Carla Lockhart questions manner of DUP's call for unity - and says unionists need to get off their knees
Carla Lockhart has questioned the manner in which the DUP made a call for unionist unity – but said she is happy to take part in any talks which are “genuine” and strategic.
The Upper Bann MP quit the party after 20 years on Monday over its decision not to resign the deputy First Minister, and thereby remove Michelle O’Neill from office.
In the News Letter at the weekend, her former Upper Bann colleague Jonathan Buckley MLA led a call from his party for unionist unity talks amid the ongoing fallout from the Drumcree dispute.
He had written to all three unionist leaders requesting a meeting, saying pro-Union voters are “sick, sore and tired” of infighting. The DUP director of elections also said events surrounding Drumcree had reinforced his “belief that we must find a better way forward” and rebuild unionist political and electoral strength.
The comments were greeted with scepticism from the leaders of the TUV and UUP, with Jon Burrows saying a phone call “minutes before a public letter is published is no substitute for proper engagement”.
The DUP MLA has said he has faced attacks and abuse over his call, branded a lightweight and a plotter –saying he “will not be bullied or sidelined”.
In an interview with the BBC’s Nolan Live programme, Carla Lockhart has criticised the manner in which the DUP MLA couched his bid for unionists to work together.
“I think it's really important that unity is not wrapped up in the emotion where… one narrow political viewpoint has to be accepted by all, or you're seen to be divisive, or you're seen to be bolstering Sinn Féin.
“I think that's really important, particularly with the current situation with regards to Michelle O'Neill, and I think I would urge caution around that point.
“But I'm happy to get involved in any unionist unity talks that are genuine and are strategic with regards to to unity, because people… don't want to see unionists cutting lumps out of each other”, the Upper Bann MP said.
Asked about the comments, Jonathan Buckley told the News Letter that the calls for greater unionist cooperation and unity are growing louder and louder.
“My public comments were a genuine attempt to kick-start that conversation, which is now taking place in unionist households across the country.
“As I said in this paper on Saturday, no one has a monopoly on wisdom. We must be willing to listen to each other’s opinions respectfully, even when we disagree.
“I’m continuing those conversations across unionism in a genuine effort to bring people together, and I will keep at it. We owe that to all our people and, more importantly, to our country”, the Upper Bann MLA said.
Quizzed on what support she had for her stance when she was in the DUP, Ms Lockhart said that she would not divulge private conversations with her former colleagues – but gave her theory on why no other prominent figures had quit alongside her.
“They're within the party structure. They want, and and they've said very clearly, that they're in the situation where their profound consequences is the no photos and the no events.
“But that's for them to decide, and it's for them to decide what route they want to take”, she said.
During the interview, Carla Lockhart also said she wanted to bring a “fresh, new grassroots movement within unionism to ensure that we do see unionism back up off its knees”.
Asked by presenter Stephen Nolan what that comment said about her former party, and the TUIV and UUP, Ms Lockhart said unionism has had its head down for too long.
“Look at Drumcree. Look at what we actually did in terms of the law. We should be encouraging people into the legal field. We should be encouraging people into journalism.
“We should be encouraging the unionist community to hold their head high, to be proud of their culture, to not be afraid in whatever walk of life they are in.
“be it teaching, be it law, be it whatever – that they actually speak up for who they are and what they are.
“That's why I've taken this stand to actually inspire and show others that you can step out of your comfort zone.
“Because Stephen, you asked me earlier, am I out of my comfort zone? I probably am, but you know what? I'm willing to do it to try and inspire unionism and to ensure that unionism advances”, the independent MP said.