LETTERS: Peace for Ireland, progress for Britain

Sir: Mo Mowlam, the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, has said this week that if it comes to a choice between a General Election and the peace process the latter wins every time. This is a false alternative. The majority of people want both a Labour government in Britain and a lasting peace in Ireland. So Labour should both be accelerating a General Election (by harrying the Tories, reversing their cuts and privatisation, committing Labour to widespread public ownership) and be pressing forward the peace talks (by Labour itself starting talks with Sinn Fein, by pushing the Tories to release political prisoners and to join talks).

People of Britain and Ireland need both peace and progress, and they need Labour to put them both forward. These are not alternatives.

Yours, John Nicholson Manchester 6 February