Sinn Fein has never understood unionism

LAST week, Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill attended a united Ireland conference in London.

It’s not the first time the party has staged this type of event outside Northern Ireland — sometimes holding them in the US —despite the fact that it’s the people of Northern Ireland it will have to persuade if it ever hopes to achieve its aim.

To add a further layer of irony, Ms O’Neill talked about organising the event to “listen to unionism” and its views on “ending partition”.

Does Sinn Fein really still not understand that unionists and many others who are content with the current constitutional position want Northern Ireland to remain a full, prosperous part of the UK while also having great relationships with the rest of this island?

How can we ever have a meaningful conversation if it keeps wilfully misunderstanding this fact?

People on either side of the border voted in 1998 to resolve our differences by operating the political structures set out in the agreement.

Doing this properly and respectfully, for the benefit of everyone here, is the best way for Sinn Fein to pursue its constitutional objectives.

If the party is not prepared to take responsibility and get on with governing through the Assembly and the Executive, demonstrating a willingness to make this place work and pursuing its longer term aspiration for a united Ireland through that constructive method, then we need to look at how those institutions operate.

That review would be solely for the purpose of ensuring that the rest of us can get on with delivering good government for all of the people of Northern Ireland, which, in turn, will benefit everyone on this island and across these islands.

TREVOR RINGLAND Holywood, Co Down