PETER Robinson has ushered in the post-Paisley era and his leadership of the DUP by raising the prospect of a single unionist party.
As Ian Paisley slipped quietly away from Saturday’s meeting of the DUP executive to formally ratify his stepping down, Mr Robinson ushered in the new era by offering an olive branch to old foes in the Ulster Unionist Party.
It was time, he suggest
ed, to bury some of the hatchets (not in each others’ heads) and to work more closely on matters of mutual interest.
On his watch, the DUP would be thinking broadly, in terms of the whole pro-Union vote.
But, flanked by his new deputy Nigel Dodds, Mr Robinson said: “There is much that we should be cooperating on, working together to advance the cause of unionism to ensure we can maximise the unionist vote, that we can maximise the return that we get.
“If in the future that does bring us so close together that we can have one organisation, then so be it.”
For years there has been speculation that what many now view as a more moderate and pragmatic DUP – moulded by Robinson strategy – would have a look and feel to it that would make it more amenable to Ulster Unionists.
However, old wounds – some of which are still open – run deep.
UUP leader Sir Reg Empey’s immediate reaction was that Mr Robinson was using the media to tout the idea as a unionist PR stunt.
And while he was open to cooperation talks and maximising the unionist vote, a single party would not be on the agenda.
He told his party AGM: “Too many of us know too much about the DUP to be easily swayed by romantic overtures at this stage.”
Some UUP insiders said the bitterness was too deep and there were people in both parties who would never accept a merger.
Mr Robinson, however, said the parties “should start at a realistic level” and build relationships first.
After that, all options were open, he indicated – putting no timeframe on it.
And, perhaps most crucially from a UUP point of view, he said a merger would not happen “because one party decides to swallow the other one up”.
Mr Robinson also deflected Sir Reg’s criticism that it was hypocritical of the DUP leader to portray himself as the good guy when he had “orchestrated” a venomous campaign against UUP figures for years – splitting unionism.
The East Belfast MP responded that it took two to tango.
He said: “The UUP have attacked me and I have attacked them; that’s simply the nature of the divisions there have been within unionism.”
Meanwhile, the next pressing matter for the DUP boss is taking over as First Minister later this week.
He dismissed speculation that Sinn Fein would not re-nominate Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister – and therefore pull down the joint Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister – because of anger that the DUP is blocking on issues like the Irish language, Maze shrine, devolution of policing and justice and scrapping academic selection.
The dissolution of the power-sharing government over differences between unionist and nationalist would be ludicrous, said Mr Robinson.
