I was looking at a political map of the United Kingdom and it suddenly dawned on my about the situation in Northern Ireland.

All the parties standing there are local to that area and not national.

Why don't Labour, Conservatives, Libs stand there. That way, Conservative Catholics could vote Conservative and Protestant socialists could vote Labour or Lib - my point being people could vote on a candidates policies not their religion.

The Conservatives do field candidates in Northern Ireland, though they have only had to recently as they were once linked to the Ulster Unionist Party until the two severed links. Conservative candidates rarely make any headway although in 1992 one of the came second in a constituency.

Labour opinoin over Northern ireland is divided and fielding candidates there may upset Labour Irish Republicans who see that as a recognition of the legitimacy of the Union. There sister party is the Nationalist SDLP, another one of the reasons that they don't field candidates there is because it could hurt the left-wing vote.

The Libersl Democrats sister party is the Alliance Party, nominally neutral but in reality slightly unionist.

cheers for that Lostboy.

I dont suppose there is much point with there being such a loyal political system over there.