Order urged to 'stay out of politics'
THE Orange Order should stay out of politics, a senior Orange figure has said.
Rejecting Orange Grand Master Robert Saulters' weekend call for a single unionist party, Fermanagh Assemblyman Tom Elliott warned the Order against "interfering" in politics.
On Friday night Mr Saulters, the most senior figure in the Orange Order, told an Orange gathering in Armoy that he believed there should be "one big unionist party" representing all the disparate shades of unionist opinion.
The comments have been welcomed by senior DUP figures Nigel Dodds, Jeffrey Donaldson and Arlene Foster.
But Mr Elliott, who was at an Orange parade with Mr Saulters in Enniskillen on Sunday, said that hopes of a single unionist party were detached from the reality of unionist voters' wildly differing views on virtually every issue outside support for the Union.
"People need to realise the differences between the broad right wing and more liberal aspect of unionism.
"It was quite difficult for unionists to have a united stand when they only had one party but since then, with the fractures in unionism, it is going to be hugely difficult to mend those fences."
However, hinting that an arrangement between the DUP and UUP to work together at Stormont or vote-manage together may be possible, he added: "I think there is a broader remit for better unionist cooperation."
The comments will be seen by many as a barometer of UUP sentiment on the issue as Mr Elliott is viewed as one of the UUP figures most favourably disposed to unity with the DUP.
The farmer and former UDR man was instrumental in striking a local agreement with the DUP to field a single unionist candidate in Fermanagh/South Tyrone against the wishes of the UUP and Conservative leadership.
He, along with deputy leader Danny Kennedy, was thought to be one of two potential UUP leadership contenders who could move the party into an arrangement with the DUP.
Mr Kennedy said that he had "a certain amount of empathy for the call" from Mr Saulters, but added: "All of the political representatives involved realise that any initial role would be undertaken by politicians and wouldn't be a role for the Institution, which obviously is not a political organisation."
The Newry and Armagh MLA said he believed that Mr Saulters was expressing a "widely-held view within the Institution".
Mr Elliott added: "Bobby Saulters would not be seen as a neutral broker in all this because he is seen as very close to the DUP.
"Even when I was a County Grand Master, he came out in support of Arlene (Foster) against me which was pretty difficult to take.
"He consistently signs both Dr Paisley's - and now his son's - nomination papers and always takes the DUP side on things."
A spokesman for the Orange Order declined to comment on Mr Elliott's comments.
Lagan Valley Assemblyman Basil McCrea, from the UUP’s liberal wing, said that even an agreement with the DUP for next year’s elections - maybe advising UUP and DUP voters to transfer to the rival party - would only be possible if both parties “could agree principles and values”.
Instead, unionism needs a “positive vision of why people should vote for us”, he said, adding that the real challenge was to find a way to enthuse new unionist voters to come out on polling day.
“There is no point in just getting together to try and thwart Sinn Fein. As Fermanagh/South Tyrone shows, an artificial unionist unity just increases Sinn Fein’s vote.
“You don’t mobilise unionists, but you do drive SDLP voters into the hands of Sinn Fein.”
On Saturday veteran Ulster Unionist Assemblyman David McNarry, the party’s most vocal proponent of closer DUP ties, said that he supported Mr Saulters’ call for unity.
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Wednesday 22 February 2012
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