SNATCHING VICTORY FROM DEFEAT!
Friday, November 21, 2008 at 08:10AM No stronger critic of the Ulster Unionist Party than I - but it's also right to congratulate Sir Reg and the crazy gang when they manage to make a good decision for once. And so it is that I wish them well following the decision to form an electoral pact with the Conservatives! This is a good call and one I have been advocating since it was first muted.
UUP leader Sir Reg Empey presented proposals to the party membership at a special executive meeting on Thursday. Delegates voted "overwhelmingly" to field candidates on an agreed 'joint ticket' at future Westminster and European elections. The relationship will face its first test at the planned European election next June. Sir Reg and Conservative leader David Cameron first mooted the idea of a new political relationship in the summer. The UUP had been involved in a consultation process with members. Mr Cameron hasadvocated Tory representation in all parts of the United Kingdom and the UUP believe the concept will ensure a more active role in national politics. The UUP is seeking to revive its electoral fortunes after being eclipsed as the largest unionist party by the DUP in 2005.
If the UUP are ever going to upset the decadent DUP jamboree, they will need the skills and broader values of the Conservative Party and so I think this is a first positive step.
Next they need attractive differentiated policies and an appealing set of new faces.
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Reader Comments (14)
Q1. Honestly, how well do you think they will do in elections, David?
Q2.Do you think there is chance of a larger realignment, poss. involving some of your former colleagues?
Q3. Are you ever tempted to re-enter the NI political fray?
David....It is something I supported within the Executive and we look forward to working in partnership to build a strong Conservative / Unionist relationship that will not ony be good for Northern Ireland but the whole of the UK.
Hopefully those Unionists in the East of the province who have not voted in recent times will now get to the Polls on election days and return the Ulster Unionist party to its rightful place as the leading party in Northern Ireland.
Noel,
Honest answers.
1. They will do better than they did before. How well depends on how the DUP and its media pals sell the latest deal.
2. Yes.
3. No. I am too far gone!
William,
A wise decision and congrats to all!
"They will do better than they did before. How well depends on how the DUP and its media pals sell the latest deal."
Even if they enter into an agreement with the Tory Party it is still going to be the same old faces. The smae people standing for elections. How is it going to change things?
Seamus, the politics of NI have been based on the tribalism of Protestant vs Catholic. This means that a working class Protestant unionist (for UK) would have to vote SDLP in order to vote for a party affiliated to Labour (Labour used to represent workers, you know), yet the SDLP is pro-south. A nationalist-leaning businessman would have had to vote UUP to get a pro-business link (UUP had an understanding with the Cons who used to be pro-business). Only Sinn Fein represented a clear-cut agenda.
This crazy situation is a direct result of Labour's cowardly refusal to allow its own candidates to stand or to affiliate itself with a pro-Unionist left-wing party.
If you read the NI Tories website you will see this is much more than a pact.
People elected as part of this New Force will be FULL members of the Conservative Group in Brussels and full members of the Conservative Parliamentary Party.
This goes way beyond any previous historical arrangement
"A nationalist-leaning businessman would have had to vote UUP to get a pro-business link (UUP had an understanding with the Cons who used to be pro-business)."
And how has this changed. People will still be voting for the Conservative and Unionist Party. The same arguments against the Ulster Unionists will still apply.
Buffoons who will live to regret it! They (Tories and Ulster Unionists) had a pact from 1905 until 1972. Chichester Clark the Prime Minister s brother was the Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman for most of the 1960s, while MP for Londonderry.
Didnt stop Heath getting rid of Stormont without even consulting the Ulster Unionists ! And Chichester Clark was one of Heaths few close friends having previously been his pps and Heath in the early 60s was a regular visitor to Chichester Clarks Ulster home. How long will this unholy alliance last? The equivelent of another Anglo Irish Agreement?
"Didnt stop Heath getting rid of Stormont without even consulting the Ulster Unionists"
Actually, the Ulster Unionists resigned from Government before the British Government prorogued Stormont. Ironically because the British Government wouldn't let them have control of Policing and Justice Powers.
Heath was going to get rid of Stormont whatever they did! Faulkners advice/opinion on a possible Loyalist backlash was ignored. The final nail in the UUP/Conservative alliance it could be argued didnt happen until 1974, due to Heath pushing ahead with Sunningdale , and All the Unionist MPs not being offered the Conservative whip after the 1974 February election.
>>Labour's cowardly refusal ...to affiliate itself with a pro-Unionist left-wing party.<<
Maybe they would if they could find one!
Noel, there is always the PUP.
Maybe they (Labour) could simply have put up their own candidates?
Scouseproud: Heath offered the whip to all UUP MPs (but not to Vanguard or the DUP) but would have had to abolish Sunningdale to have a remote chance of getting them to accept.