Eastern European immigrants have enhanced Province

A Polish political party is organising a local branch in the Province.

Northern Ireland already has the DUP, UUP, Alliance, SDLP, Sinn Fein, NI21, the Conservatives, the Greens, the PUP. The Labour Party does not contest elections but does have members here. There are other fringe parties, and there have been other parties in the past.

Yet for all the seeming absurdity of the vast range of political groups, there is in fact a case for even more parties. There is a huge range of ideological views in any society, but our tribal divide doubles the permutations. And there is also, for example, a case now for a specific Christian party, given the way that almost all other parties are embracing secular values (even, to some small degree, the DUP, although Arlene Foster is pledging to cherish its Christian heritage).

The Polish party, which locally is being called ‘Razem Ireland’, is unlikely to get much support, given the relatively small numbers of Poles in Northern Ireland. But its emergence is in fact in many respects a positive reflection of the embedding of one of the most successful immigrant groups in the Province.

Thousands of eastern Europeans have made their home in Northern Ireland. Through the teeth of one of the worst recessions in a century they found work in towns and cities across the region. They took jobs that often members of the local population were reluctant to accept, typically on wages around or slightly above the minimum wage. Yet they rarely complain or express bitterness about their situation and have integrated into a community that by and large is delighted to have such industrious newcomers among them. Many of non-European immigrants have also enhanced this society.

There are valid cultural concerns about the scale of immigration into the UK and also about the number of arrivals. But the success of Polish immigrants is a reminder of the upsides.