Letter: True unionists know exactly who they are - many are moderate, but few, if any, consider themselves liberal

A letter from David McNarry:

In my 60-year involvement in unionist politics since joining the Ulster Unionist Party Young Unionists, the standout leaders were Terence O'Neill, Brian Faulkner, Harry West, James Molyneaux and David Trimble. None could be defined as liberal.

placeholder image — Letter writer David McNarry did not agree with Ben Lowry’s column on UUP leader Mike Nesbitt, pictured. In his column, Ben Lowry said: "Mr. Nesbitt tried to provide a liberal option for voters. Unionism has needed that option for decades. Yet has not had it." Mr McNarry believes that few if any unionists consider themselves liberal

Political unionism under duress has adapted to change.

By electoral choice today the DUP are the lead unionist party.

By and large unionists are moderates, many embrace selective libertarianism, few if any consider themselves so-called liberals.

In his January 3 column, headlined “Mike Nesbitt faced the thankless task of political leadership in Northern Ireland”, Ben Lowry wrote: "Mr Nesbitt tried to provide a liberal option for voters."

Mr Lowry further opined: "Unionism has needed that option for decades. Yet has not had it.”

(Click here to read Ben Lowry’s column.)

On this occasion it is a view I cannot share with Ben Lowry. The UUP is a bit player today!

Moderates do not fit into the inbetweener clothes worn by the woke Alliance set. True unionists know exactly who they are. Few if any voters are minded to follow the logic of the liberal option, which Ben Lowry suggests is needed.

Whoever replaces Nesbitt as UUP leader, I genuinely wish them well. If the wishy washy liberal legacy is left in control of the UUP, it will not opt for alignment with the DUP that we need.

The big picture focus is dealing with Michelle O'Neill's outrageous 2026 New Year message calling for a referendum on Irish unity “by” 2030.

Sinn Fein does this with everything it touches. Indicative of its origins, it weaponised the Belfast Agreement, devolution, Irish language proliferation, border poll calls and more.

By 2028, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement will collide with planned provocative nationalist border poll unrest!

If the fightback upsets the liberals, but means holding Sinn Fein feet to the political fire — then so be it.

David McNarry, ex Ulster Unionist and Ukip MLA for Strangford