Unionists Accused Of 'Tribal Headcount'

An Alliance Councillor has criticised unionist parties of "turning away from an open future" after DUP MLA Arlene Foster encouraged unionists to work together.

"The only winner from the inter-unionist bickering is Sinn Féin," Minister Foster said in her Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency on Tuesday, ahead of looming elections.

"Unionism lost the 2010 election in this constituency by only four votes. Yet, due to unionist infighting, there were well in excess of four votes spoilt by unionists.

"That was a strategic error by those unionists. I have spoken to some people who felt the need to destroy their vote at that time. They now regret that decision. They realise that unionism was the loser for their actions and they now realise that every single vote counts."

However, Alliance Belfast Botanic representative Duncan Morrow said: "I suppose we can't be surprised that the DUP and UUP have decided to turn the coming elections into a tribal headcount.

"But it is profoundly depressing that these parties would prefer to turn away from the real world and shackle politics once more to the divisions of the past rather than lead the way beyond this type of sectarian politics.

"Sectarian head-counting is not leadership and it is not peace-making. It just means more 'them and us' politics, more green and orange mudslinging, more vision-free leadership. Yet people are desperate for vision and leadership away from this inward and backward looking politics.

"Elections should be competitions between people with differing ideas on the economy, services and the future, not an excuse to circle the sectarian wagons and warm up tired old slogans.

"The job of real leaders is to inspire the public with a vision of the future they can believe in, not terrify them by beating the drum of fear.

"The unionist parties are showing the world and the voters that they will not and cannot escape the past. There is nothing the rest of us can do about this pact except look on in despair and pity. But it underlines again that these elections are a time for change."

(IT/JP)