Letter: Vote now and save Ulster lives

Sir: After the latest breach of the loyalist ceasefire in Northern Ireland by a bomb under a Sinn Fein election worker's car, is it not time for Labour to try to force the holding of the Wirral South by-election; if not to help to fulfil Tony Blair's recent promise to bring down the Government "any way we can", then at least to save human life in these islands.

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 no excuse for continued dependency on the Unionists for the short time before he has to call a general election. Lives in Northern Ireland cannot wait on a vacuum lasting three months.

If the Unionists oppose moving the writ to allow the people of South Wirral their voice now, this interference in England's politics will set an interesting precedent for the handling of the principle of consent in Northern Ireland.

JOE MURPHY

Birmingham