The DUP went back to the La Mon Hotel for the first time in nearly a decade. Several hundred delegates gathered as the party marks 18 months back in government and is gearing up for the 2027 Assembly and Local Government Elections.
The party ministers spent time firing shots at Sinn Fein and the TUV, with Upper Bann MLA, Jonathan Buckley played the role of delivering the message to the base with a speech focusing on immigration.
Leaders speech bu Gavin Robinson
On reflections about the deal to go back into Stormont:
I regret some of our commentary then did not spell out plainly the difference between what had been resolved, what could be achieved through faithful government implementation, and the fundamental challenges that remained.
Our choice was not between perfection and betrayal, it was between progress or paralysis.
We chose to return to Stormont to deliver for our people. To keep unionism strong where it matters most – in a position of leadership where we can effect change.
Sadly, the Protocol arrangements are still there;
the internal border in our own country will never be acceptable and it must go.
On the need for Unionist Unity:
I want the Pro-Union movement to be reconnected, reinvigorated, and rebuilt from the ground up.
And I will lead that renewal.
When unionism is divided, our opponents prosper.
That is why under my leadership, we will be strong, but we will not be selfish.
No party or personality should ever trump our shared strategic aims.
As we look to 2027 and beyond, unionist parties must reflect the desire of Pro-Union people to see us working together, to maximise the number of unionist seats in both the Assembly and in Councils.
As in previous elections, the DUP has proven that it stands ready to act in the wider interests of the Pro-Union cause.
Criticisms of Sinn Fein:
In the past 25 years, nationalism’s electoral support has barely wavered.
We can be confident that Michelle O’Neill’s prediction of a border poll by 2030 will melt away faster than her credibility as a self-proclaimed ‘First Minister for all’.
But we cannot be complacent.
We must be working and planning for the long-term.
I welcome the significant efforts of other Pro-Unions stakeholder groups in this endeavour.
Let me say again clearly – There is no inevitability of a united Ireland.
We must always be building support for the Pro-Union case and to make that case, as a predecessor of mine once said, “the thinking person’s obvious choice.”
We must also continue to ensure decisions are taken by locally elected representatives and that we make Northern Ireland work for everyone.
And we will continue to expose the myth that unionists would be welcome in a so-called United or New Ireland.
The banquet boycotting First Minister thinks Londonderry should be a no-go area for members of our Armed Forces.
Well, I have news for her – we will be a proud voice for unionists in the North West.
He also directed criticism toward the Irish government;
We will also not let Dublin off the hook for their institutional intolerance of Protestant cultural heritage.
The Irish Republic is a country where candidates for their highest office in that country are vilified because of their religion and their family’s connection to the Orange institution.
Its government claims neutrality but lectures the world over on human rights.
And even then, they are happy to rely on the might of the UK’s Armed Forces and NATO for security and protection.
He also got into culture war issues:
This party will always show respect for every individual. But respect does not mean surrendering to ideology that we believe is harmful to the individual and to society.
Across the United Kingdom we have seen attempts to erase the very basics of biology.
Attempts to say that boys can become girls, and girls can become boys. Not through reality, but by the stroke of a pen, by harmful medicine, or the pressure of an activist.
For us we unapologetically take the same approach as the Supreme Court: a boy is a boy, and a girl is a girl. That is not prejudice. That is not intolerance. That is truth.
And let me give you a clear example of why devolution matters in this debate.
When Paul Givan took action to remove transgender guidance in schools, he did so to protect children and to protect parents’ rights and staff.
Does anyone honestly believe a Labour minister in London would have taken that step?
Final Thoughts
The DUP were in better form than last year. Whilst 2024 was a flat and uninspiring affairs, the 2025 conference was more upbeat. Delegates seemed more confident about where the party is going and there is a genuine warmth for their leader. When you are sitting in the hall, you can feel when applause’s are forced, but that is not the case with Gavin Robinson. Being back in government has given the party a chance to sell some of the achievements they have had in office.
A few old style DUP traditions returned, the flags and Sammy Wilson were back. Looking to the future Jonathan Buckley is clearly auditioning for this role and delivered the red meat that delegates enjoy.
Indeed one of the contradictions of the Robinson DUP is that it attempts to portray a more positive outlook, yet many of the speeches focused on attacks on Sinn Fein and the Irish government. Trying to win back voters from Alliance and the TUV will be a challenge ahead of 2027. The balancing act is going to be difficult for Robinson and whether this upbeat mood is more of a dead cat bounce remains to be seen.
What is clear is the opening shots of their next campaign were fired, culture, devolution and the union.
David McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs
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