Former Alliance leader Lord John Alderdice believes it is “not politically realistic” for the party to sit on the fence in a forthcoming border poll.
In an intervention that is likely to rile the current leadership, the ex-Stormont assembly speaker argues that his erstwhile colleagues’ agnostic stance on the constitutional issue is not sustainable in the event of a referendum and that a “key question” for the current Alliance leadership is: ‘How am I going to handle a border poll/referendum?’.
Lord Alderdice speaks frankly about his former party’s approach to a prospective border poll in the newly-published book The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland – Beyond Unionism and Nationalism.
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Research undertaken for the book reveals that 38.1% of Alliance members would support Irish unity, compared to 27.6% wishing to remain in the UK and 30.1% undecided.
The former Alliance leader, who left the party three years ago and sits in the House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat peer, argues that there is an “almost inexorable trajectory towards a united Ireland”.
“You can’t simply say, ‘Oh, I think we’ll let people vote whatever way they like on the constitution’,” Lord Alderdice told the book’s authors.
“You would be saying Alliance has no guidance to give and nothing to say about the most major, historic, political, constitutional issue in your country. I think that is just not politically realistic.”
His belief that Alliance needs to take a position ahead of a unity referendum is supported by Denis Loretto, one of the party’s founding members, and Rachael Ferguson, a former councillor.
Mr Loretto describes any failure to adopt a clear stance ahead of a border poll as “dreadfully weak”, while Ms Ferguson argues that Alliance needs “to take a position on it, just like we took a position on Brexit”.
University of Liverpool’s Professor Jon Tonge, one of the book’s joint authors, said there are three issues for Alliance – “whether to take a stance in a border poll; if so, which way; and how strong to make the position”.
“Alliance members are not fixated by constitutional issues, may agree to disagree in a civilised fashion and a border poll is not imminent- but taking a position if one arrives cannot please everyone,” he told The Irish News.
“Some fear taking a side would turn a party beyond unionism and nationalism party into one effectively unionist or nationalist.”
A spokesperson for Alliance said the party was a “broad church, made up of members with many differing views and none on the constitutional question”.
“It is not a defining issue for the majority of our members and if a border poll is called, it will be up to the public to decide the outcome, not politicians,” the spokesperson said.
“We don’t believe the conditions have been met for a border poll at present and it is not something we are pursuing actively. However, we respect that people have differing constitutional aspirations and we take part in discussions on a case-by-case basis, and on a non-prejudicial basis.”
Newly-elected Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson said his party “is uniquely placed to navigate discussions around a potential border poll”.
“We recognise that there is a live debate happening; there are people in the Alliance Party who are unionist, who are nationalist and others who are genuinely open-minded about the future,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
“But for us and many people in NI, this issue will not be decided based on righting a historic wrong, or the colour of a flag, it will be decided on the basis of the evidence available, the circumstances and the basis of our values.”
The Upper Bann MLA said the party would “look at the evidence, weigh the proposition against our values and either decide whether or not to campaign”.
:: The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland – Beyond Unionism and Nationalism is published by Oxford University Press.
