A Letter to my New Tory MP

Gold cherry
Story of the week

By london_calling79

Sat, 10 Jun 2017
  • 5777 reads
17 comments
 

Dear Mr Rowley,

I am writing to you, first of all to congratulate you on your recent electoral victory in North East Derbyshire. You did not receive my vote, but as a firm advocate of democracy I hope you will use your office to further great developments and to foster the warm heart of this special county.

Secondly, I write to explain my worries and fears for any potential deal your Conservative party may make with the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland.

As a Northern Irishman who has lived in England for many years, it fills me with fear to read of any potential deal with this political party. I left Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles with a heavy heart. This beautiful country, filled with the most genuine and friendly citizens anyone could hope for, much like the part of Derbyshire I now reside in, was being torn apart by bitter feuds and infighting on top of the rule of the bullet over the rule of the ballot. The DUP, amongst other parties, took a leading role in this segregation, actively encouraging violence against my Catholic community. I left Northern Ireland seeking hope for the future, hope for my family, not a return to the greasy deal-driven politics of a party ensconced in violence and fear fuelled by a very selective reading of a very few selected lines from the Biblical scripture they purport to uphold.

But that is the past. And if growing up Northern Irish has taught me one thing, it is forgiveness. So I forgive Ian Paisley. I forgive the DUP and their sectarian vitriol. No leader believes they are doing wrong. I would like to believe that they did what they did as they thought they were doing right for their community. For their people. But I cannot forgive what this party stands for in the present day. Councillor Sammy Wilson has spoken of his disgust for ‘ethnics’. Iris Robinson once described homosexuality as an ‘abomination’. Ian Paisley Jr., so rooted in the past of this party, said he felt ‘repulsed’ by homosexual acts. These views, compounded by one councillor’s view that Hurricane Katrina was God’s revenge for gay pride and Edwin Poots demanding sporting ‘apartheid’ do not lead me to believe that they are a party capable of supporting a better Britain for all. But instead, a Britain that simultaneously condemns the tragedies that have happened in Manchester and London, whilst being propped up by an organisation whose mentor appeared frequently in the military beret of the Ulster Resistance.

 How can any true believer in democracy get into bed with a party that has single-handedly brought to a shuddering halt the process of that sacred human right in Northern Ireland all down to the sheer stubbornness of their leader? Arlene Foster has presided over an energy policy as politically inept as the snap election Theresa May has called. Are these really the foremost politicians Britain has to offer? Are these two really the best two to enable a Brexit beneficial for all? Are they more likely to stick their fingers in their ears and hum the National Anthem than to thrash out policies in the national interest? The DUP cannot resort to a petition of concern to block anything the EU enforces that it does not agree with as they have repeatedly done so when anyone deigned to disagree with them in Stormont.

It pains me to write this letter. It pains me that after leaving a country rife with violence and corruption I am now faced with having to tell my children that in the ‘vote for the boss’ election there was no winner. Only losers. It pains me that the tragic past of my country that the DUP still represent, the corruption, the bigotry, the sheer  arrogance of a party who publicly state that the LGBT community is ‘abhorrent’ are going to have a say not only in the politics of my home country, but also in the politics of my adopted one. The one I moved to so that I could tell my sons tales of old Northern Ireland as precisely that – parables of the past, not news of the now. In fact if the DUP have a say in anything I wish to teach my sons I will have to tell them tales of creationism alongside the long-extinguished fire and brimstone, blood and thunder of Sodom and Gomorrah. The rains of fire of course would be passed off by Sammy Wilson as a ‘con’.

I implore you and your party to take the higher moral ground. I implore you to take what the British public has said and reflect. Remain in power if you can, but do so on your own or hand on to someone else. Muddying your hands in the political primordial mire of the DUP will win you no elections, will win you no political favour, it will only reverse that which so many political parties, including your own, have fought to win – peace in Northern Ireland, rights for the LGBT community and faith in the politics of Great Britain.

Yours Sincerely,

Alex Smith

 

Certificate U
Non-fiction
Opinion

Comments

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

I hope you sent it.

Submitted by london_calling79 on

I'm awaiting a reply!

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

A very enlightening piece - I hope it gets a lot of reads - it's clear to see that this has brought back things you probably hoped you wouldn't have to think about so much, but you're right to share what you know even if it's personally painful. On another level, sadly, I do not think the recipient will care one way or the other, so long as it's policitally expedient. I wish I could be more optimistic!

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thanks insert. I'm sick and tired of telling people their vote matters and then feeling so diminished when I have a strong political thought.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Wow. I thought Arlene might do NI a bit of good by making Westminster spend more money there, sort of crack the whip in a benign way. Or something. But you know NI far more than I and you have certainly written a letter than deserves some good answers.smiley

Submitted by london_calling79 on

She'll ensure only one type of person profits from this deal - her kind of person. That person is a bible-thumping, anti-abortion, anti-gay Unionist. This is not government for the people.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

I am 60 and have had 42 years of voting life. For 35 of these years democracy has not worked for me because of where I choose to live.

