A history lesson from the days of the old UVF – power is what London really respects

‘Unionism has sent out a signal of defeatism and weakness’ (January 18).

But in his angst he ignores the historical context that explains so much more.

To understand current unionist difficulties and disappointments we have to go back to the foundation of Northern Ireland and to the 1912 Ulster Covenant.

It was made clear in the Covenant that the desire to maintain the union was driven by ‘material well-being’.

Money has always been a strong driver of unionism. So the venality of the current generation of unionist leaders should come as no surprise.

The campaign to maintain the union and resist Home Rule was led by powerful captains of Ulster industry and the landed gentry who together dominated life in those days and, more importantly, were closely connected to high Tories in London. This is why they got away with setting up a huge paramilitary force – the old UVF – and raising the equivalent of £100 million in a fighting fund which forced London’s hand.

Without the threat of a well resourced and violent insurrection in Ulster, Home Rule would have been applied to the entire island. It had nothing to do with high principle – then and since.

That Unionist upper class has long since departed the scene and with them any serious threat to the ambitions of London. The English ruling class were probably never the committed unionists they claimed to be while they looked down the barrels of thousands of UVF German Mausers.

The harsh historical lesson is that London respects power and holds weakness in contempt.

The remaining rump of unionism today has to find its way in the modern world without any of the previous comforts and it is undoubtedly a worrying time.

But without an honest appreciation of its historical roots and its current weakness, 21st century Ulster unionism will just continue to thrash around ineffectually and feel sorry for itself.

Willie Methven, Belcoo, Co Fermanagh