Unionist voters in Northern Ireland were told today they could strengthen ties with Britain by backing the Conservative Party’s new political platform in the North.
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague will tomorrow address the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) annual conference in Belfast, with the two parties set to field joint candidates in the next UK general election.
Today Mr Hague described himself as a committed unionist and repeated his party’s pledge to bring future Northern Ireland MPs elected under the new banner into a Conservative government.
The Ulster Unionist Party’s sole MP Lady Sylvia Hermon has so far, however, refused to back the new political venture.
There has also been tension among Tory ranks in Northern Ireland after a senior figure resigned from the new pact, claiming it had failed to embrace the “non-sectarian and national nature” intended, and accused the UUP of hanging-on to a “little Ulster mentality”.
But Mr Hague said his party’s link with the Ulster Unionists would provide an influential voice for the people of Northern Ireland.
“I am delighted to have been asked to attend the Ulster Unionist Party’s conference and I do so as a Conservative and as a committed Unionist,” said Mr Hague.
“I believe the coming together of our two parties as Conservatives and Unionists will allow Northern Ireland to take its rightful place in the mainstream of UK politics.
“We are giving voters here the chance to have a real say in the Government of the United Kingdom - a chance to help remove Gordon Brown from power and to elect help from Northern Ireland MPs who can play a full role in any future Conservative government.”
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey welcomed Mr Hague’s decision to spell out his commitment to the Union and he said the new political venture provided a path for “normal politics” in Northern Ireland.
“That is what the Ulster Unionist Party is offering — that is why we are delighted to invite William Hague to our conference and welcome our ongoing relationship with the Conservative Party,” said Sir Reg.
“We in the Ulster Unionist Party are able to offer the electorate something new - a move away from old politics to start looking at real issues.” He added: “I believe we need to put Northern Ireland at the heart of the Union, sharing in the normal, mainstream politics of the rest of the UK. This is what the UUP and the Conservatives are working for.”
The Conservative Party has pledged to stand candidates in all Northern Ireland’s 18 constituencies as part of the pact.
The plan sparked criticism from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which claimed the move would split the unionist vote and ensure nationalists and republicans held seats in areas such as South Belfast and Fermanagh-South Tyrone.
UUP members in the South Belfast constituency have floated the idea of seeking an agreed unionist candidate, but this would step outside the joint UUP/Conservative initiative.
Under the parties’ agreement their separate constituency teams would select preferred candidates before a single name was agreed.
In the Lagan Valley constituency Daphne Trimble, wife of the former UUP leader David Trimble, has been selected by the Ulster Unionists as their choice to fight sitting MP, the Democratic Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson.
In North Down Ian Parsley, who left the Alliance Party after unsuccessfully standing as its European election candidate, has now been selected as the Tory choice for the constituency.
The North Down seat is currently held by Lady Hermon, who has yet to say whether she would support the new Tory pact or possibly stand as an independent.
The European elections provided the first political outing for the new joint banner.
Long-standing Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson held his seat in the poll and Mr Hague today predicted further success.
He said: “Jim Nicholson was the first piece of that jigsaw and I would like to congratulate Jim on his great campaign and tremendous result.
“Taking his seat in Europe as one of 26 Conservative and Unionist MEPs highlights what the relationship between the two parties can achieve giving the people of Northern Ireland a real, influential voice as part of a UK-wide political force.”
PA