Letter: Anne Widdecombe's speech made it clear that TUV unionism is not the preserve of any particular religion or denomination

Letters to editor

The participation of Anne Widdecombe in the TUV's anti-sea border rally on Friday evening is of some significance to Northern Ireland politics.

If it were to happen that all TUV candidates in the forthcoming Westminster election were perceived as being from the non-Catholic community, Alliance and others would no doubt have sought to play their sectarian card by highlighting that statistical fact.

However, Ms Widdecombe's speech has, inter alia, made it clear that TUV unionism is not the preserve of any particular religion or denomination. The UUP and DUP struggle to present a similar image despite their long history.

Neither can the same be said of the Alliance party, as its flagship policies fly in the face of our major religious groupings, from black-mouth Presbyterianism to devout Roman Catholicism. Committed members of such groups find Alliance to be a cold house.

The Alliance leader felt if necessary to resign her Presbyterian membership some time ago and whilst her deputy claims to be "a practising Catholic", he never fails to defend his party's anti-Catholic policies.

The TUV is seeking support from unionists on a non-sectarian political basis.

Cliff Cardwell, Co Londonderry