From 1976 - 1999 I lived in Scotland. For 18 of those years Scotland voted  Labour and was ruled by Tories.

Thatcher 1979 - 1990 John Major 1990 - 1997.

Then in 2000 I moved to Exmouth, the largest town in East  Devon. The majority of people living in Exmouth, myself included, oppose the Tory MP. However, most people in Budleigh, Sidmouth and the smaller places vote Tory so Devon East always re-elects the Tory.

Democracy - stuff it. It doesn't do much for me.

BTW I am from North London and worked the summer at the Belfast Simon Community house for homeless people in 1978. When I got back to Euston Station I kissed the tarmac.

 

Submitted by catherine poarch on

Great letter. You'll probably get a standard reply as usual. But that should never stop anyone writing. I imagine people coming to this country on state visits and would be proud to be represented by Jeremy Corbyn - or Tim Farron - or a few others eg mayors of Manchester or London. But I could never be proud of what this gov't will be spouting. So all the more reason for the rest of us to be louder and clearer.

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Brilliant stuff, Alex.  This isn't a party political issue - lots of Tories are unhappy with the proposed alliance.  Great to hear Ruth Davidson saying she'll put country and LGBTI rights above party.  Glad to hear you sent your letter - let us know what response you get! 

Submitted by PoppyS on

Great letter - and taking aside all the politics of this alliance (which I do not agree with) but it just goes to show that they would make a deal with the devil if it got them what they wanted.

I am totally sick of all the lies that they ALL spout, we might as well vote for the best dressed party, as whatever they promise can all be taken with a pinch of salt.
A reply would be the respectful thing to do, but then again would it be worth the paper it was written on, and who might have written it, certainly not anyone with integrity, they all fled years ago.

Pops ~xx~

Writing is art in pictures – Go paint poetry!

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

We don't often pick non-fiction, but I think this one deserves a wide audience, that's why it's our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day. Please share it.

Pic: http://tinyurl.com/ycvv2fem

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you all for your lovely comments, the cherries and for the pick. I'll keep you updated as to when / if I receive a response.

 

Submitted by Ewan on

experience in the distant past of communication with a serving member of Parliament (Portillo, actually) when I drafted a letter for a friend to her local MP, I'm very much afraid any answer you get is likely to have been drafted by a minion with a very poor grasp of the facts at issue.
However, this does not mean your letter was not worth the writing. Do post your letter and any reply on social media.

Despite being  the offspring of a Prod (my uncle was shot on the green at his local golf club in 1987, he was a policeman), I hold no brief for the DUP. However, I am less than satisfied with JC's stance regarding his support for (P)IRA in the past. Still, Paisley and McGuinness buried their hatchet more than a few years ago. How bright did the island's future look then? 

BREXIT is on its way and may well undo all the good that the soft (non-existent) border between North and South has self-evidently done over the last 20 years or so. Any coalition or agreement with DUP will surely make this worse.

Well done for writing a balanced, clear-eyed plea for someone to do the right thing. I do not hold my breath.

best

Ewan.
 

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by celticman on

my vote doesn't matter but I vote. I don't think you wrting a letter matters but I like your letter. But I'm a bigot. I hate the tory scum. 

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Theresa May isn't interested in the integrity of the Tory party.

Theresa May is only interested in Theresa May: she wants to be in charge, "Come what May"

If there are any decent Tories (I suppose there are a few) they should recognise this; bite the bullet and throw Theresa May to the wolves.

Unfortunately the Brit voting public don't know what they want either ---- even the Scots!

The country is far too polarised 50;50 left-right. 50:50 Brexit. There is no middle ground.

The major parties are also split almost 50-50 on Brexit. The whole political system is fractured.

Over the past seven years the Tories -- a seriously fractured party -- have  (with the help of Nick wanker Clegg)  managed to create a seriously fractured country and allowed the bigot, racists and xenephobe faction to take control of the county's destiny, and Theresa May looks set to continue with this "neuvo" tradition.

For Christ's and everybody elses sake get rid of her. ANYTHING is better than Theresa May.

How can any country take the UK seriously now - even the corrupt racist xenephobe from across the Atlantic.

Brit public, yours (and mine) beloved country is a laughing stock. WAKE THE FUCK UP.

"London Calling" was a phrase from WW2 propaganda when the country pulled together and helped save Europe.

Now, curiously enough, with the UK pulling itself apart, it might yet again help save Europe. 

IT'S A STRANGE WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN surprise

 

 

 

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

A brilliantly written piece, and the author's humanity, compassion and reason has struck a chord with many.  It's our new Story of the Week - congratulations!

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

A concise letter full of truths. It seems few want a diet of truth thesedays, they want easy, snack news just like the junk food we've all got used to.