Philip Smith

Our task is to persuade people across our country that it continues to be the right path for Northern Ireland to remain within the UK.

Philip Smith on December 21, 2020, 10:13 am

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Today sees the launch of a new campaign called UNITING UK. Our aim is to grow support for Northern Ireland’s continued position as part of the United Kingdom. We will do this by promoting the many benefits of being part of the family of UK nations. We are not a political party and welcome support from all who share our values and goals. Our focus is on people who feel left behind by traditional unionism such as young people, liberals …

Putting the super into ‘Super Councils’

Philip Smith on February 25, 2019, 1:44 pm

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With the council elections imminent and the return of devolution as far off as ever there has been a renewed focus on the role of local government and the potential to widen its remit in the absence of Stormont. Newton Emerson in the Sunday Times highlighted the work of the umbrella group for councils, the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), who have set up a forum with representatives from the five main parties to push for more powers to be devolved from Stormont to …

A New Deal for Northern Ireland

Philip Smith on November 22, 2018, 1:03 pm

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Politics needs to change in Northern Ireland. How we govern needs to change. Our political culture must transform or our future will be at best no different to our present – political stalemate with a sluggish, dependency economy; limited investment and failing public services. Optimistically our current zombie government will continue to tick over, at worst we descend into a sectarian spiral and we all know where that can lead if unchecked. We need politics to work. But it can’t …