UUP viewing world with blinkers on
THERE is a default setting for current Ulster Unionists; a stubbornness and an unwillingness due to their history, to accept the reality that time has passed their party by, long ago.
They do not speak for unionism any more, and have not for almost a decade.
This party, a party perennially riddled with division and splits, struggles to recognise that it needs to ask the question; why in 2012 would anyone vote for the UUP?
What is definitively unique about the UUP? And, if there is something appealing, or unique, why are various members of it in the press on a daily basis spelling out an entirely different message for its future direction.
The UUP likes to refer to itself a ‘broad church’, encompassing many vastly different views in one political grouping. This broad church, however, likes to air those views on radio shows, doing more damage to itself, and to unionism.
The reality is that whilst the UUP rips itself apart publicly,
it is faced with a DUP that is united with its party leader and vision for Northern Ireland.
Whilst some in the UUP cling to past glories, it is a abundantly clear that the DUP recognises where it was, and where it is as a party of government today.
You will not find a member of the DUP on the Nolan show tearing his or her party or leader apart, nor will you find a party leader symbolically hanging a member out to dry in public, not for a crime, but for having discussions regarding its very future.
Whilst broken records like Conservative Lord Trimble harp back to the days when the Ulster Unionists were the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, and look at the world with those default blinkers on, it is abundantly clear that there is a choice ahead for that political entity.
Will it continue to fall apart at the seems, and make a mockery of the very history it so often reminds us of?
Will it realise that rather than damage itself and unionism any further, it should embrace the idea of co-operation with the DUP, rather than deny it exists.
Or will it simply be a case of (as one UUP member put it) “steady as she sinks?”
Whilst it asks itself those all important questions, Northern Ireland will keep moving forward.
Jonathan Lavery
By email
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
ardens
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 04:22 PMYou are dekuded if you think there are no splits in the DUP. The old Paisley faction are at war with Peter Robinson and in the DUP which is run on Stalinist lines you cannot disagree with the Leader. End of career if you do. This was the party that demanded resignation letters from all its MLA's so that they would be silenced. The Ulster Unionist party still has the largest party membership and yes it has ot faults but it is a party where debate is welcome. Who wants to be long to a party where you do what the leader tells you, period. Those who like to think for themselves will support the UUP whereas those who wish to donate any brain cells they have to someone else will vote DUP.
ccanrfc
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 02:53 PMthose unionists that dont vote and feel there is no party that represents their views need to be listened to to an extent. furthermore i agree with the idea that more needs to be done in order to reach out to them and have views that are more representative to their interests regarding perceived bread and butter issues. ie the working class protestant areas that feel neglected and are in some instances technically below the poverty line. however this doesnt detract from the uups denial of how shambolic their party has become, their denial that they have not represented the majority of unionists for sometime rf the fact that they have not only let down working class loyalists but also all unionists and loyalists across the board. in addition to that i still think that some weight and legitimacy has to be given to the argument that people that do not vote cannot complain and that those who express unionist apathy could one day realise that it is indeed too late to complain...
offering
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:41 PMWhen the DUP was just a rump I wonder what view some critics held? In my observations of political history in N.I. there is a floating crowd who will always follow the leading band whoever that may be. It is a good job that football supporters do not change scarves so easy. If it is conviction, then O.K. but if it is self interest and self promotion then I suppose any party will do. On thing most critics do not admit i.e. The DUP have done more than enough of things they ridiculed UUP for when in power. Some ex-UUP used to parade the platform and ridicule the DUP and attack Trimble only to end up joining the DUP and taking positions beside the IRA in government. But then life is not fair so we just get on with it, hoping we learn that critics do not really mean what they say about others but wait the day when they are in a position to do the same and more.
DrDavidGreen
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:00 PMWhen we lived in NI my wife and I always voted UUP but if we lived there now we most certainly would not. For the sake of Ulster folk it should disband and join the DUP immediately. There is no immediate challenge to Unionism at present but approaching 2050 - when I'm long gone - the most important negotiations between Unionists and both the British & Irish govts will have to be conducted on the basis of a united Ireland. At that point Unionists of all shades of opinion will have to be united. Will that be the end of Unionism? Most certainly not because by that time the ROI may well be looking to the UK for more than financial support. Its days in the eurozone are numbered. Only God knows the future but very interesting times are ahead for a new generation of Unionist politicians around 2050 - provided they are united. Today Unionists should leave Sinn Fein to its own devices and set out to defeat the Alliance party. I still can't believe that East Belfast, where we used to live, has gone neutral on the Union. It is the Alliance party which is Unionists' Achilles heel not the DUP or UUP. Let's hope Dr Paisley can rise from his sick bed and knock some sense into the younger Unionist politicians.
Page 1 of 1
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.