The Conservatives And The UUP Finally Meet At The Altar
The Ulster Unionist Party’s ruling executive met last night to give its final decisions on the details of its partnership with the Conservative Party.
With only one MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon who regularly votes with Labour, you’ve got to hope that David Vance or another of this blog’s NI correspondents might stroll past to explain the logic in this partnership, but nevertheless it appears to be on track.
It almost goes without saying that the most difficult issue has not been policy but has been what name the new grouping will take as most assembly members opposed Conservative plans to drop the word “Ulster”. The new name will be the “Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force”.
Sir Reg Empey describes himself as “delighted” although the photograph on the BBC website makes him look like a shifty sub-prime mortgage salesman so he’ll be less impressed by that.
Check out David’s book about Unionism on the right sidebar of this blog…it’s a cracking read.
SOURCE: BBC
It’s an interesting marriage and one I have been involved in encouraging. The dynamic for me is simple – it strengths the British bond, tightens the Union and thus is good.
The UUP are inept from a PR perspective and their sole MP is a semi-socialist BUT this gives them a chance to help balance the pathetic little Ulster Nationalism of the DUP and that also is a good thing.
I wish the UUP had more political talent, I wish they had a charismatic leader, but at least with this link, they can be part of such a party!
The last thing Irish republicans want is bridges between NI and GB and so this is one in the eye for them – hence the BBC spin!
At a time when David Cameron must be going through hell in his private life, this public link with the UUP is a good and progressive thing. Ulster owes him.
David, thanks a lot for that. TheEye hates to venture in to areas where he knows little, and NI politics falls firmly in that category. Cheers for the heads-up.
” New Force “, dear me, sounds a bit facisty to these ears.
TheEye is only agreeing to this if Sylvia Hermon has to wear a StarWars stormtrooper outfit at Christmas parties.