Conservatives in talks over unionist unity with UUP, AND the DUP…
The Conservatives and the leaderships of the Ulster Unionists and the Democratic Unionist Party held secret talks in England over the weekend, aimed at realeising unionist unity and copper fastening maximum unionist support for a future Conservative government, should there be a hung parliament. Speaking tonight a Conservaitve spokesperson said Mr Paterson held private talks with a number of senior unionist politicians in England. The purpose of which to help greater political stability.It is already known that the Conservatives had an electoral pact with the Ulster Unionists, but the involvement of the Democratic Unionists comes as a surprise. They were represented at the talks by no less than Peter Robinson, Nigel Dodds and Sammy Wilson.
The discussion revolved around the question of Unionist unity and possibility of a global unionist support in the eventuality of a hung parliament.
The negotiations at Stormont are reaching a critical points with SF being prescriptive in demanding the full implementation of the St Andrews Agreement and nothing less. DUP insiders are saying “It’s not a case of a deal at any price”.
Tonight the Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin is having talks with Martin McGuinness and will later meet with the Northern Irish Secretary of State, Shawn Woodward.
‘Speaking tonight a Conservaitve spokesperson said Mr Paterson held private talks with a number of senior unionist politicians in English’
Was Ulster-scots an option?
No link?
So does this mean the Irish language act will come through as part of any deal. Devolution of P&J, the ILA, the charter of human rights. What else is there to be implemented in the StAA?
Oh God here we go…SB and FST, sectarian carve up. Whats the matter, can they not stand on their own two feet?
#
‘Speaking tonight a Conservaitve spokesperson said Mr Paterson held private talks with a number of senior unionist politicians in English’
Was Ulster-scots an option?
Posted by Peter Fyfe on Jan 19, 2010 @ 07:36 PM
More like shakespearean ! organising the next banquet, for the privileged, just what can the conservatives give Unionism “Voluntary coalition” conservatives will promise them the moon and the stars, but when it comes to paying up, it will be a case of perfidious albion, just like Maggie.
This is a worrying turn of events. The reason for this link (Con, UUP, DUP) is to stop the SNP from having leverage in the event of a hung parliament.
If we get devolution of P&J this week it will help the cause of nationalism as it will make Westminster a little more irrelevant.
Will unionism in the North of Ireland ever learn, English political parties only need you when their place in power is at stake, they couldn’t care less about the every day unionist on the street or what happens here day to day.
Grow a pair of balls and embrace Irish politics properly and do us all a favour!!
On the flip side, if the TUV gain in Westminster, this weekends meeting will have been a waste of airfare and CO2.
Does posh boy feel the need to alienate nationalists before he is even made PM? With recent moves can he stand by the british claim that they have no selfish strategic interests in Ireland. He seems quite happy to play about with the process so he can campaign about running in every seat. He is probably also realising more people are listening to him say nothing meaningful and thinking, ‘is he really better than Brown?’ Maybe he is scared he will have to deal with the likes of the DUP to get a few votes through. Its a sad indication on that person and party that they will play about with the political process here for their own ends. There are still policemen being blown up on our streets. Do the conservatives really think its time to gamble with nationalist support for the institutions?
This is an interesting subjugation of supposed British government neutrality in the administration of NI to the interests of Westminster politics. It has a long lineage from Gladstone to Major but I can’t think of any post-GFA examples of such a development.
[i]Speaking tonight a Conservaitve spokesperson said Mr Paterson held private talks with a number of senior unionist politicians in English[/i]
Was Mr Paterson’s Ulster Scots not up to scratch?
Paul, have heard nationalists calling for a “unity candidate” in North Belfast.
(I hadn’t refreshed the page in 20 minutes, hence the repetition)
Great news if true,and if this comes of the prospect of one United Unionist party aligned with the Conservatives, great news.
How come Jim Allister was not invited?
ranger1640
Is your last post in Ulsterscots?????????
Were the NI conservatives on about putting an end to sectarian politics in NI.
English conservatives in particular are a diaster historically in NI. Looks like they hav’nt learned a lot.
Garza
Haven’t heard that myself. Would be totally opposed. All parties should stand on their manifestos, nothing more.
