THERE was cross-party support in Northern Ireland last night for the introduction of proportional representation in the Westminster election.
The Democratic Unionist Party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said it was regrettable that PR was not in place. The DUP lost out to the Ulster Unionist Party under the current first past the post system.
He added, however, that the DUP was continuing talks with the Ulster Unionists about a possible election pact in certain constituencies which would maximise unionist seats.
The SDLP's Mr Sean Farren said it was anomalous that was PR in every other election from district council to European ballots. These elections gave the true spectrum of people's political opinions.
The two politicians were speaking at a student debate in Queen's University on Northern Ireland after the elections".
The chairman of the Alliance Party, Mr Steve McBride, also supported proportional representation and said his party would have at least one and possibly two MPs at Westminster if PR were in place.
The UK Unionist leader, Mr Bob McCartney, said that after the elections there would have to be new talks on a new basis, and not based on a scheme to accommodate terrorists. The price to pay for inclusion for everyone was a complete and permanent end to violence.
Mr Farren, one of the negotiators in the talks process, said voters would have to make a fundamental choice at the polls on May 1st. The electorate had a choice between perpetuating the conditions in which violence thrives and "creating the conditions in which hope is restored and possibility for a real accommodation is created".
Mr McBride warned, however, that Northern Ireland's problems will still be there after the elections and might even be worse. He said it would be helpful if a new government had a majority so there could be no suspicion that it was being manipulated by smaller parties.
This was in reference to the concessions Ulster Unionists have received through supporting the Conservative government in close votes.
Commenting on possible political pacts, he said the Alliance Party had no interest in such deals. He added, however, that if the SDLP and the Alliance Party had a pact in south Belfast they, could unseat the Ulster Unionist, MP, the Rev Martin Smyth.