I suspect that the relationship between the Conservatives and the UUP will be brought to a speedy conclusion after the UUP’s admission that it has been in Orange Order inspired talks with the DUP about Unionist (AKA Protestant) unity. I hope that David Cameron will act decisively to distance himself from Sir Reg and his coven of bigots.
I was suspended as an Officer of the Conservative Party for suggesting that the UUP leadership systematically lied and only had a financial interest in a deal with the Conservatives. Now it’s clear that the UUP leadership is systematically duplicitous and sectarian.
There are many good and honourable people within the UUP that have been badly let down by their spineless leadership. Now’s the time for them to say so.
I am afraid I have to agree. A sad day for real politics in n ireland. Any news on Lady H at her meeting last evening?
None. And to be fair to Lady Hermon I don’t think she’ll be mighty impressed about the latest antics of her party leadership. She may be a New Labour Blairite but she doesn’t have a lot of time for the DUP either.
I gather Lady Hermon is claiming her Association backs her. Well they are welcome to her. And I hope Ian Parsley gets enough votes as the Conservative candidate to ensure she isn’t re-elected. Won’t be a great blow for North Down – she rarely attends Westminster and rarely votes.
There was an IRA campaign every decade since 1920 and they killed 2,000 plus people in the last 35 years. Hard not to be fractionally ethnic but some manage it. In which case they should not slag off those who can’t forget or ignore the past.
I am pleased to be in that coven of bigots, the UUP, and if the Conservatives wander off so be it, but the deal was not a merger. It was an alliance.
When the Tories get into power there was never the slightest chance they would do precisely what the UUP wanted. So why should the UUP act like baby Tories running to tell Owen of all their acts of naughtiness?
As I told the coven, don’t deceive ourselves, the Foreign Office will not have gone away.
Think of those great Conservative Unionists – Geoffrey Howe, Jim Prior, Humphrey Atkins, Douglas Hurd, and Nicholas Scott. And then think again.
The best reason for the Conservatives in NI is influence within the party not electoral achievement.
The coven I was referring to Jeff is the UUP leadership. My piece made that clear.
I agree,the d.u.p.split the unionist vote many years ago,and now it’s timeto pay back the piper.reg and his lot are now hiding in the same bunker as the d.u.p.but is it deep enough?….
Got to say – I’m amazed at this.
I think you’re right – the pact with Tories has been utterly compromised. What was being discussed with the Tories has no credbility after the Schomberg talks.
The process of talking to both the DUP and the Tories about pacts demonstrates complete amateurishness and disharmony in the party.
And talking to both the DUP and Tories are such diametrically opposed acts, that it really does make you wonder who & how many people are in charge of the UUP.
I recall that on 26th November, Tom Elliot of the UUP appeared on Hearts and Minds and equivocated about a meeting with the DUP. Maybe he knew something nobody else dis. In any event, the meeting did take place shortly after that.
Within a few days of that broadcast, I was assured by a senior conservative official that there would be no more equivocation about doing deals with the DUP. They must therefore have had words about it.
Logically, you would have thought that there was a side meeting between the Conservatives and the UUP in advance of the talks with the DUP. That would have been an appropriate time to disclose that there was a previous meeting with the DUP.
All of this amounts to a breach of a position of trust.
I agree with the consensus of comments here that it is hard to see how this can survive.
I cannot believe how much influence the Orange Order (A sectarian and bigoted organisation) has on Unionist parties.
The Orange Order tail waves the Unionist body.