Past political agreements have just helped nationalists to make Northern Ireland unstable

Any negotiations that involve tinkering with the flawed Good Friday/ St Andrews Agreements is a waste of time.

Any agreement that crashes every time that nationalism throws a hissy fit is a sure recipe for instability.

As the nationalist narrative is that Northern Ireland is a ‘failed state’, it is in their interest to keep it unstable, unless, of course there is a conveyor belt of concessions to their demands.

The obvious solution is simple majority rule, as occurs in other democratic countries, but the gutless British establishment will not grant this, as their policy is pander to the nationalist ascendancy.

Another approach is clearly needed.

Perhaps a canton system, where unionists and nationalists are responsible for running their respective areas, co-operating where there is agreement and going their own way where there isn’t, would provide a more stable system of government.

After all, it would go with the grain of society as it is and consequently is more likely to endure.

This is just a suggestion, but perhaps a forum should be convened across unionist society to map out possible ways forward for our community, for it is clear that the present arrangements are flawed and a recipe for the instability that assists nationalism in its campaign for the destruction of the Union.

Tom Ferguson, Ballymoney