The following letter was published in The Spectator on 22 July.
Sir: ‘Why does the Conservative party not field candidates in Ulster constituencies?’, asks John Nugee (Letters 15 July). Something must have stopped him studying the Province’s electoral history over the last 25 years. Superseded by the Ulster Unionist party in 1886, official Tory candidates, approved by Conservative Central Office, reappeared at the 1992 general election. They stood in 11 of Northern Ireland’s (then) 17 seats, winning a total of 44,608 votes (including 14,371 in North Down where the Tory came second). Since then Conservative party HQ has pumped in money and advice, but to no avail. In June, Tory candidates standing in seven seats gained a mere 3,875 votes between them. Sinn Fein and the DUP have turned Ulster politics into an ugly sectarian duopoly.
Alistair Lexden
House of Lords