With the election underway down South, I’ve heard a couple of uncomfortable references recently to the 1977 election spectre. While it may be embarrassing looking back on it, it was great fun at the time. The picture shows a copy of the much maligned Manifesto. It never fails to provide me with either a laugh or a salutory reminder of how far we have travelled and progressed. There is a wonderful innocence and naievity about this document, even down to the way it is phrased and indeed typed. It wouldn’t see the light of day in Mount Street now, I have no doubt. I wonder how many other copies are out there? The 1977 election was where I cut my political teeth, and if nothing else I am minded of how we can believe something unquestiongly and faithfully at a given time, indeed to the point of defending those beliefs with great passion. Not matter what the issue or subject, its always worth sitting back a little back and allowing another point of view to be heard or expressed. You may still not want to believe it, but as life moves on you, you will be all the richer for allowing your mind to be a little more open.
I was tempted to copy out some of the sections of the Manifesto for people to read and review, but life is too short. However, if anyone is interested in a particular section, I would be happy to oblige. I am always fascinated by the fact that Northern Ireland got the shortest set of promises, and the smallest insert in here.
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