Spirit of 1974 Ulster Workers Council strike evoked at Independent Orange Institution's Twelfth demonstration
The spirit of the 1974 Ulster Workers Council strike has been evoked by Mervyn Storey at a Twelfth demonstration in Co Antrim.
At the Independent Orange Institution’s annual gathering in the village of Mosside, the organisation’s Imperial Grand Master, said the display of unionist unity during turbulent times – which ultimately had the power to bring down the power-sharing government at Stormont – should be emulated by the current crop of unionist leaders.
Former MLA Mr Storey said there is still no “workable or achievable strategy to collectively secure our place within the Union,” and called for the formation of a “similar United Unionist Convention”.
Mr Storey said: “There is much talk of what is wrong but little of how to fix it.
"That is why we have deliberately mentioned the 50th anniversary of the Ulster workers strike, while not a perfect model, the UUUC (United Ulster Unionist Council) gave collective and united leadership at a time of challenge in Northern Ireland history.
“The objective of the UUUC was not to see other unionists as the enemy or give them a ‘bloody nose’ or attack them for their own political party advantage, rather it was to see the collapse of the Sunningdale agreement.
"While we may debate what followed after they achieved their goal, and the lack of any meaningful long-term plan, there is a lesson to learn for today’s leaders of unionism and the wider unionist family in the Loyal Orders and amongst the rank and file of our communities.
"That’s why as an Institution today we are calling on the establishment of such a similar United Unionist Convention, not controlled by any one political party of Loyal Order but where we are equals on the basis of or desire to maintain the Union.”
Mr Storey added: “The elections last week have yet again highlighted the need for such an approach.
"While there are some positives that we can be thankful for such as the election of Alex Easton in North Down and the non-election of Naomi Long in East Belfast, it is sad that in other places were a more united approach could have been achieved we could have prevented a non-unionist – in fact an anti-unionist – being elected in Lagan Valley (Sorcha Eastwood).”