No place for Cameron's idealism under dreary steeples

The Tory promise of non-sectarian politics never convinced sceptics – and for good reason as this campaign is showing

DAVID CAMERON and Owen Paterson kicked over a tribal hornets’ nest when they welshed on the commitment that the British Conservatives and Ulster Unionists would jointly stand candidates in each of the North’s 18 constituencies.

That decision must give the Irish Government pause for thought, particularly should Cameron be the next British prime minister – and even more particularly were Cameron in a hung Westminster parliament dependent on unionist votes to remain in office.

For the past year or more Cameron’s spokesman on the North, Owen Paterson, a hard-working and pleasant man, has been insisting publicly and privately, at high table and low table, that under no circumstances would the Tories deviate from that commitment. Why? Because Cameron was demonstrating he is offering a different and modern form of politics in which sectarianism could have no part, he affirmed time and time again.

Frequently, sceptical politicians and journalists told him that the hardnosed people in the engine room of the DUP and UUP would undermine this noble promise.

They asked just how could he and Cameron resist the pressure from the two local unionist parties to do a deal to try to oust candidates such as Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew in Fermanagh-South Tyrone and the SDLP’s Dr Alasdair McDonnell in South Belfast.

Won’t happen, said Paterson. UUP leader Sir Reg Empey was fully signed up to the alliance with the Tories through the awfully titled UCUNF (Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force) and that meant candidates in each of the North’s constituencies.

Fair enough, shrugged the sceptics with arched eyebrows, all you can do is judge a man by his word. But happen it did. Cameron and Paterson initially offered idealism but what we got in the end were the dreary steeples as the DUP and UCUNF stood aside in Fermanagh-South Tyrone to allow a unity unionist candidate, Rodney Connor, a free run.

UCUNF tried to engage in some political mental reservation by arguing it was still holding to the spirit of the agreement. This was because Mr Connor would take the Conservative whip in the House of Commons, although he would take an Independent view on matters pertinent to Northern Ireland. But such political casuistry won’t wash because agreeing a “get the Shinner out” candidate in Fermanagh-South Tyrone set in train exactly what Cameron and Paterson said they were totally against: a return to sectarian head-count politics. It set the visceral theme for the election all this week.

Gerry Adams and other Sinn Féin chiefs by turns tried to persuade, coax and bully new SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie to stand aside her candidate, former UTV journalist Fearghal McKinney, in Fermanagh-South Tyrone to return the advantage to Michelle Gildernew.

Mr Adams offered to reciprocate by withdrawing Sinn Féin candidate Alex Maskey in South Belfast, which would assist Dr McDonnell’s chances.

The unionist deal on Fermanagh-South Tyrone emboldened DUP leader Peter Robinson to further pressurise Sir Reg Empey to sign up to a similar arrangement in South Belfast.

Ms Ritchie, so far, has resisted the entreaties of Gerry Adams, insisting it would be to capitulate to sectarian politics. And so far UCUNF has steered away from a deal with the DUP on South Belfast. But candidates’ nominations don’t close until Tuesday, and anything could happen before then.

What will certainly happen, and is happening, is that the political debate in these two marginal constituencies will be about getting out the “Prod and Taig” vote – not about local or bigger issues. It is now baldly about persuading people to vote along tribal and religious lines to defeat the other side.

The Tory climbdown on its pledge also raises wider questions which must be a concern in Dublin. If David Cameron would so easily break what was a solemnly made anti-sectarian commitment, what might he do to equally solemn peace-establishing British-Irish agreements, should he need unionist votes in a hung parliament or be in hock to the right +wing of his party? It’s the unspoken issue of this election.