ECONOMIC COMMENTATOR MARC Coleman has launched a new political movement which aims to end “discrimination against the nuclear family”, restore “national pride”, introduce “fair” immigration policies, and reform or privatise state and semi-state bodies.

The National Alliance says it is not a political party but “an alliance between important strands of Irish opinion”.

Coleman will be chairman of the movement, while the former Campaign Director of Libertas John McGuirk will take the role of general secretary. Other board members include David Quinn, founder of the Iona institute and writer for the Irish Catholic.

While some have criticised the movement as appearing too-far right wing – one Facebook user wrote on the movement’s page “Hey look everyone, it’s the BNP, only they’re Irish” – the website of the movement states:

We seek to unite the mutually compatible strands of opinion under a set of common core values and policies. Policies are open to alteration and evolution but those who join the Alliance must agree and abide by those core values. We exclude those who are opposed to these core principles, or who hold racist or anti-Semitic viewpoints or have links with groups or individuals that hold such views.

Given the movement’s clearly expressed stance on racial and religious tolerance, it is unfortunate that they share a name with a very different movement in the United States. Oops.