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DUP should have 'sold' SF coalition to faithful
Friday, 20 November 2009
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The DUP should have taken more time to “sell” its decision to go into government with Sinn Fein, First Minister Peter Robinson has admitted.
On the eve of his second annual conference as party leader, Mr Robinson for the first time said if the clock could turn back he would do things differently.
In a frank interview with the Belfast Telegraph he said with hindsight: “We should have spent more time to stop and sell before we took the step.
“I have had many people saying to me they are unhappy with what we have done, but if you take the time to explain the circumstances at the time you can convince those people.”
He declined, however, to describe the decisions of early 2007 as “a mistake” because that would be interpreted as criticism of his predecessor Ian Paisley.
The party is now planning to go door-to-door to meet its critics and explain its past choices and future strategy in an attempt to reconnect with the wider unionist base and win back supporters who have drifted towards hardline Traditional Unionist Jim Allister.
Mr Robinson’s call for a revamp of Stormont structures and voting rules have now become party policy after being ratified by the DUP executive, which held its latest meeting in the run-up to the conference this week.
An interim proposal suggests that if a new Executive supported by 65% of MLAs can be formed a week after the next election, due in May 2011, it should be allowed to — without the need to run the controversial D’Hondt procedure.
“This would open up the option of a natural progression to a voluntary coalition without precipitating a crisis if it was not possible to form such a coalition and the existing arrangements had to be used,” a new party document, Building On Success, argues.
A variant of the document, also to be taken to households over the coming weeks, points out that the party indicated it was prepared to participate in a mandatory coalition as far back as 2004.
Further pointing to its last manifesto and glossy leaflets inserted in newspapers including the Belfast Telegraph, it argued the suggestion by the DUP’s political opponents that it said one thing at the time of the last Assembly election and did another afterwards is “simply wrong”.
Insisting the decision to restore devolution after a gap of almost five years had been right, Mr Robinson said: “It has not been easy, but it has been worth the effort.”
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I think Peter was told by both governments the alternative to Stormont was Joint Authority and he wisely joined SF in coalition a bold move which may eventually split Unionism into 2 seperate camps.
Posted by eamon corb ett | 20.11.09, 23:42 GMT
William, what would you do differently? Seriously, think about it and give an honest answer.
Posted by Mr. P | 20.11.09, 20:19 GMT
if all these intelligent 'political strategists' within hardline unionism are so smart - can they please inform the rest of us, how we move forward without sinn fein in government............
presumably, we return to the past....... possibly, not a good place to venture !
Posted by William Roberts | 20.11.09, 17:18 GMT
Peter
Theres a reason that Northern Ireland is the only place that has the D'Hondt procedure, some people simply can't be trusted to play fair.
Play fair and we'll be happy to see the back of it. But till some parties grow up, the training wheels have to be kept on the process.
Posted by London lad | 20.11.09, 17:12 GMT
Yeah, sure william. And I suppose that goes fo Billy Leonard as well. See how progress works. How moving to a shared and inclusive future works.
I can't wait to see what blinkered, right-wing and extreme fundalmentalist unionists like yourself and the TUV through at an ex Orange man and RUC reservist.
You are being left behind like all closed-minded unionists.
As for Peter Robinson, is that the public confidence thing again? Do we have to sit around and watch unionism continually fumble the ball by being indecisive. Is sitting on the fence without tackling major issues head-on really an option Peter?
Posted by Ulysses32 | 20.11.09, 13:46 GMT
Sinn Fein seem like the only party that is not in disarray at the minute up in Stormont? I believe that’s because they have a long term strategy without the egos nesting in the rafters...
Posted by Chris | 20.11.09, 11:28 GMT
Keep moving forward Peter, there is no going back now.
Posted by matt | 20.11.09, 10:15 GMT
If the First Minister can admit to flaws in his judgement and decision making in the past, perhaps the Tele' should be asking him why he and his party acts with such arrogance and indifference to other viewpoints now.
Posted by Malachy Mulligan | 20.11.09, 09:40 GMT
Parents will be waiting in anticipation for DUP representaives to come to our doors. Their crowing about having saved academic selection (without securing a valid and reliable method of selection) will be heavily contested by parents. The unregulated tests currently operating are not the business of the DUP.
The DUP have clearly lost the confidence of the unionist community and will find out to their cost what that means when the next election takes place.
Posted by Stephen E | 20.11.09, 09:09 GMT
robinson knows what the general public think of terrorists by his sitting with them
Posted by william | 20.11.09, 07:43 GMT