Another UUP defector…
Slugger hears there was a bit of a barney at the UUP Officers meeting last week, when Lord Kilclooney (aka John D Taylor) allegedly told Reg to wake up and smell the flowers [make it a strong black coffee - ed] after James Leslie walked to the Conservatives. Today they have another less high profile desertion to teh Tory ranks.Bob Little was a member of the UUC Executive Committee until 2005. He cited the need to change the nature of politics in Northern Ireland as well as his admiration for David Cameron as his reasons:
“Change is in the air and a resurgent Conservative Party is good for the United Kingdom. I am impressed with David Cameron’s efforts to rebuild the Conservative Party and his wish to ensure it is a party of the entire United Kingdom. I think we in Northern Ireland can benefit from that and I wish to help in any way I can.”
Hmmm. Not exactly a deadly coup. But the UUP, so long fighting a readguard from the anti Agreement DUP, now face an action from an essentially pro-Agreement Conservative Party.
We are a long way from the 1860/70s when the Tories last had significant political representation in Ulster. But the party would be well advised to take some time out to work out just where it stands and what kind of future it can offer its more able supporters.
Yes, Egroeg, we do – you make us Tories sound like a secret religious sect with bizarre practices. There is a coven of us who meets in Lagan Valley, round my house, and I wouldn’t know how to get to Bangor or North Down (I actually thought they were one & the same)without a map. But then I’m just a blow in, so what do I know??
[b]Yes, Egroeg, we do – you make us Tories sound like a secret religious sect with bizarre practices. There is a coven of us who meets in Lagan Valley, round my house, and I wouldn’t know how to get to Bangor or North Down (I actually thought they were one & the same)without a map. But then I’m just a blow in, so what do I know?? [/b]
Er Indoors,
The Tories in Northern Ireland (Not Ulster) seem to act like a secret society, if you just hold meetings in peoples homes. Likewise If you dont advertise were you meet how are politically Conserative-Unionist minded citizens know were to go if they were interested in joining the Tory party?
More Questions?
No1) Is it imperative to be a freemason to hold office in the Tory party, as it once was to be an Orangeman to hold office in the UUP?
No2) Are the Tories here only looking for conservative professional middle class UUP deflectors, or are deflectors from other Unionist DUP, PUP parties and working class loyalists welcome ?
No3) As your party is the only main UK party here at present , what do you think if the Labour Party were to set up a mandate in NI?
No4) Why do you only meet in peoples homes, does the UK Tories not give you monetary assistance to set up a conservative club like they have in England to meet in?
No5) Do you think the failure of the DUP & SF to set up a devolved government by 24th November will attract more Unionist minded citizens who wish not only to be more involved with main Whiehall politics , but help solidfy the Union between UK and NI
No6) Finally what about Belfast, were do the Tories meet here.
Thought provoking stuff, Egroeg!Answers – no, no, great, if only!,I’ll get back to you on 5, and 6 – whereabouts in particular in Belfast are you looking for a secret sect coven meeting, ‘cos there’s several to choose from.
And another thing – is it normal to see secret coven meetings advertised in the press? I don’t think so – you’d be asking for trouble. Any likely prospective member would make their initial overtures thru’ the usual channels, and then get invited to a meeting/social.
[b][i]Thought provoking stuff, Egroeg!Answers – no, no, great, if only!,I’ll get back to you on 5, and 6 – whereabouts in particular in Belfast are you looking for a secret sect coven meeting, ‘cos there’s several to choose from.
Posted by Er Indoors [/i][/b]
If you have any info regards ongoing monthly meetings in the South Belfast area I know of a few Unionists who may be prepared to deflect to the Tories if a the DUP & SF fail to agree to a Devolved government in November.
Egroeg
Seek and ye shall find.
Or in more modern parlance.
Email me and I shall direct thee.
Bemused what influence the setting up of devolution in November has. Regardless politics has to move in A New Direction
[b]Egroeg Seek and ye shall find.
Or in more modern parlance.
Email me and I shall direct thee.
Bemused what influence the setting up of devolution in November has. Regardless politics has to move in A New Direction[/b]
I and others have e/mailed this e/mail address not once but twice over many weeks and never received a reply.
office@conservativesni.org.
Egroeg, don’t know why the office@ address is not producing results, I promise to investigate, but in the meantime email lagansider@hotmail.com
http://www.conservativesni.com/
http://www.wall-of-shame.co.uk
Isn’t it Barbara Finney who was the recipient of the infamous pre devolution letter from her then MLA now UUP Leader guaranteeing her as a constituent that there would be no guns no government which was subsequently widely circulated when the opposite actually happened? Think I still have a copy somewhere but presumably that’s been deleted off the Cunningham House hard drive – unlike the old UYUC address list apparently…..
Peter
I think that you’re right, but we were never meant to take suce reassurance seriously, were we?
I wish I had the promises made to me in writing.
is there anyone left in the UUP to defect?
“Will the last person left in cunningham house please turn the light off”
No need to worry – this will happen automatically when the last 50p in the meter runs out
Peter you are so bitter.
Who gave the UUP 50p?
‘Who gace the UUP 50p?’
I don’t know, but at the very least I hope they got a peerage for it. And failing that, a Free State senate seat.
Who gave the UUP 50p?
not another bank heist surely?
Who gave the UUP 50p?
or should that be piggy bank heist?
So the UUP-PUP alliance is yielding dividends afterall?