As we head deeper into the 21th century Euporean Law and sovereignty WILL be ingrained into British and Irish law, The New World Government is a mere generation or two away, Unionist defence of P+J and parading can be likined to the story of “The Little Boy Who Put His Finger in the Dike”
With the new sun, the boy found that the dam had sprung another leak. Without hesitation, he put his finger into this new hole. But there was to be no leeway or pause for thought as another and another hole sprung up, leaving the boy with no other recourse should another leak emerge. As he stood there, the boy became dismal and more alone. The more he held onto the holes, the more he knew another hole was not long away.
Unionist cannot hold the tide of Nationalism back, better to throw caution to the wind and embrace the unknown than be stagnant and left in a pool of whataboutery for another generation. AS higher education gets easier to the many, and an ever growing pluralist society emerges, Unionism and its 16th century mindset will find itself relying on an ever dwindling elderly voter pool.
nineteeensixtyseven
no problem, great minds think alike
“Great news if true,and if this comes of the prospect of one United Unionist party aligned with the Conservatives, great news.”
ranger1640
Not a chance in hell of that happening. The DUP will never leave their religious beliefs at church or at home, they seem content in bringing it to government with them.
Garza, msg 9 The thing about these unionists going to great lengths to get Unionist unity to prevent ‘themmuns from taking seats, is that they’re doing this in public and in the process alerting nats so they can do the same. priceless.
Cameron is still politically wet behind the ears and is now getting in over his head. He should know, though that the SAA and GFA are internationally binding in law, so if unionists listen to him promising to hollow them out out, their even more delusional than previously thought.
“Haven’t heard that myself. Would be totally opposed. All parties should stand on their manifestos, nothing more.”
Paul, I agree.
If they launch joint candidates at SB and FST, U&C will lose my vote. Period.
“Were the NI conservatives on about putting an end to sectarian politics in NI.”
My thoughts exactly. I swing between UUP and SDLP depending on where I’m living. I would rather abstain than vote DUP or those aligned with them.
That said, if we get a hung parliament maybe we can blackmail them into not cutting our public sector so much.
Where to for Lady Hermon and other socialist(ic) unionists? PUP? I fear the PUP are just content to be just a Davy Irvine fan club ( no disrespect to him at all u hasten to add) but they need to ask themselves, are we intent on making inroads into DUP territory?
Well, wheres all the lords and ladies and the tally ho brigade, got nothing to say, maybe you could get the maids to ask the butlers if they could ask the valets if their masters could put quill to paper and explain their view of modern society. Remember to explain what rights they believe they have for mobs with bands in tow and beer swilled stragglers to invade residential areas where the residents dont want them, on their way to so called religious ceromonies.
tacapall
I like your style, Devenport Diaries on the BBC website could do with more people of your opinion!!
Sign up today, it’s free!!!
I cannot believe that Owen Patterson has been so entirely stupid! Doe she not remember that the DUP shafted the Conservatives over 42-day detention. Why would you trust them after that?
either he’s got the attention span of a goldfish (possible) or he’s going to make the worst Secretary of State we’ve ever had (and God alone knows most of them have been pretty useless).
Given all the big talk about non-sectarianism from OP this rings pretty hoolow- the first demand re South Belfast will be that Peter McCann isn’t the candidate because he’s “one of themmuns”
oops! Typo- Does HE. sorry
I am delighted by this news a real chance for the first time to maximize the pro UK vote.And defeat the TUV
Can one of the UCUNF supporters who believes that the Conservatives want to bring in new, non-sectarian politics please explain what business they might have talking to the DUP about unity ?
Mind you there is nothing in this about an electoral pact.
Comrade Stalin,
The purpose of which to help greater political stability.
Doesn’t automatically translate as “pact”.
I asked for a link right at the beginning of the thread but all we’ve got so far is Mr Mallie’s paraphrasing and assumptions. Probably best waiting to hear it from the horses’ mouths.
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Can one of the UCUNF supporters who believes that the Conservatives want to bring in new, non-sectarian politics please explain what business they might have talking to the DUP about unity ?
Posted by Comrade Stalin on Jan 19, 2010 @ 08:43 PM
Its got nothing to do with politics and all to do with you scratch my back and let me pretend to the world Im a bulldog, and I’ll make sure we shaft you, when the real power brokers and policy makers (Who are not ever in Government) tell us to.
oneill, it would be silly to suggest that Mr Mallie has imagined the entire thing. Strategically, it makes perfect sense for the Tories to have this chat. Politically, it makes them seem very hypocritical and I’m sure there are some in the UUP who feel quite sore about it.
