Just a quick history. In my youth, Gerry Fitt was regarded as the 'ogre' for unionists.

On reflection, what a courageous and reasonable moderate he was. He was too 'green' for the unionist parties. Then along came John Hume of the "United Ireland or nothing" comment.

Unionists didn't do a deal with him. And now we have Gerry Adams. A deal has been struck. If that deal fails, who will be the next 'greener' person, in the minds of unionists, who has to be faced? A dissident republican?

Now to the danger for unionists. The reality is that the electoral returns, in recent years, have made it inevitable that some Government arrangement between the two major parties, Sinn Fein and the DUP, would be agreed. Nobody can doubt the earlier contribution of David Trimble but he was not able to clinch the deal.

My concern is that there is a sufficient number of people who do not feel comfortable with political movement and change.

As a result, they feel drawn to a backward comfort zone suggested by Jim Allister's party. He, to date, has not offered a viable – and I emphasise – viable alternative other than his own representation of the past.

This is a time for courage, common sense, and a 'just get on with it' attitude. There are too many credit crunch issues to be dealt with rather than be distracted into a cul-de-sac.

Those tempted to vote for the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) purely to spite the DUP should have the moral responsibility to think of the greater good of unionists.

I must stress I am not a member of any political party – just an honest citizen making an observation.

DH,
Belfast