It will be a grievous injustice if 50:50 PSNI discrimination returns

While it is welcome that the party is now supporting policing in such a visible way, their support in throwing their weight behind recruitment campaigns is long overdue.

It comes more than 20 years after Sinn Fein was not only put at the heart of political power, it was installed via a system whereby they can never be removed, unless they cease to be the largest nationalist party and then opt for opposition.

It comes after the RUC was disbanded to placate nationalist concerns and after a deeply unjust system of discrimination against Protestants (and other non Catholics) applicants to the police was instigated to further assuage sensitivities.

When the percentage of Catholic recruits reached a certain level, so-called 50:50 recruitment was ended. The percentage of Catholic PSNI officers is in decline again, in part due to the dissident republican terrorist targeting of them.

It will be an outrage if discrimination against non Catholics is allowed to return.

On every front, or people from a nationalist background are generously assisted and supported by this society.

An alleged unfair treatment over a language that barely any nationalists speak to a high level, Irish, led to the collapse of Stormont and a Sinn Fein veto on its return until an Irish language act was implemented. That act has now be introduced in all but name and will lead to a powerful language commissioner and yet another cultural chill factor for people of the non nationalist tradition, as republicans well know.

Sinn Fein is demanding the return of 50:50 discrimination, and when Sinn Fein demands something, it typically gets it.

Naomi Long, the justice minister, yesterday said that she was open to 50:50. This is a troubling development, because it will be a grievous injustice if official discrimination returns.