Everything Ulster - Election 2005

CHRISTOPHER Stalford wrote his last article in the Newsletter today. I for one am glad, as I'm not sure I could take much more of his bland column which, for the last couple of weeks during which time I've read it, did little more than regurgitate DUP propaganda. He's so good he could nearly work for Sinn Fein.

Today's column enraged me. He bgins by saying that he's leaving and that apparently the Newsletter is now sufficiently pro-DUP for his liking. Apparently the paper had previously been criticised for only being reperesetnative of pro-agreement, pro-Trimble unionism. Apparently now "all shades of unionist political opinion are given a fair hearing on the pages of this publication". It's obviously just my own misapprehension that caused me to think this morning, as I walked to the shop, how biased towards the DUP the paper has seemed in the past few weeks!! (I only started reading it, in preference to the Belfast Telegraph, in the last few weeks)

He then goes on to give a shamefully inaccurate account of what has happened in Northern Ireland over the last year. Apparently "Sinn Fein/IRA, so used to getting their own way, dictating to unionists and reaping concessions... have been humiliated, exposed and played off the proverbial field by the [DUP]." If you say so Chris!

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Has he been awake for the past 12 months? I'd love to know exactly how SF have been "humiliated" or "exposed" and how exactly the DUP have "played them off" whatever field it is he's talking about, especially as they appear set to romp home to victory in the coming elections - the DUP themselves say that SF are in danger of topping the poll!! Played off the field eh?

"Gerry Adams, used to strutting around the White House, was reduced to doing tours of the 'Oirish' bars in New Jersey."

My good friend Christopher neglects to mention that the main reason for this has been the murder of Robert McCartney, but sure why let the truth get in the way of a good propaganda piece?

"In Paisley, villified unfairly for years, now straddles the world stage as the elder statesman of unionism and enjoys much greater respect and standing than David Trimble ever did."

Really? Funny I got the impression Ian Paisley was still viewed by the outside world as the out of date fossil he is. A global embarrassment to unionists. As for greater respect/standing than Trimble - Trimble won a Nobel peace prize for his efforts in making Northern Ireland a better place. What exactly has Paisley done to earn the supposed greater respect and/or standing that Stalford speaks of? Would that be the time he was quoted as saying he would kill anyone who stood in his way all those years ago? I'll be fair, if he has apologised for that remark please let me know, but somehow it doesn't seem like the Rev to admit he's made a mistake. I think his "villification" as Chris puts it, was totally justified.

Apparently "the DUP has worked hard to consolidate international opinion around the position that there can be no place in government for Sinn Fein, while that party remains wedded to IRA violence."

Again, I think international opinion was changed much more substantially by the Northern Bank raid and the McCartney incident than anything the DUP have (or lets face it, haven't) done. In fact I'd say the Irish government's attitude towards and criticism of the IRA/Sinn Fein has done much more to harm their image than anything the DUP have done - after all we've heard it all before from them and it's what we've come to expect. As for "no place in government for Sinn Fein," Christopher seems to have conveniently forgotten about the fact that in December, the DUP were a couple of photographs away from enetering into a government with Sinn Fein where the potential was there not only for Sinn Fein to take charge of our schools and hospitals, but also our police force! But again, it's ok, people will believe what you tell them, won't they Chris?

He goes on to suggest voters should compare the DUP's record of achievement with that of the Ulster Unionists. I've no problem with that, they definitely should, but not Stalford's version of events. "Trimble jumped ship 3 times at the behest of the provos, and fell flat on his face. During the DUP's watch, SF/IRA hasn't been in government for one minute because the party knew the provos couldn't be trusted."

Lets look at the DUP record first. Not much there, I don't think anything has been achieved since they won the assembly elections. I refer you back to the fact that only a couple of photos kept SF out of government. Would a couple of photos, which could easily be faked, have suddenly meant that SF were trustworthy?

Now the UU record: Stalford says Trimble "jumped and fell flat on his face". Trimble gave the republican movement a chance to show that it had changed and was ready to become a full partner in a democratic political system. The fact that SF proved unworthy of that trust is neither here nor there - for the sake of Northern Ireland Trimble gave it a go. To accuse the man of jumping ship because he took a chance to make his country a better place, is more than a touch harsh.

I'm sure many of you remember what life was like before the GFA and the ceasefires in 1994. Bomb scares and shootings on a regular basis. The Republic of Ireland with a constitutional claim on our homeland. Both these have been changed, thanks to a deal which the DUP, to this day, claim to reject (despite their deal being essentially the same with even more concessions to SF/IRA!)

If this column, and his column last week, is anything to go by, I'm thankful there won't be anymore. I just hope, for the sake of the people of Laganbank (where Christopher Stalford is now standing for election to Belfast City Council), that enough decent people turn out to vote for other candidates that he doesn't get into power. Here's a hint, the Alliance seem to do a good job on a local level, if current Lord Mayor Tom Ekin is anything to go by anyway.