Sir, - After the latest breach of the loyalist ceasefire, without even the excuse of an IRA action, by means of a bomb attached to a Sinn Fein election worker's car, and with increasing evidence of an MI5 "black propaganda" campaign against Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein in the pages of The (London) Times newspapers, is it not time for Labour to force the holding of the Wirral South by election in England, if not for the sake of political change in Britain then at least to save human life in Ireland.
Whatever the outcome of a by election now in Wirral South, it must be an improvement on the present situation of John Major's complete dependency on the Ulster Unionists. If Labour wins then the end of this Government is made imminent. If the Tories retain the seat then John Major will have a majority of one and will have no excuse for dependency on the Unionists for the short time before he has to call a general election.
Lives in the North of Ireland cannot wait on a vacuum lasting three months. If the Unionists vote with the Government against moving the writ to allow the people of South Wirral representation now, this interference in England's politics will set an interesting precedent for the handling of the principle of consent in Northern Ireland.
Tony Blair and Labour have said that they will not put party politics before human life in Ireland. Forcing the by election in Wirral South as soon as possible is their chance to prove it. - Yours, etc.,
27 Montague Road,
Birmingham, B21 9DF