Letter: There is a complete lack of right-leaning and left-leaning political debate in Northern Ireland

Owen Polley takes aim at Northern Ireland’s bloated public sector and financial largesse in his latest article yesterday (‘In any council election post-mortem, unionism should focus on the basics rather than obsess about party affiliation,’ May 28, see link below).

He points out that populist polices at Stormont, such as free prescriptions and bus passes and an unreformed water sector and health service, could be undermining our economic credibility and ability to deliver good services. As is the case in Scotland, the debate runs that if the public sector becomes too dominant it distorts the local market and reduces the private sector’s ability to thrive. However, others may argue that investment in civil service jobs gives the economy a boost.

But what is abundantly clear (and I think one of Owen’s main points) is that there is a complete lack of right-leaning and left-leaning political debate here. It is nearly impossible to disentangle party’s political philosophy when everyone is competing for the populist vote in a power sharing government which lacks a coherent opposition. This is a problem, as it reinforces short term decision-making and does a great disservice to those languishing on a hospital waiting list or wanting to expand their business.

Brian Pope, Former Alliance Party Councillor and Chair of Economic Development Committee, ABC Council, Banbridge

Owen Polley: Unionism should focus on basics rather than party affiliation