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Liam Clarke suggests (Comment, August 29) there may be moves to establish Labour politics here.
This might take place through a Council of Irish Labour that could bring together the Labour Party, the Irish Labour Party and the trade union movement.
We believe there is a moral imperative for the two Labour parties to give us a political lead. Events last weekend highlighted how inadequate existing parties are at moving society forward.
We believe an active and strong Labour Party is essential if we are to tackle sectarianism.
Labour values are shared across the community. They are a core component of both the Irish and British traditions.
Labour values were forged in our shared experience of the linen industry.
These values were developed in the trade union movement, especially during the war years. Our trade union movement is one of the strongest on these islands.
Labour values reached their full flowering in the post-war years with the establishment of the NHS and the welfare state.
Tragically, they were largely eclipsed by the sectarian values of the Troubles.
With the Good Friday Agreement behind us, we now have to re-assert the superiority of Labour values, as the base to batter sectarianism into submission.
But we need the two Labour parties to act. They must provide the leadership to enable us to carry out our task.
BOYD BLACK
Secretary, Labour Party in NI
