No going back for unionist hardliners

GIVEN the depth of unionist paranoia over powersharing with nationalists, it is not surprising there has been a spate of resignations from the DUP over sharing power with Sinn Féin?

It is understandable that some unionists feel threatened by the decision to agree a power-sharing executive with republicans on May 8.

With the trappings of power enjoyed by a permanent, artificial majority and a guaranteed blank cheque from London, unionist control of housing and jobs and a British government complicit in turning a blind eye to a blatantly sectarian, gerrymandered state, agreeing to share power must be a cultural shock of immense proportion to unionists.

Despite the malevolence of some unionist hardliners, the decision by Dr Paisley is to be welcomed.

The political reality is that he recognises that the day of intimidating nationalists back to where unionism believed they belonged is over.

It is ironic that, in 1968 when the civil rights movement in the North, led by John Hume, Ivan Cooper, Austin Currie and the late Gerry Fitt, among others, was demanding equal rights and status within the Northern state — full British rights within a British state — they were attacked by the RUC, the ‘B’ Specials and a rampaging mob of Paisleyites.

If, at that juncture, unionism had responded to reasonable demands from reasonable people in the nationalist community, this island might well have been spared the horrors of the following 30 years.

Surely, the whole purpose of the new political consensus is to liberate the political structures in the North from institutions which passed for a functioning democracy?

If unionism fails to comply with the democratic process, as mandated in the St Andrew’s Agreement, then the Irish and British governments must act immediately and implement joint authority.

Tom Cooper

23 Delaford Lawn

Knocklyon

Dublin 16