Yep just speculation wait for it to come officially out I am delighted if true.
CS
He’s paraphrased a Conservative spokesman, that’s all we’ve got in terms of comment from any of the three parties.
Strategically, it also makes sense for the Conservatives to be having chats with the SNP- I’d be surprised if they weren’t, doesn’t mean they’ll be they’ll be running joint candidates with them in Scotland. I’d wait and see first before making too many assumptions.
Mallie are you winding?
UUP & DUP uniting. More chance of the DUP cooperating with SF! Ohhhhh…
Sign up today, it’s free!!!
Posted by DisgustedinDERRY on Jan 19, 2010 @ 08:34 PM
They never reply to you DERRY, its hard to defend the indefensible, all they’ve got left is “Traditional” but sure it was traditional for some countries to practice female circumcision but the rest of the world knows its wrong.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/why-there-is-precedent-in-cameron-s-wooing-of-clegg-s-reluctant-libdems-1.994909
It’s purely a sounding out of possible scenarios.
Politics is hardly a highly principled art and it certainly will not mean any pacts in certain constituencies. Any pacts would be doomed to failure in FST and make SB a pyrrhic victory.
Owen needs to explain a bit though.
it may be talks on the UUP to agree P and J
It is all about numbers:
http://www.thedissenter.co.uk/2010/01/there-will-be-an-election-in-2010/
and a hung Parliament. As the smaller numbers may count the UUP link may not be enough, so ignore arrangements and deal wider.
http://www.thedissenter.co.uk/2009/10/conservative-practicality/
“English political parties only need you when their place in power is at stake”
I wondering where it is different anywhere else…?
Probably only bringing the DUPs in as an afterthought…don’t expect there’ll be many left after the next election… (he trolled)
I guess the way it could work is that the Conservatives field unity candidates that are neither UUP nor DUP in both constituencies. That would allow them to
(i) add seats
(ii) stick to their claim of standing UK wide
while
(iii) allowing the two local unionist parties a way to cooperate.
Fair to assume that meeting happened. Hearing that P&J was the only item on agenda. Still it leaves UUP and Cons with questions to answer.
Fair to assume that meeting happened. Hearing that P&J was the only item on agenda. Still it leaves UUP and Cons with questions to answer.
If UUP to back DUP P&J deal then what will be the price?
alan56
Maybe a DUP/UUP pact to team up and make Jim Allister even more irrelevant?
Can’t see the UUP helping the DUP out with anything, lets face it, the DUP put the UUP to bed, something the UUP are still hurting over.
My what bile and nonsense.
Its very simple. Unionists are looking out and up. SF talked about creating a new all-Ireland politics away from the sectarian swamp. They failed miserably because they simply tied top replicate sectarian NI politics in the Republic.
A new alliance of the Conservatives, UUP and the core of the DUPs could learn from that train wreck and help create a new Unionist paradigm here. One that could attract broad Unionst support. One that, for the first time in perhaps 80 years, would firmly embed Unionist politics in National UK politics.
I am sure this will not suit everyone. The flat-earthers and right wing nutters of the DUP may spin off to the TUV but for the vast majority of unionists it is time to put the past behind us and move on together and in partnership with nationalists. We have signed up to a deal and we should both deliver it.
If Allister wins one or more seats, he may have more MPs that the UUP and its safe to say that if these seat(s) are required, Owen and David will be knocking on his door too.
I think the talks and this is my opinion was to try to get the UUP on board for P and J
As an after thought maybe the torys don,t do as well as they think in the general election.And sinn fein come in as the largest party in norn ireland. with the t u v stealing a few seats. Who will the right wing unionist torys blame for the wee mess. Rem a few months is a long time in politcs.
am sure this will not suit everyone. The flat-earthers and right wing nutters of the DUP may spin off to the TUV but for the vast majority of unionists it is time to put the past behind us and move on together and in partnership with nationalists. We have signed up to a deal and we should both deliver it.
Posted by Cynic2 on Jan 19, 2010 @ 10:20 PM
An excellent post we saw the effect of the vote in last weeks by election when the voters united to defeat the TUV.