Letter: Defining a precise criteria to determine the requirement for a border poll
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There has been much talk recently about the need to define a precise criteria to determine the need for a border poll.
Some say it should be based on statistics from the Northern Ireland Census, but that would amount to a sectarian headcount, not a scientific rationale.
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Hide AdOthers argue that it should be founded on seats won, at both a regional and local level, but our political parties do not fight elections on single-issue manifestos.
Meanwhile, it has been suggested by more than a few that opinion polls are a better indicator than real votes, but that is highly debatable.
In my view, therefore, any decision on the requirement, or otherwise, for a highly contentious constitutional referendum should rely on the following criteria alone;
How many voters are currently backing overtly nationalist parties, and avowedly pro-unity candidates, and how likely are they to gain a majority any time soon?
Alan S Carson, Castlereagh