede, last year's Conservative Party Conference passed, with an overwhelming majority, a motion calling for the affiliation of the new Con- servative Associations in Northern Ireland. This vote clearly re-affirmed the commit- ment of rank-and-file members to a policy of full political integration of the province into the United Kingdom. No fewer than four fringe meetings on the subject of integrating Northern Ireland will be held at our Conference next week.
The fact that the Conservative candidate in the Upper Bann by-election failed to secure a major share of the vote, had more to do with the speed in which the campaign was organised, and the electorate's reluct- ance to break traditional voting patterns, than any long-term hostility to British Conservatism.
Finally, we are told that 'Ulster national- ism' is on the rise. Apart from quoting the comments of the late Harold McCusker, Mr Inglis provides little evidence for this assumption. He fails to inform the reader that no candidate supporting a policy of independence for Northern Ireland has ever been returned for a Parliamentary constituency (unlike in Scotland and Wales). If there exists any form of 'little Ulster' mentality it has been fostered by the reluctance of successive British govern- ments to recognise Northern Ireland as an integral part of our Kingdom.
Adrian Lee
Greater London Young Conservatives, 36 Great Smith Street, London SWI
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