This is no time for vote for political parties who seek an isolated Brexit Britain

A letter from Dr Carol Greer:
Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

I have been deeply moved by the bravery of the people of Ukraine and their inspiring leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This has made me think about what I want in the leader of my country and what values I want my country to promote.

I do not expect political leaders to be saints and have only passing disappointment on learning of inappropriate tweets or the fact that a life long politician thinks of jumping ship when his party isn’t working for him anymore. I do have a harder time with politicians who become apologists for Irish people who killed other Irish people in the name of political change but we made a commitment in the Good Friday Agreement to move on from past resentments.

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But I do want my politicians to promote the ideals I believed were synonymous with being part of these islands….Democracy, compassion and a sense that our neighbours are owed more than rhetoric when war lands on their doorstep.

A majority of decent people believed, and voted for the separation of the UK from our neighbours via Brexit, feeding on the deep-set feeling of being overlooked that is common in many poorer communities in the UK. Self-interest led politicians promoting Brexit to reject the relationships that made the UK a successful global economy.

The DUP got on the Brexit train knowing it could cost the Northern Ireland economy dear. They are now prepared to leave NI open to direct rule by this very Tory government who are failing so abysmally to take on Putin, who are responding to Ukraine’s humanitarian refugee crisis with empty words and red tape; they prioritise keeping anti immigration rhetoric in place to appease right wing ERG supporters.

So how do I stay proud of my country in the way the Ukrainian people can hold their heads high? We must not become a narrow minded, inward looking country.

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It is crucial that in May we do not elect in Northern Ireland parties that are only too happy to hand our futures to charlatans or who have tied their future to the success of Boris’s failed vision of an isolated lonely Britain.

Dr Carol Greer, Belfast BT6

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