Weather: Hi 4°C / Lo 2°C
Anti-Orange remark stirs up dissent within UUP
Thursday, 21 August 2008
Print
Email
Simmering discontent in Ulster Unionist ranks over the potential impact of increased links with the Conservatives on relations with the Orange Order could surface today.
Senior sources said UU chief whip David McNarry would be facing “serious questions” at a meeting of the party’s MLAs after recent remarks were interpreted as critical of party leader Sir Reg Empey.
But Mr McNarry said: “It is not on the agenda, as far as I am concerned, and I will be chairing the meeting.”
It comes after he demanded a public apology from the Conservatives for an “offensive” remark about the Orange Order which appeared on, and was later withdrawn from, a Tory website.
Uncovered by the DUP, the comment — made back in March by local Conservative Jeffrey Peel — described the Order as a “backward facing history obsessed parish pump society”.
Mr McNarry, who is also Assistant Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, called it “a slur on the members of the Orange Institution” and insisted “the honourable thing for the Conservative Party to do would be to apologise to Orangemen.”
The DUP, however, argued the comments amounted to evidence of a split within UU ranks over a working party, announced last month, which is examining the possibility of closer working linkes between the UUP and Conservatives.
Former DUP Culture Minister Edwin Poots asked: “Does Reg Empey now think that the Order is a “backward facing, history obsessed, parish pump” society? If not why has he refused to condemn these remarks? Does the Orange family mean so little to the UUP now?”
Post a comment
Limit: 500 characters
View all comments that have been posted about this article
Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP address logged and may be used to prevent further submissions. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by BelfastTelegraph.co.uk's Terms of Use.
Posts submitted in UPPERCASE letters will be rejected.
Also in this section
- Frosty start for new parades group
- Blair attacks 'conspiracy theorist' critics in US interview
- Were there any policing and justice side deals?
- Grim history as IRA's P O’Neill echoed down the telephone line
- Court rejects Sinn Fein MLA McCartney’s compensation claim
It's rare i would agree with a Tory, but I have to agree with him on this...the orange order are living in the caveman days...
Posted by Joe Murray | 22.08.08, 15:25 GMT
to aussie: the flags go up as an act of remberance to those who fought and died for this country and we fly them with pride! It called the union flag not a union jack unless it is on a boat. u shoukld learn what u are talking about are do some research first and Frank was her surname not Franks
Posted by Aussie??????? | 22.08.08, 11:24 GMT
Would it not have been more apt if Alderman The Rt. Hon. Jeffrey Donaldson Junior Minister MLA MP PC (and god knows what else he does) who is also a past-assistant grand master of the Orange Order made the above critique or is the fact that he is employed by the office of the self-confessed former IRA commander of Derry prevent him from commenting?
Posted by ZoonPol | 22.08.08, 10:01 GMT
The Orange order is an anachronism which could only exist in a backward place like Ulster...all this to remember a battle over 400 years ago in which their Catholic enemies were defeated and with the pretence that it is a religious and cultural display?
Posted by Jake | 22.08.08, 09:44 GMT
Roger Lomas seems to be calling the kettle "black". Jeff Peel, an unelected voice for the N.I. Conservatives has been pontificating on a myriad of issues for quite a long time.
His misrepresentation of the Conservative's policy on academic selection and grammar schools has landed him in hot water with central office. He claims to be the policy man so I'm afraid the "personal view" excuse doesn't get him off the hook.
The proposed marriage is a bad idea. The Conservatives don't need the UUP. The UUP have nowhere to go without the Conservatives. UUP supporters may be best served by joining the Conservative party and ditching the UUP baggage.
Posted by O.J.Peel | 22.08.08, 07:31 GMT
as a visitor to these shores i stopped off in poland, amsterdam and england on my way here, poland i took a visit to one of the most horrible shrines to mankind ie alzthwiz concentration camp, i got the feeling that mankind has moved on from the mind set that existed back then not so long ago, then in holand i visited the house where ann franks hid until she was caught and sent to her fate, i then stopped in england and had a great time there visiting buckingham palace then flew to belfast and behold flags every where, why? why do so-called orange men have the need to fly flags from every lamp post in towns, country roads etc? what are you trying to prove, sure there wasnt even a union jack flying at buckingham palace you must learn to live together. move on guys
Posted by aussie | 21.08.08, 22:20 GMT
Catch yourself on, there pally. This is not right. Everyone knows the Orange Order can't tell its front from its back so how would they even know which way they were facing. Use your head...
Posted by Brian | 21.08.08, 20:54 GMT
A succinct summing up by the conservatives, they got it right for once.
Posted by Sam Farrell | 21.08.08, 15:25 GMT
Does Mr MCNarry want an apology from the individual whose comments these are or an apology from David Cameron ? How many times has Mr Mcnarry said things on behalf of the UUP without seeking confirmation that those statements were in fact Party policy or rather McNarry policy ?
Posted by Roger Lomas | 21.08.08, 14:13 GMT