Swann “With the DUP at the helm, pro-union politics lies in the gutter”

Robin Swann spoke at his party’s spring conference yesterday;

We cannot simply allow the last operating vestige of local democracy to be destroyed as well.

The DUP and Sinn Fein wrecked all round them at Stormont, we cannot let them wreck Local Government too and bring the country to its knees.

At the Party Conference in October past, I said that there was a battle to save the union from the DUP.   I cannot say my view has changed.

With the DUP at the helm, pro-union politics lies in the gutter.

As the lead party of unionism I have yet to see them offer anything close to strong, confident unionism.

Instead time and again they seem more focused on destroying other unionist parties rather than protecting Northern Ireland’s place within the union.

Now they say they want more strength to deliver.

Let’s look at what they have delivered to far:

·        Stormont hasn’t met in over two years

·        The RHI scandal nearly bankrupted the country and now stands to bankrupt legitimate users.

·        Unionism is in a minority at Stormont

·        Unionism is in a minority in Belfast City Hall

·        Their fingerprints all over the disastrous Historical Investigations Unit

·        Arlene Foster has radicalised nationalist opinion in a way the republican movement could only dream of.

Members I say to you now, that when they do get louder – when they try to turn up the fear – we cannot allow ourselves to be drowned out.

Remind them of exactly what they have delivered for Northern Ireland.

What they are really asking for is more strength to do less.

We can’t let them away with it.

Be in no doubt.

The Union is safest when this place works.   When people are seeing delivery.  When things are good there is no need for anyone to question the constitutional status quo.

The Ulster Unionist Party is the party to deliver on a secure Union.

Unionism needs champions and converts.

Unionism should be the comfortable home of choice for people irrespective of their class, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

You can be strong in your Unionism without being belligerent and disrespectful.

And we can demonstrate that the Ulster Unionist Party is the party For the Union by being confident in our Unionism, by being champions for Unionism, and by bringing converts to the Unionist family.

David McCann

David McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs