Madam, - Kevin McNamara's claims regarding Labour organisation in Northern Ireland and his comments on the Northern Ireland Conservatives cannot go unchallenged (September 30th).
Firstly, he claimed that "electoral support for candidates put up by the British Labour Party (in Northern Ireland) would be marginal". If expected levels of support are a prerequisite for Labour organisation, I could give him a list of constituencies in which Labour should shut up shop. In Scotland for example, the Conservatives won the constituency of Galloway and Upper Nithsdale from the Scottish National Party (SNP) at the 2001 Westminster elections. In that constituency, the main competition is between the Conservatives and the SNP. There are other constituencies like this in rural Scotland. Perhaps the Labour party should shut down in these areas?
Secondly, the claim that the SDLP is Labour's sister party is meaningless. The SDLP's vociferous criticisms of Labour do not suggest any sisterly love between the two parties. When is the SDLP going to adopt Labour policies? Student top-up fees, support for the war on Iraq, foundation hospitals and the like?
Lastly, Mr McNamara claims that "the Conservative Party's decision to establish associations in Northern Ireland is regarded as disastrous by all outside a narrow band of anti-agreement diehards".
In fact, the Conservative Party is pro-Agreement. Not everyone is happy with everything the Agreement involves. This is true of most parties, but then, everyone makes compromises for peace. Moreover, the broad membership of the Conservative Party is very supportive of Conservative organisation in Northern Ireland.
In fact, I would question whether Mr McNamara is pro-Agreement. In the past he has been keen on imposed solutions for Northern Ireland. Any imposition is in direct opposition to the principle of consent - and the principle of consent is central to the Agreement.
Imagine if the people of Co Donegal were not allowed to vote for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or Labour. Would they not feel, and actually be, politically excluded?
The bottom line is that Northern Ireland people should have the right to vote for (or against) the party that governs them, and have the right to have a say in the whole range of political debate and at all levels of government.
Mr McNamara may not like this, but that's democracy. - Yours, etc.,
JASON DOCHERTY, South Antrim Representative, Conservative Party, Belfast 16.