Ulster Unionists in plea to leaders: The parties should field agreed candidates in the coming election

An open letter to the unionist leaders:

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Dear Sirs,

We are writing to you to ask you to consider the ongoing impact of unionist disunity on the morale of our people and the implications it has for unionism at the general election.

Opinion polling over the past few years has consistently shown that approximately two out of three citizens of Northern Ireland want to remain within the United Kingdom.

Thirty years of republican violence and twenty years of nationalist dominance by Sinn Fein has failed to show any marked improvement in the likelihood of Northern Ireland leaving the Union.

Unionists can take great comfort from this, but significantly less comfort from the fact that the unionist cause, as currently represented by its parties, secures nowhere near two out of three votes at elections.

There are various reasons for this but chief amongst them is the disunity within political unionism and the failure of the parties to mobilise large sections of the unionist and loyalist electorate.

The recent and sudden political demise of the DUP leader has sent shockwaves throughout the community but it may provide an opportunity for unionism to re-organise and recover; and provide a morale boost to our community that can restore a clear majority of unionist representatives at Westminster and in the next assembly.

Accordingly, we request and require of the two main unionist leaders and parties that they agree united unionist candidates for each parliamentary constituency, and that they work as a collective unionist team in the next parliament.

If this proves successful then agreement on candidates could extend to the next assembly elections with the objective of restoring a unionist first minister and a unionist majority.

In most constituencies it is clear who the most likely candidate should be to win the seat and/or to maximise the unionist vote.

In constituencies where this is less clear we are prepared to try to facilitate agreement if this would be helpful.

To lesser unionist parties, and individuals we ask that your sole objective should be to help maximise unionist representation in the next parliament through mobilising support for unity candidates.

In this next election it is vital that our country and our cause comes first, replacing any selfish Party or individual interest.

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David McNarry – former Ulster Unionist Party and UKIP Assembly Member for StrangfordDavid Campbell – UUP Chairman, 2005-2012Lord Kilclooney – former UUP deputy Leader, MP, MEP and MLAJim Wilson – former UUP MLA for South AntrimRobert Stoker – former UUP Forum Member and Belfast Lord Mayor