However we view the results of the elections of June it was
relief to many to see the end of the hustings. Electioneering
may be an enjoyable, even thrilling experience for candidates
and party workers, it may be a big yawn for others. The volume
of words spoken and written by politicians, and the media
participation with news, views, polls, interviews and debates,
was overwhelming. We know by the results how much it all mattered
and of the effects of personalities on people. Personality
is always important for those pleading a cause and not least
in politics. We are affected by how we feel about someone
and we respond by liking or disliking him or her. That means
votes or not votes in an election. The appeal of person to
person is often irrational and has more to do with image,
personality and popularity than with an intimate knowledge
and experience of someone. In our little country, though,
the politican is always well known and near at hand. The result
of the General Election in Northern Ireland has brought a
realignment of unionism with the successes of the D.U.P.,
and of nationalism/republicanism by those of Sinn Fein/I.R.A.
The poor showing of S.D.L.P. and Alliance with the losses
of U.U.P. make for a puzzling picture because the new strengths
and weaknesses means that early comment had to be well guarded.
These and the results of the local government elections were
such that we shall leave a depth study to the people for they
must think through what has happened and await the reactions
of Tony Blair and the government to momentous changes in strengths
and emphasis. The fact that in Great Britain the Labour Party
won so very convincingly, if not a surprise, is of particular
importance and consequence to us, for it means that the government
remains in that unassailable position where it can pretty
well do as it pleases. How it treats Northern Ireland will
affect very much what happens here. The claim that "the
Northern Ireland problem will only be solved by Northern Ireland
people," if it suggests that the future is in our hands,
disregards the reality that the decisions which most affect
us are taken in Downing Street and the things we resisted
as unionists were forced on us anyway. There is no need to
remind ourselves of what they were suffice to say that the
likelihood is that Tony Blair will be no less determined to
pursue his policies on Northern Ireland. His last government,
and he personally, promised to safeguard what is of value
to people here but in the event its, and his, partiality to
nationalism/republicanism made for an imbalance grossly unfair
to unionists. The primary concern of the Government was and
is to ensure that there are no more I.R.A. bombs on Britain.
But to placate those, who, while talking peace, are threatening
war by the retention of their arsenals, is not the action
of a caring and courageous government. It is to be hoped that
this new administration will think and act differently, honestly
and honourably to all the people of Northern Ireland. The
task of the unionist politicians must be to try to ensure
that whatever is promised or done must be fair to everybody,
and to secure a reversal of promises unkept to unionists but
kept for nationalists/republicans. There has to be a determination
by our M.P.'s to be seen and heard in the House of Commons
and in the places and situations where M.P.'s meet at Westminster.
The unionist case must be pleaded vigorously, positively and
pungently.
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