Dump UCUNF but keep the link with Tories, says Elliott
THE favourite for the Ulster Unionist leadership yesterday made clear that there would be "no more UCUNF" if he is elected to succeed Sir Reg Empey next month.
Fermanagh assemblyman Tom Elliott told about 60 senior UUP figures, including numerous MLAs and MEP Jim Nicholson, that he nevertheless wants to see his party's link with the Conser-vatives continue.
Launching his campaign in Antrim, the 46-year-old farmer and former UDR member said bluntly that the complex and problematic alliance which fielded joint candidates at last year's European election and May's general election had to be abandoned.
But he added that it was "good to have a link with a United Kingdom-wide party" and made clear he would support a return to the UUP's pre-1972 relationship with the Tories whereby the UUP would be "almost the Northern Ireland arm of the Conservatives", with UUP candidates standing in Northern Ireland without any Tory branding but presumably agreeing to take the Conservative whip if elected.
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That concept has been likened by some Conservative and Ulster Unionist strategists to the set-up in German politics, where the Christian Social Union of Bavaria is an independent party in Bavaria but always joins forces with the larger Christian Democrats in the Bundestag.
During an assured speech in Antrim yesterday, Mr Elliott, whose campaign is being managed by former UTV broadcaster Mike Nesbitt, set out quite detailed positions on a range of issues.
In one of several gentle digs at the other challenger for the UUP leadership, Basil McCrea, who announced on Monday during a visit to the US that he would be contesting the leadership, Mr Elliott said: "It's especially good to be here in Northern Ireland to launch my campaign and not feel I have to launch it from another country."
In another apparent reference to Mr McCrea, he said: "There will be those who talk about 'change'. I know that change will always be required but that can be no panacea unless change is planned, structured and effectively administered to meet the needs of our community."
Stressing several times that he was a "positive and progressive unionist", Mr Elliott added: "I am also someone who understands the need to move at a pace that is constructive – not destructive."
And, in what will clearly be a key plank of his leadership campaign, Mr Elliott said that the St Andrews' change to the Agreement which opens up the possibility of a Sinn Fein first minister, was "the only issue that I genuinely believe threatens that (political) stability at present".
It is understood that Mr Elliott met the secretary of state, Owen Paterson, last week to press him on reversing the St Andrews Act's change to the rules on choosing the first minister.
The MLA said that the government "knows that it has an obligation to support me" on the issue.
He also made several sharp criticisms of the DUP. Speaking of the ambiguity over what is intended by 'unionist unity', he said that if it meant a single unionist party, "you will not see it under my leadership and I cannot see it in my own lifetime...
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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