Jim Rodgers: Traditional UUP supporters did not oppose DUP pact

The Alliance Party Chief Whip (October 24) is talking his usual nonsense when he says that another pact between the UUP and DUP would spell the end of the UUP in East Belfast.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Ulster Unionist Party traditional supporters were not disgusted by the previous one and their supporters did not switch to the Alliance Party in their droves.

Over the last eighteen months an increasing number of Alliance supporters have told us that they will never vote for that party again as they are against the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

I don’t know what planet Stewart Dickson lives on but he is completely out of touch at what is happening on the ground. The UUP works for the people regardless of who they are unlike Mr Dickson’s party who prefer to distribute leaflets claiming they do everything for the people when in fact the opposite is the case.

Alliance have no MEPs in the European Parliament, they have not one single MP, only a handful of MLAs and a small number of Councillors. Compare that with the numbers that the UUP have.

Alderman Jim Rodgers OBE, UUP, East Belfast