Sir, You report (April 10th) Mr Alderdice as saying that a vote for any of the minority parties is a "totally wasted vote". Given that we beat Alliance in the 1992 Oldpark by election, may we therefore assume that Alliance will stand down in favour of the Greens in North Belfast? This is, after all, a national election, and the Greens are fielding over 100 candidates throughout the nations of these islands!
How sad it is that those who oppose violence have never been able to co operate effectively at the political level. Sad it is, too, that democrats should actually campaign for less democracy. It is the system which is wrong, not the voter who feels that Green policies on organic farming or inclusive decision making, for example, are worthy of support.
We therefore need a better electoral system - something like the Maltese combination of PR STV plus a top up or, better still, a mixture of PR and the Borda preferendum with top up. This would allow (a) the punters to think beyond any strict party allegiance, and (b) all parties, large and small, to be fairly represented.
Add to this multi option decision making, and parties so inclined would then find it easier to co operate, while the more extreme would no longer get representation beyond their proportional due (STV is not as proportional as some suggest, for it places far too much importance on the voters' first preferences, and far too little on their compromise options). Such a democratic system may yet be a prerequisite of peace. - Yours, etc.,
North Belfast Green Party candidate,
Ballysillan Road,
Belfast 14.