The unionist parties rejected a plan for a single candidate to run in West Belfast

I find Gregory Campbell’s appeal for support for the DUP candidate in West Belfast to be laughable.

Several weeks ago representatives of all the main voluntary and community groups in protestant areas of west Belfast came together and for the first time agreed unanimously that there needed to be a united unionist candidate for West Belfast in the assembly elections.

This was communicated to the three main unionist parties as a demand but was accompanied by the determination to maximise voter registrations and turnout.

The strong feeling was that a united candidate could win a seat on first preference votes, a seat that would uniquely come from republicans and not weaken any of the unionist parties.

The three party leaders selfishly rejected this request and fielded their own candidates.

This attitude has been met with disgust and disbelief by most activists in unionist West Belfast.

We have been without representation for nearly twenty years, and the difference in funding and infrastructure in our areas compared to nationalist areas of the constituency is apparent for all to see.

Gregory Campbell, and mainstream unionists should hang their heads in shame.

Mr RC, Co Antrim