Ulster Unionists brush off intervention bid by Bush
THE Ulster Unionists brushed off a potentially embarrassing intervention from former US President George W Bush, who attempted to get them to back the devolution of policing and justice.
Mr Bush phoned Tory leader David Cameron, whose party is in a pact with the UUP, asking him to intervene in the matter.
David Cameron told reporters yesterday that the Tories had played the "most constructive role we possibly could as an Opposition" in relation to Northern Ireland.
He said President Bush had stressed in their conversation how crucial it was for everyone to back devolution.
In comments that could be interpreted as coded criticism of the UUP's decision not to support the transfer, Mr Cameron added: "The one thing we cannot do is force people to vote a particular way.
"We have played a thoroughly constructive role, very, very supportive of what the Government wants to do and what we all want to do, which is to see devolution work properly."
Speaking after the vote, Mr Cameron went on to say: "Concerns about the functioning of the Executive as a genuine four-party coalition prevented the Ulster Unionists from backing today's vote, and I hope these will now be resolved in a spirit of genuine partnership.
"We want to move Northern Ireland politics forward – to focus on the issues that affect people in their everyday lives – rather than remaining stuck in the past.
"That is why we remain totally committed to bringing national, mainstream UK politics to Northern Ireland and to ending its semi-detached political status."
Over recent days the UUP had come under international pressure to back the deal, including from the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The intervention of the former Republican Party US president was particularly unexpected, given that Republican Party politicians in America are more likely than their Democratic Party rivals to sympathise with broadly unionist or Conservative Party positions in Britain.
The UUP resisted this external pressure, and insisted that the Stormont executive must sort out other outstanding matters – such as the long-standing row over post-primary school transfer arrangements – before it can take on law and order functions.
The UUP Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy told the News Letter yesterday that the party was not overly troubled at President Bush's intervention in the debate.
"He is not noted for his interest in the affairs of Northern Ireland. At best he has a cursory knowledge.
"I am surprised he should be encouraged to make an intervention."
Mr Kennedy added: "It was a foolish tactic by those who encouraged it."
Mr Kennedy further denied that Mr Cameron's comments were embarrassing for the UUP.
"Cameron definitely reflected the relationship between us and the Tories. He understands the issues that are of concern to us.
"He understands that in principle we are not opposed to the devolution of policing and justice."
Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman Owen Paterson also denied that there was any rift between his party and the UUP.
“I totally respect their concerns,” he told BBC Radio Ulster, citing problems such as the deadlock over the education system.
Ulster Unionist MLA Basil McCrea said that the Tory-UUP alliance was important, particularly for major shared national interests such as taxation, but this did not mean that the UUP could not adopt its own position on local matters.
Tory councillor Ian Parsley said: “Both the Conservative Party and the UUP are committed to the devolution of justice to functioning, power-sharing institutions.
“However, the Secretary of State has preferred to resort to dodgy polls and bribes rather than taking on board the perfectly legitimate concerns raised by the UUP on behalf of many people in Northern Ireland with regard to how poorly the institutions are functioning.”
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Tuesday 14 February 2012
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