Lady Sylvia stays quiet on UUP links with the Tories
Monday, 27 April 2009
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The Ulster Unionists' only MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, has again failed to clarify her stance on the party's new links with the Conservatives.
Just weeks ahead of its first election challenge — on June 4 — the North Down member made no mention of the inter-party agreement in her report to the UUP annual general meeting at the weekend, which was dominated by the new |political connection.
Lady Sylvia, who is thought to have deep reservations over a formal Tory pact, instead said the party “still has much to offer the Northern Ireland electorate with which, instinctively, our values and principles resonate most closely.”
In what some viewed as a coded message, she went on: “We have real talent which we must hold back no longer. |Instead we must allow that talent to surface. Our previous set-backs have been founded on failing to co-ordinate, present and sell our message effectively.”
Senior party officials believe Mrs Hermon, whose husband, the former RUC Chief Constable Sir Jack Hermon, died after a long battle against Alzheimer’s disease last |November, intends to hold her counsel until after the European election.
But some believe she will have to officially endorse the UU candidate, Jim Nicholson, who is standing as a Conservative/Ulster Unionist and told the gathering in the Kings Hall: “It will be a hard, tough fight.”
Lady Sylvia, however, said Gordon Brown appeared to have become “one of the most unlucky Prime Ministers in British parliamentary history” and said the most recent opinion polls pointed to an election next year if the PM labours on.
“We as a party must address our longstanding weakness of simply turning up on the day of the race, while our opponents have engaged for weeks and months in training and other preparation,” she went on.
In a video message, Conservative leader David Cameron |argued Mr Nicholson is the only MEP from Northern Ireland able to help bring change in Europe as a member of the EU group committed to bringing some powers back to the United Kingdom.
“I know the respect in which he is held in Europe. So Jim has my full backing as the joint candidate of Conservatives and Unionists at these elections, and I look forward to campaigning with him next month,” he said.
With no official business to conduct — party officers were appointed for two years 12 months ago and there is no sign of any leadership challenge to Sir Reg Empey — the gathering became a formal launching for Mr Nicholson's campaign with shiny, smiling new posters.
Sir Reg said the “venom” with which the DUP had “blaggarded our party from one end of the country to the other” was well remembered yet they were now on the “gravy train” at Stormont.
While welcoming most of the “amazing change” he said he could “not cope with the total hypocrisy” of the DUP. “There is no beginning to their integrity and no end to their hypocrisy,” he told the conference.
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The DUP arent stupid, they knew that changes had to happen and concesions made to republicanism/IRA, whatever you want to call them. They then sat on the outside throwing the usual brickbats and let David Trimble and the UUP take all the flack/blame. When Unionism could move no more, as there was nowhere else for it to move, along came the DUP and took the credit for beating the IRA. I believe it was the UUP who brought the IRA to its knees as everyone could see that it was their turn, if you like, to make real and genuine moves for peace. The DUP have never done anything for peace in my lifetime.
As for the UUP Con pact, well if it "normalises" politics in NI then it can only be a good thing. I look forward to proper policies on jobs, housing, environment etc and not just the usual old old arguements
Posted by Homer | 27.04.09, 18:06 GMT
He actually said that sinn fein / ira would be in govt over his dead body. Sinn Fein members resigned from the ira army council, the ira stood down its members, decommissioned, Sinn fein supported the police courts and rule of law. slightly different from the uup picture of "no guns on the table under the table or outside the door."...at the talks. Or "no guns no government" Or "decommissioning will be completed by may 2000"
As for the DUP position on decommissioning the need for evidence was balanced by public Sinn Fein support for the police including inclusion to the oaths taken on ministerial office.
Remeber decommissioning was only ever about building confidence....anyone could ruin a gun today and buy one tomorrow. Adams taking the chief constable up the falls to a policing patnership meeting cannot be undone. That builds confidence far more than visible decommissioning ever could.
And the DUP put that to the electorate before going into govt.
Posted by david | 27.04.09, 16:47 GMT
The DUP opposed the GFA but now sits in Stormont. The DUP opposed sharing power with Sinn Fein but now forms an executive with Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister. The DUP condemned terrorism, but are led by an MP who joined a clandestine organisation who waved their firearms certificates as a threat. The DUP claim to be tolerant but stood by the bigotry of an MP who condemned homosexuality as 'curable'.
If that is the DUP being consistent then I'd hate to see them become inconsistent.
Posted by Thomas | 27.04.09, 16:28 GMT
Terry,
The DUP have never changed their clothes - they remain the same, with a consistent policy. They told SF what was needed and Sinn Fein bowed to their every demand.
Read any manifesto and you will see that the DUP position has been consistent.
In contrast, 'No guns, no government', 'we have saved the RUC' - the UUP broken promises could go on.
Posted by Grace A | 27.04.09, 15:18 GMT
"The DUP have been consisitent in their policy. Bring Sinn Fein up to the democratic mark before an Execuitve could be created. "
Is this the same DUP whose party leader only few years back said that SF would be in government 'over his dead body'. Or the same party who would not accept IRA decommissioning unless photo’s were made available?
Posted by terry | 27.04.09, 14:17 GMT
Reg Empey is in no position to pontificate. This is the man who was chief negogiator in 1998 which brought us the Belfast Agreement.
The DUP have been consisitent in their policy. Bring Sinn Fein up to the democratic mark before an Execuitve could be created. The UUP required nothing of Sinn Fein before puttuing them into government.
The Unionist people won't believe Empey again.
Posted by Grace A | 27.04.09, 10:21 GMT