Party leader quits in face of dwindling middle ground

Northern Ireland's cross-community Alliance Party lost its leader, Sean Neeson, yesterday in a development seen as symbolising the steadily diminishing extent of the political middle ground.

Mr Neeson, a familiar face on the political scene for decades who has led the party for the past three years, said there was a dearth of new ideas on how to break the continuing political deadlock.

While the party has been in existence for three decades, in recent years it has commanded a dwindling extent of the vote, collapsing two years ago to only 2 per cent. Non-centrist parties such as Sinn Fein and the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party have prospered at the expense of more moderate groupings.

Alliance is known as a "small-u" unionist party, in favour of the link with Britain, but above all advocating an agreed settlement involving Unionists and nationalists. Some of its vote has gone to newer parties such as the Women's Coalition.

Traditionally criticised as being too middle class, it has tended to be left behind by the political and social polarisation of recent times. It was dealt a damaging blow when its previous leader, Lord Alderdice, stepped down unexpectedly from the post in 1998 to become Speaker of the Belfast assembly.

Mr Neeson said yesterday: "At these times of deepening divisions, the cross-community and anti-sectarian voice of Alliance has never been more important. However in many ways the current phase of the peace process is coming to a close."

The Alliance chairman, Tom Ekin, said he regretted Mr Neeson's decision, adding: "Sean took on the position of leader in very difficult circumstances."