Roger Lomas, the Area Treasurer for the Conservatives in Northern Ireland, has resigned.
He has forwarded a copy of his resignation note to me (that he sent to the Party Chairman, among others).
A key reason seems to be the appointment of Jonathan Caine as special Advisor to Owen Paterson MP, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State.
Roger points out, “No one else was more responsible in my opinion for the disastrous ‘Hatfield’ incident than Jonathan Caine and thus I find the prospect of continuing to raise significant funds for party activities here in NI pointless when they are diverted to effectively underwrite the UUP as a viable political going concern.”
The question is rather begged why Roger didn’t resign rather earlier i.e. before all the money was spent.
‘when they are diverted to effectively underwrite the UUP as a viable political going concern’
Why only resign now? Surely the UUP have not changed that much in 3 weeks? I’m not sure but I get the impression dodger decided to hand about and see what way things would go.
I look forward to the day he seeks elected office.
There are always these shake outs after elections.
Strange comment though. He has a real go at Jonathan Caine for Hatfield and then says he’s resigning because he doesn’t want to fund the UUP?
So what is it about? Does he not want the Alliance with the UUP per se or is he just criticising Jonathan’s judgement?
As for Hatfield, let’s see what history makes of it. In my view it did get the DUP out of a very deep hole it was in and allowed it to regroup and do the deal with SF on policing and justice. To that end it served a great purpose in taking us forward on something that the DUPs should have done months before and that was in danger of wrecking the whole process. Of course Robinson spun it into something much more than it was but hey, that’s politics and we all- Unionist Nationalist and Conservative – got the deal.
I seem to recall that at the time many , including you Jeff, screamed that it had rescued Robinson. Well, as those of us with more trust in the electorate expected, they dealt with that issue. Indeed, he’s now political roadkill, the knives are being sharpened and we will probably soon have a new leader in the DUP.
All that and a Conservative led Coalition Government with real Tory Policies back on the Agenda, yet you call it a disaster!!! I have to say that your posts here increasingly remind me of another NI politician of whom it was said ‘he used to be in a party of one, but then there was a split’
“All that and a Conservative led Coalition Government with real Tory Policies back on the Agenda, yet you call it a disaster!!! I have to say that your posts here increasingly remind me of another NI politician of whom it was said ‘he used to be in a party of one, but then there was a split’”
To steal a phrase from Gordon Brown: “I agree with cynic”.
George, I haven’t called the coalition government a disaster. Some coalition policies I agree with; some I don’t. I’m very heartened by the fact that Graham Brady has been elected Chairman of the 1922 committee. That will help as an excellent check and balance of the more loony left coalition policies – such as the proposed increase in capital gains tax.
I doubt many would blame Rodger Lomas and others for resigning from the NI Conservatives the way Cameron, Paterson & Caine have treated them over the failed UCUNF project. To think the mainland Tories paid more money to the UUP in one year than they gave NI Conservatives over 20 years.
Conservative Party cash for UUP rises 625% in a year
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative-party-cash-for-uup-rises-625-in-a-year-14823870.html#ixzz0pC57mzz7