Greens campaign for PR

THE Green Party's sole candidate in Northern Ireland, Mr Peter Emerson, has argued that a vote for him represents support for realistic compromise, and a challenge to the "sectarian head count" of Northern politics.

A central issue of Mr Emerson's campaign is that simple majority rule will never lead to a solution of the Northern conflict and the "preferendum" system favoured by the Greens is the best alternative.

The "preferendum" system would lead to an "excellent compromise", said Mr Emerson, who is standing in North Belfast. It presents voters with various options and, while the most extreme unionist or nationalist option would be excluded, it would deliver a more consensual solution agreeable to a broad majority, he added.

While the Greens are only contesting one Westminster constituency in the North - mainly because of cost considerations - Mr Emerson hopes his candidature will maintain the party's philosophy based on political inclusivism and environmental issues in the mind of the electorate.

The party manifesto calls for proportional representation in future Westminster elections to give minority parties such as the Greens a better chance to be represented. It also urges the creation of a Truth Commission based on the South African model to aid the process of healing and forgiveness in the North.