A slide used by Owen Paterson MP to convince the UUP that the DUP was an Ulster Nationalist party. Click to enlarge.
If news reports are to be believed that the Conservative Party held talks with the DUP and UUP about an electoral ‘pact’ this will also spell the end of this author’s relationship with the Conservative Party. It will also spell the end of hope for non-sectarian, secular politics in Northern Ireland.
Conservatives met senior DUP and Ulster Unionist leaders at a secret venue in England at week-end. Issues: Unionist unity/hung parliament – How Eamonn Mallie broke the story on Twitter yesterday
Ian Paisley Junior, this morning on Radio Ulster, suggested the talks were about Unionist unity for the Unionist (AKA Protestant) people. He may be right – but they will also clearly demonstrate that the Conservative Party is willing to behave cynically for short term electoral advantage. Doing a deal with the UUP is bad enough. However, a pact with the DUP – a discredited, Protestant fundamentalist and highly sectarian party – will dismay a significant cohort of voters that are sickened by what passes for politics here.
The fact that such talks were held reeks of the involvement of Jonathan Caine – Owen Paterson’s new “Chief of Staff”. Jonathan’s “expert” perspectives on Northern Ireland politics map very neatly onto the DUP’s concept of a “Unionist people”. However I’m disappointed that Owen Paterson agreed to this sordid little meeting.
At a national level the meeting also implies that the Conservatives are getting jittery and have assumed that a hung parliament might be a real possibility. The current Tory poll lead is unlikely to provide the majority needed to form a government. It’s highly ironic that a deal with the DUP is considered the political expedient required to secure the required majority.
The irony is all the greater for me. I recall preparing a presentation with Owen Paterson, here in my home, prior to a presentation to the Ulster Unionist Council – one of many meetings organised to convince the UUP of the merits of a link with the Conservatives. Owen was adamant that we include a slide clearly demonstrating his view that the DUP was little more than the Ulster equivalent of the Scots Nats. The slide we used is included here in this post.
Politics is a dirty game.
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