Cameron’s address to UUP conference
Conservative Party leader David Cameron’s address to the UUP conference in full. Well, in two parts. Second half below the fold.
Second half of David Cameron’s address to UUP conference.
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Don’t you know that we’ve been through all this before? Captain O’Neill tried to bring Ulster Unionism in line with Modern Conservatism, shedding vulgar tribal sectarianism, and look what happened.
He didn’t get a single vote from the Papes, who continued voting for their nasty Fenian candidates, and he lost the votes of good decent right thinking Protestants such as the Rev Ian Paisley and his merry men.
Result: exit Cap’n O.
Gerrymandering for political control didn’t work in the past why would political control for nationalists work this time round if its not representative of the people? It would put the shoe on the other foot thats all, and achieve nothing, except to set us back.
eranu,
I think the economy will focus very heavily as this downturn escalates. Priorites will change imv.
Maybe people are more ready for it now Paddy?
Eranu,
“what sort of things should they do to attract people who have previously voted for SDLP or SF?”
Lets start with an Irish language act as mentioned above, harmoniation of tax rates with ROI and a few words about of remorse about partiton and letting/encouraging the Unionists to run a sectarian state until the GFA. Still no votes on the Falls but at least they would be showing good intent.
“Still no votes on the Falls”
I think there are pro-union catholics (unionists) everywhere if we are honest, it remains to be seen if the numbers could be significant.
I don’t see the people of the Falls flocking to the Union Jack but I will wait for the ballot box to tell.
However, one would assume that unionist Catholics vote for Alliance / UUP anyway, I mean why would any unionist vote for Sinn Féin?
Having said that assimilation (to a point, upto but not including equality) has been British policy for hundreds of years, it hasnt turned any large numbers of Irish people into loyal subjects yet, aside from people whose origins are in Britan.
I have to say that I doubt David Cameron will succeed where so many others have failed, but it should be interesting.
You guys need to see the bigger picture. NI is just a pawn in the bigger game.
The Tories standing in every seat in the UK is all about them posturing as the ‘party of the Union’ in an attempt to improve their electoral performance in Scotland, where their vote has collapsed in recent years. Also, if they do get in at the next general election, trying to undermine the SDP’s allegations that the English Tories are lording it over the oppressed Scots, which will be a key plank of their Scottish independence referendum campaign (the proposed referendum timetable of 2010, rather than shortly after the 2007 Stottish Assembly elections, is a dead giveaway).
Similarly, FF’s dalliance with an SDLP merger was about upstaging SF’s claims to be the only ‘all-Ireland’ party, since (at least until last year’s Dail elections) FF perceived SF to pose an electoral threat to some of their seats in the south. Once that threat waned – when SF didn’t do as well as predicted in 2007 – FF backed off from the whole idea. (There may also have been an element of concern that if FF/SDLP did stand on a joint ticket in the north, the latter’s non-abstensionist policy at Westminster could be used by SF to attack the former – Mark Durkan the Fianna Fail MP swearing an oath to Lizzie Windsor wouldn’t play well in the south.)
So all this talk about ‘NI representation in national politics’ (either east-west or north-south) is a red herring.
“undermine the SDP’s allegations”
should have been SNP, not SDP!
“Stottish Assembly elections”
and that should have read ‘Scottish Assembly elections’, obviously!
(I’ve now got visions of Vic & Bob in kilts shouting in a high-pitched voice, “DON’T VOTE FOR HIM, HE STOLE MY MARZIPAN!”)
If I were a unionist and I heard a Tory leader making ringing endorsements of the union, based on the historical perspective I would pop a valium tablet or two. It is nearly always a harbinger of some whopping concession to nationalism: Ted Heath and the suspension of Stormont, Margaret Thatcher and the AIA.
“That was not worded very well – what I am saying is that at the same time as the UU/Tory alliance is allowing SF to be the largest party in the Assembly – Belfast (which has probably now got more Nationalists than Unionists ) will have a Nationalist majority AS WELL.”
How will a UUP-Conservative pact allow Sinn Fein to become the largest party in the Assembly? Presumably this is a realistic scenario whether or not there is a pact.
“The GFA is an international agreement ( a fact mentioned by Posh Boy Dave Cameron – probably to remind Unionists and Nationalists that nothing will really change without the ROI consent*).”
The Belfast Agreement is a n international agreement by virtue of the links it established between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. That does not affect strand one, the internal governance of NI, which the RoI has never had a say in.
Now leaving aside that the UUP doesn’t want to tear up the Belfast Agreement, what exactly could the RoI do if it choose to? Send in the tanks? I’m afraid the southern statelet is pretty much powerless against the UK, it only enjoys influence due to British goodwill.
Ricky,
From NIO website.
“The Agreement proposed an inter-connected group of institutions from three ‘strands’ of relationships.”
The only integration that is allowed for is between the the 2 parts of Ireland.
It will not be ROI tanks that the Englezes will worry about but a re-run of the last 30 years. It’s a pity to have to say that a campaign of violence was needed before the Englezes saw sense and that some think, memory of the same is needed, to make sure they continue to behave properly.
For what its worth I found Camerons speech to be ill conceived. His language betrayed that he is out of touch with the intricacies of politics in the North. Some of his language was disingenuous.
I agree that he is engaging in tribal politics, playing the orange card so to speak, and he made no mention of nationalists. To say, as someone did above, that this it to be “expected” is not enough. Such crap from someone who hopes to be British PM is not acceptable.
Having said that, I also agree this (along with the TUV) will probably hurt the DUP but benefit nationalism in the short term. I don’t think there is a long term scenarion for this marriage of convenience.
Speculation about SF and SDLP voters swithching to UU/Tories can be summed up quite succinctly – no chance. If folks want a non tribal party then why isn’t the Alliance vote higher?
Most likely outcome – separation.
IAN,
Well said.
It’s funny to see the DUP flailing though.