In the Justice vote, the UUs and the SDLP missed a golden opportunity
Good columnists thrive on perversity but this time, Malachi strains his case by claiming Reg Empey was right to “launch a kick at the (DUP’s) groin” in opposing P&J on Tuesday. But even he admits:
Empey has made bad calls: appearing some of the time to want to draw closer to the DUP at the instigation of the Orange Order and squandering his only MP by forming an alliance with the Tories. But this call was his and he had the right to make it and he is not a failure as a politician or a human being for putting party interest first; that is his job.”
How it was “putting his own party’s interest first” to stand alongside the TUV beats me. And was that a kick in the groin? All Reg “launched” was not a kick in the groin but a gentle tap on the DUP’s shoulder to remind them to protect their own flank and stay united. Now I admit that in the debate, it was genuinely touching to hear UU and SDLP speakers claim credit for the “heavy lifting” that made devolution of the powers possible, police reform and the institution of the Policing Board heading the list. But politics has moved on. The extremes have parked their tanks on the old lawn the UUs and the SDLP uneasily shared. The completion of devolution exposes their joint problem even more starkly, but it can be exaggerated. If there isn’t room for more than two parties in a 108 member Assembly elected by STV, the others have only themselves to blame. How do they make progress? One way is to make common cause on key issues of the common good. Each party can make a convincing case for this electorally rather than consign common causes to the level of platitude in the peroration of speeches. The Assembly vote was an opportunity missed. Had the UUs and the SDLP tabled a joint amendment or moved a separate resolution to make it an issue of confidence to create a three party veto on Executive business, it would have been bold move towards creating a platform of the centre. As it is, Robinson is actually offering concessions on this although no one seems to have noticed. The problem is, there is no real common cause in the centre. While the UUs and the SDLP unite to condemn the schools transfer deadlock, they are divided over selection itself. Again, Edwin Poots told the Assembly that the DUP were going to abolish 50:50 police recruitment before the end of the year. The UUs and SDLP will presumably split on that. Even on a shared future, they risk being outflanked by the DUP and SF. Is it any more than a slogan? Where is the joint case that each side benefits and can appeal to their separate electorates on that basis? To forge a real political role for themselves the UUs and the SDLP will have to do more than gurn. What young voter cares which unionist shafted whom a decade ago? Or which nationalist is the greener over a Derry/Londonderry name change? For as long as the parties believe in their hearts that identity politics win in every case, the centre parties will always lose out.
Looking it at it cynically politics is more about getting people to believe you and to follow you and not about doing the ‘right’ thing, therfore the proof of the UUP-anti-aggreement-pudding will be in the digesting of the Westminster results.
Is there still an appetite for this unsavoury dish or are the plain Unionist people of Ulster looking for something a lot healthier to chew on? Hopefully the latter.
I had assumed that Malachi was approaching the topic from a different angle,tongue in cheek to catch attention (as journos have to). Cant believe acceot this reading of the situation as his own view.
For whilst the dysfunctionality of Ex. is plain to be to be seen, UU have demonstrated by their action they lack strategic know how to help put it right.
What on earth did they think that they were achieving? Politics is the art of the possible.
And if the UU/Tory party does not survive I would be interested in knowling of Trimbles role when this emerges,as tends to happen.
Only in the mockney, undemocratic, Stormont setup, would people condemn a political party for voted against the majority. Otherwise sensible people turn right into wrong, and cry hold the front page, political opposition vote no.
The mind set of that place is so perverse it goes against all democratic norms we have gained in centuries of struggle.
I do tend respect the underdog who hangs in there against the majority but in this case it just smacks of incompetancy – the image of lemmings going over a cliff because they are too stupid to do otherwise comes to mind.
Trixie
I suppose we will have to see how the UU/tory group do in the general election to find out if it was an incompetent act? If it holds together that long
Aren’t most of the differences between the SDLP and UUP of the ‘normal politics’ variety rather than identity based?
SDLP are slightly left of centre, UUP are outspokenly conservative.
To my own amazement I find myself in broad agreement with Mr O’Doherty.
Rather like John Humes “single” speech, Malachi O’Doherty has been writing the same column for years…and years.
First of all Empty sabotaged “mainstream British Conservatism” here. For the Overclass which actually wants “normal Belfast is as British as Finchley” this….this is bad news.
For me……its well played Reg.
Likewise on a tactical level….the May Elections, Reg has played a blinder….Fermanagh South Tyrone is in the bag….TUV wont stand.
And UUP has completely outlanked the DUP. For disenchanted DUP voters who think TUV are a one man band or just nutters……there is suddenly an unexpected respectable alternative (UUP).
And of course any Catholic who has produced Tp Gear in recent years wont touch the UUP with John Taylors bargepole.
Really only the Overclass is disappointed in Reg.
To me the man is a hero.