Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tory UUP link passes…
No details as yet, other than it went through with no votes against… More detail later this evening…
Update: The decision is made, and as party member John Lund notes below the fold, the new entity (they’ve still to settle the issue of the name) they have agreed to fight the next two big elections under a single banner..
Update to the Update Statements from David Cameron and Owen Paterson below the fold:
Conservative leader, David Cameron said:
“I am delighted by this agreement between the Conservatives and the Ulster Unionists. It will give all the people of Northern Ireland, for the first time in decades, a new choice in politics. For too long Northern Ireland has been outside of the mainstream of politics in the United Kingdom. This new political force will help change that, and allow everyone in Northern Ireland to participate fully in political life both in Northern Ireland and throughout the United Kingdom.”
Speaking after a unanimous decision by Northern Ireland Conservative Party members, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson said:
“I am very pleased that a new political force will be created. This will give real influence to all Northern Ireland voters on the crucial day to day issues such as taxation, pensions and the economy.”
Unofficial response from John Lund:
Tonight The Ulster Unionist Party under Reg Empey and David Campbell’s leadership entered a new political sphere. They joined David Cameron’s Conservative and Unionists in a New Political Force committed to fighting both the European and next General Elections. Sir Reg has lead his party executive to a unanimous decision with 90 voting for the arrangement with only two abstentions. I would personally like to congratulate both these two gentlemen and particularly Owen Paterson MP the Shadow Secretary of State and Neil Johnston the NI Conservative and Unionist Party.
All four have succeeded in achieving this historic event, Reg particularly has succeeded in leading his party to possibly the most successful and unanimous conclusion in since the early days of The Ulster Unionist Council.
This combination will gain from the eleven years of Tory reinvention finally successfully achieved by David Cameron and his ultra professional team. The new force now have possibly the most professional political campaigning team in Europe. This will thus leapfrog the new force from the doldrums of the last election into being on the Government Benches after the next election with Jim Nicholson MEP reinforcing his position as one of the senior members of the Conservative Group in the European Parliament.
The previous voting and the large non-voting electorate of this province are now being given the chance to vote for a completely national UK wide combination similar to Winston Churchill’s post war election victory over Clement Attlee which lead to 14 years of Tory rule . The timing is very opportune to the mutual Social Justice policies which will see Ian Duncan Smith arriving in Belfast as early as the 3rd of December which will be a busy week as David Cameron will address the UUP conference on the 6th of December where One Nation Toryism will come to Northern Ireland. Adventurous joint manifesto policies will start to be rolled out with phenomenal economic benefits for all Ulstermen.
Mick Fealty @ 08:55 PM
“And the name?
The NI Conservative and Unionist Alliance.
I don’t think that will do it somehow.
The NI Conservative and Unionist Coalition.
That sounds a bit clumsy.
The NI Unionist and Conservative Alignment.
A bit out of line.
The Conservative and Unionist Party.
Back to the future!
The New Ulster Unionist Con.
Too truthful! “It’ll be interesting to see if the word Ulster is incorporated, for the Conservatives have a habit of removing any sense of Ulster identity when they’re in power. They’re just as bad as any Irish Nationalist or Republican, eroding the Ulster identity for an Irish one.
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 09:11 AMUlster’s my homeland,
What do you do for company in that field of yours? Or is it just you and your little rock.
However, like you I am not convinced that David Cameron cares enough about the Ulster Scots language.
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 09:19 AMOne inaccuracy in the BBC news story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7741325.stm
“The Conservative Party has just one councillor in Northern Ireland, however, Down District Council’s Peter Bowles is yet to stand for election under the Tory banner.”
http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/asd.htm - 2007 Assembly election - Peter Bowles (Conservative) 391 (0.8%)Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 09:44 AMprovience wide, the tories had 3500 votes in 2007, less than a quota. Guess the beggars in the UUP cant be choosers
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 09:54 AM“And now the resignations begin!”
Will there be an UUP councillors or even an MLA that might now avail of Labour membership?
Although Labour only allows individual membership - this is a big difference from the old days when the Labour Party rejected the NI Labour Party’s application to merge join the British Labour Party
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 10:15 AMThat’s a good point you made about Ulster identity and incorporating the name ‘Ulster’ into the title, UMH. In fact everybody should be aware of the importance of pushing the use of ‘Ulster’ forward on every occasion.
Have you ever considered incorporating it into your own name?
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 10:31 AMI must admit I take great pleasure in seeing the DUP supporters, socialists and others decrying this advance. The more they do the happier everyone else is - we all know if it was in their interests they would be supporting it whole heartedly.
I now hope in the next year or two I can change to another ‘name’ as real democracy starts to take place in NI.
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 10:58 AMIts a good start. Now will come the test as the new group begins to organise to try to take a seat or two. Nice article Mick and quite right that serious effort and money will be needed to give it a solid go. I doubt Col Tim will be interested. If he wanted in he could have got a safe English seat no need to risk all in an NI marginal. Although a high profile celebrity candidate would certainly put a new dynamic into it all. It will be interesting.
Posted by on Nov 21, 2008 @ 01:05 PMI cannot understand
(a) what is in it for the Conservatives?
(b) what’s in it for the present UUP?
I mean, the Tories are out of sinc with NI values and have not done well electorally in the past infact this move is likely to deflect marginal voters to say Alliance.
On the other hand I can see that the past UUP leader (Trimble) might be promoting such a move, given that he wants a position with Conservatives should they win the next election.But let’s have a wager - that Lady H. and others will not wear it?
Posted by on Nov 25, 2008 @ 05:59 PMBut let’s have a wager - that Lady H. and others will not wear it?
Posted by Granni Trixie on Nov 25, 2008 @ 06:59 PMRumour has it some in North Down are already looking for a replacement
Posted by on Nov 25, 2008 @ 06:41 PM