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Unionism facing leadership crisis over Empey and Robinson defeats
Saturday, 8 May 2010
The DUP's Peter Robinson congratulates Alliance Party's Naomi Long after her East Belfast election victory
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The leadership of unionism lay in crisis today after devastating results in the General Election battle.
Peter Robinson was facing questions over his future as DUP leader and First Minister after losing his East Belfast seat to Naomi Long of Alliance.
And Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey’s joint project with the Conservatives appeared to be in tatters following his defeat by the DUP’s William Mc-Crea in South Antrim.
Senior UUP sources last night indicated Sir Reg could stand down as party leader as soon as next week, but Mr Robinson did not appear to be under any immediate threat.
It was a poor night for unionism, with Sinn Fein’s Michelle Gildernew holding on to Fermanagh/South Tyrone — despite an agreed unionist candidate, Rodney Connor — by a margin of just four votes.
And in Belfast now only one of the four seats is represented by a mainstream unionist — DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds in the north of the city, with Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly increasing his vote by 7 %.
Now just 2,200 votes behind the DUP man, the fear for unionists must be that Sinn Fein can take the seat at the next General Election.
And although under a different, proportional representation system if the broad shape of the results are repeated at next year’s Assembly contest, Sinn Fein could emerge as the largest party and lay claim to the First Minister’s position.
But no unionist would at present serve as Deputy First Minister to Martin McGuinness, so Stormont could be threatened with paralysis unless the period ahead sees a realignment of unionism — which cannot now be ruled out.
DUP representatives and party activists were left licking their wounds yesterday as the loss of their East Belfast heartland overshadowed their victories in eight other constituencies — including a convincing defeat of arch-rival Jim Allister by Ian Paisley jnr in the North Antrim seat.
A party spokesman confirmed no immediate statements were planned, but the party’s Assembly group is expected to meet on Monday.
One DUP source said: “There will be a measured response, and no knee- jerk reaction”, adding that the East Belfast result was “more personal than political”.
Another added: “Never has victory tasted so bitter — we should be celebrating but politics is a cruel game.”
However, Executive Minister Arlene Foster, viewed as a future leadership contender, said: “I have absolutely no doubt that Peter will be leading us forward. His leadership, his strategy will lead us forward in Northern Ireland, his policies were endorsed in eight seats.”
And her Executive colleague Edwin Poots told BBC Radio Ulster he would continue to support Mr Robinson as leader, but the party would want to assess the situation.
Sir Reg, meanwhile, was consulting with party officers yesterday and will meet again with his Assembly colleagues on Monday morning “on the consequences of the outcome.” The party said no further comment would be made until Monday afternoon.
Former Assembly chief whip David McNarry said he believed Sir Reg was “finished” as party leader but insisted he was “not in the stakes for leadership”.
Senior sources, however, said Mr McNarry, Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea and others have already been in discussions over the Ulster Conservative and Unionist New Force experiment.
Defeated Strangford candidate Mike Nesbitt said the project had taken “a little bit of a bloody nose”.
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With all your semantics w.gould2, where exactly does that put Donegal seeing as the most northern part of Ireland is Innishtrahull Island. Would that be northern Ireland because it certainly wouldn't be Northern Ireland.
Next you will have a problem with people calling themselves European.
Co Down is in Ireland just as much as Co Limerick. Can your feeble mind comrehend that.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 10.05.10, 15:01 GMT
sean if ireland ever is reunited will there be a northern ireland, for now to help in your education, get a compass ,every country has a nth east sth and west, now wait for it you live in the north, understood can your poor feeble mind take it in.
Posted by w.gould2 | 10.05.10, 13:55 GMT
Unionism has to get out of the NO and SPLIT trenches. When one studies historical performances of British Governments, particularly Conservatives ones - you can't help reaching the conclusion that Conservative governments consistently do not back the Unionist cause - The practical problems faced by the British government, Europe and Finance, must mean that the next British Government is going to have less time for Northern Ireland than heretofore. A few DUP, SDLP or independent seats at Westminster are not going to weigh much with the problems the British Government is going to have on its plate. Where is the Unionist leadership ?
