Tory members at conference insist they are still strong believers in the Union

Tory support for the Union is still strong — or so party members insisted last week.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Oct 2019, 04:13 BST
A trio of Scottish Tories chat over a drink at the Midland Hotel as the Conservative conference in Manchester comes to an end. From left, John Dawson, Alistair Campbell and Daniel GraingerA trio of Scottish Tories chat over a drink at the Midland Hotel as the Conservative conference in Manchester comes to an end. From left, John Dawson, Alistair Campbell and Daniel Grainger
A trio of Scottish Tories chat over a drink at the Midland Hotel as the Conservative conference in Manchester comes to an end. From left, John Dawson, Alistair Campbell and Daniel Grainger

The News Letter spoke to rank and file Conservatives at their conference in Manchester about findings that many English supporters of Brexit would choose a United Kingdom departure from the European Union over the very survival of the UK itself.

At a DUP drinks event on Tuesday night, which was packed mostly with English Tories, Joan Bamber from Blackburn was pleased to see three Northern Ireland politicians – Arlene Foster, Nigel Dodds and Jeffrey Donaldson – enjoy a rousing reception on stage wih Boris Johnson.

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“I thought it was quite inspiring the way they seemed to be all working together to get things moving, to get back to normal life,” she said.

Joan Bamber, a Conservative member from Blackburn, at the DUP reception at the Tory conference in Manchester on Tuesday October 1 2019. "I think we have definitely got to keep the UK together," she saysJoan Bamber, a Conservative member from Blackburn, at the DUP reception at the Tory conference in Manchester on Tuesday October 1 2019. "I think we have definitely got to keep the UK together," she says
Joan Bamber, a Conservative member from Blackburn, at the DUP reception at the Tory conference in Manchester on Tuesday October 1 2019. "I think we have definitely got to keep the UK together," she says

For her it is not a choice between Brexit and the Union, both of which she supports. “I think we have definitely got to keep the UK together,” she said.

A young Tory from Gloucestershire explained that, as Boris Johnson had just reminded the crowd on stage, it was the “Conservative and unionist party”.

Sam Berry added: “Fundamentally we are unionists and that is why we are here.”

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Mr Berry, 23, continued: “Although I read that recent poll that became quite famous, in that some Brexiteers favour Brexit over the Union, I think a lot of people actually believe in the Union over everything else. It is so important, the Union has to come before Brexit.”

Sam Berry, a Tory from Gloucestershire, at the DUP event. "It is so important, the Union has to come before Brexit"Sam Berry, a Tory from Gloucestershire, at the DUP event. "It is so important, the Union has to come before Brexit"
Sam Berry, a Tory from Gloucestershire, at the DUP event. "It is so important, the Union has to come before Brexit"

Chris Rose, from Kelso near Birmingham, said the DUP reception was “fantastic” and it showed “that we want a United Kingdom”.

Asked about those people who prefer Brexit to the Union, Mr Rose said: “I disagree with them but it is a principle to make sure that we do leave the EU. And all those people leaving using Northern Ireland as some kind of a hostage to say that we shouldn’t leave, we should be standing firm in principle.”

Corrie Driscoll, from Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, said: “The Union to me is one of the most important factors in politics.”

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She saw no contradiction in this and being a Brexiteer: “I think we can sort Brexit, and protect the Union at the same time.”

Corrie Driscoll, a Conservative member from Vale of Glamorgan, at the DUP reception: "I think we can sort Brexit, and protect the Union at the same time"Corrie Driscoll, a Conservative member from Vale of Glamorgan, at the DUP reception: "I think we can sort Brexit, and protect the Union at the same time"
Corrie Driscoll, a Conservative member from Vale of Glamorgan, at the DUP reception: "I think we can sort Brexit, and protect the Union at the same time"

Ms Driscoll, 22, said that she had enjoyed the DUP event, and Boris Johnson’s patriotic talk at it: “I thought he was fantastic as always, he plays the crowd, he knows what he is doing. and Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds were fantastic as well.”

Hours after the DUP event, in the early hours of Wednesday, Mr Johnson’s Brexit proposal was unveiled. Later that day, as the conference was winding down, we asked other Tory members their thoughts on the UK.

A trio of Scots were enjoying drinks, including Scotch whisky, in the Midland hotel, a key conference venue, before heading home. Alistair Campbell from Renfrewshire, dressed in kilt, said of the prime minister’s plan: “I have not read it in detail but as I understand the government strategy is probably the best they can do with everything against them. It is showing a way through, a sensible, pragmatic way through, and we have to follow that.”

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Far from fearing that the UK was at risk, Mr Campbell was confident about the future: “In that the Union will be stronger after Brexit.”

Chris Rose, a Conservative member from Birmingham, at the DUP reception at the Tory conference in Manchester. "It was a fantastic event that showed that we want a United Kingdom"Chris Rose, a Conservative member from Birmingham, at the DUP reception at the Tory conference in Manchester. "It was a fantastic event that showed that we want a United Kingdom"
Chris Rose, a Conservative member from Birmingham, at the DUP reception at the Tory conference in Manchester. "It was a fantastic event that showed that we want a United Kingdom"

John Dawson from Ayrshire did not vote Brexit but felt it had to be implemented for democratic reasons.

He too had faith in the future, unless there was a general election after October 31 with the UK still inside the EU. The Tories would be blamed, might lose the election and “the SNP will demand another referendum, there is a good chance Scotland will break away”.

Daniel Grainger, 19, from Edinburgh supported Brexit but said: “The Union comes before anything in our United Kingdom.”

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As Mr Johnson’s proposal for a regulatory border in the Irish Sea was still being absorbed, Mr Grainger was adamant that the whole UK had to be treated the same. “If we are to leave the European Union on October 31 we have to do so as the entire United Kingdom with one system for everyone. There can’t be any differences, there can’t be separate arrangements, that is not going to work.”

Meanwhile, Alan Kangatharam, a London GP of Sri Lankan descent, reflected on how much the Tories had changed since he joined late in Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. There are many more ethnic minority members than then, he said.

Calling himself British Asian, he spoke of his affinity for the UK, having qualified as a doctor in Dundee, worked as a junior medic in Belfast in 1991 and married a woman from Wales.

“The UK means a lot to me,” he said, yet he was “all along” a supporter of Brexit.

Related topics:European UnionBoris JohnsonDUPBrexit