Letter: Unionists in Northern Ireland should join up with rivals of President Biden in the United States

Behind the headlines, the local election results are much more encouraging for unionism than for nationalism. Indeed, nationalism is barely nearer its promised electoral majority 40 years after it was first forecast. Differential turnout is a problem and one that has many causes. One important cause we can address is the contrast between international support for nationalism and the almost complete absence of such support for unionism. While believing that the world supports nationalism has failed to turn unionists into nationalists, it undoubtedly motivates core nationalist voters to actually turn out and vote.

If you follow US politics you can't ignore the profound concern that President Biden's policies have triggered in his fellow citizens across a range of issues. Many are particularly concerned about their country's interference in the internal affairs of those who should by rights be allies of the US. The DUP could profitably link up with those in the US, particularly Republican Party politicians there, who are worried about these issues by offering proof of the damage done to the US by President Biden's support for Irish nationalists who have, for example, undermined US support for Ukraine and assisted FARC terrorism in South America and who are sympathetic to Palestinian/anti Jewish terrorism. As well as giving the DUP a more attractive international profile, the results of such a strategy would give unionists more reason to get out and vote.

David McDowell, Belgravia, London