McNarry breaks silence to warn UUP of ‘oblivion’
DAVID McNarry has spoken out for the first time since being ordered to keep silent by the Ulster Unionist chairman – and warns his party that it faces oblivion if it does not find an accommodation with the DUP.
Two weeks ago the former Ulster Unionist Assemblyman had been reported to the UUP’s disciplinary committee following an extraordinary public row with UUP leader Tom Elliott over secret talks with the DUP.
UUP chairman David Campbell said that there was to be “no further comment” on the issue from any party member and until now he has succeeded in removing the row from the headlines.
However, writing in today’s News Letter, Mr McNarry says that there can be no halt to talks between the DUP and UUP just because he has been “removed from the inner circle”.
In an apparent reference to his leader, Mr McNarry says that “the project of unity itself cannot be allowed to fail simply because some have panicked over news of talks either embarrassing them or finding them wanting when push was coming to shove”.
There is unhappiness from supporters and opponents of Mr McNarry at the lack of progress in holding a disciplinary hearing to decide the matter.
Mr McNarry also suggests that he has seen polling which paints a bleak electoral picture for the UUP.
He said: “Within the unionist camps the statistics I have seen bandied about make for alarming reading from an Ulster Unionist perspective.
“They are not brilliant either for the DUP, although they can be satisfied about remaining the single largest party.
“These figures, of course, relate to polling likely to tell the true tale when new constituencies are created and local councils are reduced from 26 to 11.”
The independent Strangford MLA, who remains a member of the UUP, says that the figures he has seen indicate that “the game for the UUP is virtually up unless it is able to come to terms with what I appreciate is the unpalatable reality”.
Mr McNarry adds of the polling he claims to have seen: “They show little or no opportunities to win a Westminster seat, a fair chance of retaining a seat in Europe depending on the candidate, and a dramatic collapse of councillor representation followed through to a serious decline in MLAs at Stormont.”
Yesterday the Ulster Unionist executive met but the disciplinary action against Mr McNarry was not on the agenda and it is not clear whether it was discussed.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
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