Posted by Michael | 10.05.10, 10:38 GMT
joanna, they already serve under a Sinn Fein joint First Minister. Only the name has changed to protect the blinkered.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 10.05.10, 10:27 GMT
joanna, you will get unionists saying they will not have mcguinness as first minister, just as you will have unionists who would, dont tar everyone with same brush, you will have same sort of people on catholic side ,feel different about other issues such as sitting in westminster,sdlp will sit sinn fein wont, how do you feel about it ,would you deny anyone their democratic right to sit.
Posted by w.gould2 | 10.05.10, 10:13 GMT
there is no crisis its obvious this skirmish means a realighnment, between all unionist parties , call the party what you want ,just unite the unionists of northern ireland ,want it, while we argue among ourselves, the others bite our heels, old proverb, one stick you can break, many you can not, tie together or break, united unionists together.
Posted by w.gould2 | 09.05.10, 20:11 GMT
its time for robinson and sir reg to step aside especially robinson with all the scandle hanging round his neck people have turned their backs on him he is a lame duck just like sir reg danny kennedy will get the job and foster the dup job she is angleing for it since she stepped in for robinson power goes to peoples heads
Posted by norman.d | 09.05.10, 14:07 GMT
Poor Peter. He just doesn't get it. An English PM would have fallen on his sword by now, but not our Peter. Perhaps he's still in a stunned trance over Kirkgate. Wakey-wakey Peter; time to claim some outrageous pension.
Posted by Frankie | 09.05.10, 11:35 GMT
Time for Peter,Reg and Jim to retire to Florida.
Time fror Unionists to unite in one Party.United we stand or divided we will fall to Adams and co .
Posted by Ed | 09.05.10, 11:29 GMT
As said above things do not look good for unionism’s three leaders DUP’s Peter Robinson, Ulster unionist Sir Reg Empey and TUV man Jim Allister. All three should now 'leave the building'. They are yesterday's men and are past their sell-by-date. Their remaining presence will only further damage the cause of unionism.
It is now time for unionism to take stock and have a bit of sense. Time to stop the in-fighting and squabbling and work as family. 'A house divided against itself cannot stand'. Unionists should concentrate on what they have in common rather than on personalities power and pride that divides. If they don't they will be shooting themselves in the foot and the 'slide' we have witnessed in this election will continue. All this while the nationalist Sinn Fein bandwagon led rolls ever onward.
Posted by T J McClean | 09.05.10, 08:41 GMT
This is the beginning of the end of the union with Britain. We are on the road to having our country Re-united.
Posted by sean from co down Ireland | 08.05.10, 15:32 GMT
Conservatives are an English party and cannot win in N.I. I hope that lesson has been learned.
Posted by chris mooney | 08.05.10, 14:23 GMT
We have watched a smear campaign do its worst to Peter in the last 6 months, culminating in the removal of a brilliant politician and MP who has served his constituency and wider community with diligence and effective leadership. I hope Peter continues to steer us through the unchartered waters that are ahead of us in NI. Both he and the DUP have moved Northern Ireland forward significantly and if given the chance and the support they deserve, will continue to do so. How quick we are to condemn relentlessly someone who has given so much to this province and to the people of Ulster? Yes, he has had scandal and terrible personal traumas dog him throughout this entire process, as have many but I urge all unionists and his DUP colleagues to stand united behind him and to give him the support he so clearly deserves - the same support his constituency should have afforded him! Reg may have to stand down but I hope we see both him and Peter in strategic roles in a cohesive, unionist approach.
Posted by Diane | 08.05.10, 13:38 GMT
Why wouldn't a unionist serve under a Sinn Fein First Minister? Is that not what democracy is all about? If Martin McGuinness qualifies as First Minister then what is their problem? Oops, sorry, I forgot. Martin McGuinness is a Catholic Republican. That's different then, isn't it? Stuff democracy, eh? Hypocritical bigots.
Posted by joanna | 08.05.10, 13:03 GMT