It has been drawn to my attention, initially thanks to Paul on this blog, that Laurence Robertson MP, Chair of the NI Affairs Committee and, prior to the General Election, Owen Paterson’s number two in Northern Ireland has submitted his contribution to Union 2021.
It contains the incredible line: “I’ve always found it odd, wasteful, for the Conservative Party to be fighting against people in either the UUP or the DUP“.
This can only logically be read as an appeal for “Unionist Unity”, and of a type which includes the Conservative Party!
If this were from a random Conservative MP, it may just about be excusable and marked down to inexperience in NI matters. However, it has come from someone closely associated with Northern Ireland, who spent time here (including, notably in retrospect, in Fermanagh) in the months preceding the General Election, and who is highly enough thought of in the Conservative Party to have attained Chairmanship of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
I have drawn attention to comments by those senior in the Ulster Unionist Party which are not consistent with the required commitment to “mainstream, non-sectarian politics“. I must also then draw attention to the fact that these comments, from a senior Conservative, are not consistent with that commitment either. While I accept a range of views exists in any party, it is surely inappropriate for the Conservative Party to have as Chair of the NI Affairs Committee someone who opposes the Party Leadership’s view on Northern Ireland in such a fundamental way?
The Conservative Party’s commitment to “mainstream, non-sectarian politics” has been questioned by many from the start of the “UCUNF” project, particularly after Hatfield, Fermanagh/South Tyrone and so on. Without swift action in this case, that commitment will surely come to be seen as a facade designed purely to win seats in a close General Election. That would be a horrendous betrayal of the many who stood under the UCUNF banner (despite the ridiculous name) and the many who voted for it in the hope of achieving something genuinely new and different – and a confirmation of the cynicism many in Northern Ireland expressed about the project from the very outset.
Ian James Parsley 
Laurance has always been a political maverick. Hence why he was ditched by a prosepctive Minister (not to mention his colourful private life)
No one takes him seriously and he has obviously realised this and has abandoned all hope of advancement
Chairman of Select Committee are elected by MPs rather than appointed by the Leaderships and Laurence is trying to carve a niche for himself as a maverick ‘expert’ on ‘Ulster’
He was great mates with Wee Jeffrey til the DUP betrayed him on 42 days – another thing that finished his standing in the eyes of the leadership.
Having said that his comments are an unhelpful distraction
Unhelpful to the new chairman locally Bob who is trying to project our distinctive non sectarian credentials.
You are right about the cynicism, Ian which many of us had at the outset of the UCUNF arrangement. But it was a case of see the cup as half full not half empty and the thing would grow and build into something really positive.But as I said before, like a marriage it needs imput and commitment from both sides.All take and no give leaves you drained, especially financially!
To suggest not opposing the DUP, and what will shorting no doubt become DUP mark 2, really is ludicrous and shows no grasp of the importance and the sheer necessity of needing maintream national non sectarian politics here. Robertson is clearly removed from reality if he thinks DUP/UUP is the best show in town. They do not represent anything fresh sadly and represent the old politics that we need to move away from. That being said many in the UUP do have fresh ideas and are progressive. They apparently do not have enough strength as we will shortly see.
There is a small minority within the Conservative Party who would happily ditch the local Conservatives. Not because of their actions but because they simply don’t support the idea that Conservatives should be here. People like Robertson opposed the Conservatives forming in NI in 1989 and they haven’t changed their opinion. The majority of the party supported the Conservative Party forming here, as now.
Any idea that the leader or CCHQ might agree with Robertson is utterly false, or that they are fed up with any actions or attitude from the NI Conservatives.There simply is no evidence.
David Cameron has been very clear that he wants members and representatives from every corner of the United Kingdom.
well talk about blantant hyprocrisy you ni tories really are something.you have lambasted the uup ian quite rightly draws attention to this artcle however ian there are dozens of tory MPs who share laurence robertsons views and opinions.So clarion your party colleagues are as bad in there non sectarian mainstream creditials are they.?????
clarion just to add perhaps you and peel will now lambast your tory colleagues in the way you have publicly lambasted the ulster unionist party.You attack tom elliott last week so did ian will you now personally do the same with your own party collegues.??Are the tories just as bad you seem to want to be selective the fact is you have a very unsavoury right wing in the tories many were former members of the extreme monday club which had dozens of tory mps such as mr robertson.So clarion you tories have being caught out hook line and sinker.
Usual silly nonsense.
Some of the most notable members of the Monday Club have been UUP MP’s and members including James Molyneaux who was a president but i’m not getting drawn into another silly argument with you
There is no denying there is merit in Paul’s initial point. If the Ulster Unionists are to be judged by senior members’ commitment to “mainstream, non-sectarian politics”, then so must Conservatives be (wherever in the UK they happen to live or represent).
Every party has mavericks and hardliners, but they should not then be placed in senior positions.
What perhaps too many people fail to grasp, in a society as poisoned by sectarianism as ours, is that a commitment to “non-sectarian, mainstream politics” is not the default here. Far from it, it is a marginal political position take, and to carry it out in deed as well as word (and have any electoral success while doing so) takes courage and leadership.
There can be no margin (or excuse) for error.
I’m inclined to agree with you Ian although it’s tempting to ignore him.
It flies in the face of the letter sent by Feldman to Reg Empey.
I’d like to see names of people that support him if there are ‘dozens of MP’s’. Name them!
It’s also glibly said that CCHQ don’t want the NI Tories. Provide names!
As a Conservative counsellor Ian I suggest you raise it at whatever level you feel necessary.
Fair point there is a lack of commitment by some on the Conservative side but they haven’t overwhelmed the party as appears to be happening in the UUP wouldn’t you agree?
It will interesting to judge the mood in Birmingham Ian. Not sure if this is your first conference or not but a lot is learnt in the ‘wee small hours’ over many drinks!
This is not an isolated case. We have previously heard similar nonsense from Nicholas Winterton. Thankfully, he and his wife have now gone from Parliament. He was, however, “read the riot act” and silenced by the party Chief Whip over his remarks reported in the Newsletter 21-1-09.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/ToryUUP-merger-39could-damage-proUnion.4915010.jp
It is, of course, unrealistic to expect all of our MPs to have a comprehensive grasp of politics in Northern Ireland.
Some 20 years ago, I attended a dinner at the House of Commons held by the late David Evans, the former MP for Welwyn / Hatfield. At the dinner, he made a speech about a “fact finding” visit to Northern Ireland that he and a few other MPs had made. His ignorance was breathtaking and my wife, taking exception to some of his comments, pulled him to pieces.
Unfortunately, we have to accept that ignorance concerning Northern Ireland amongst English MPs is the rule, rather than the exception.
However, once an MP becomes a member of a select committee, he is doing his Country a disservice if he does not take the trouble to master his brief. Furthermore, he is letting down his own party if he deviates so grossly from the party line, as Mr. Robertson has done in this case.
Will somebody please deliver the Wolf’s head on a platter.
I will glady publish names of Tory mps who share such views clarion you seem a bit nervou now i expose the utter hyprcricy of some of the ni tories.I should also add the conservative home blog has in the past run threads in support of the very postion laurence robertson and other tory mps have with literally hundreds of tory members in support some of which are councillios.so clarion you like to orange bash dont you will your biggottd views perhaps you would like to attack and lambash your scottish tory members and yes some of them are councillors who are members of the orange order the same as you bash the ni orange order nicei.I welcome ians comments but i am afraid clarion and some of you other ni tories have fallen flat on your faces.And being completly exposed
Conservative MP ponders on the point of the N.Irish Conservatives
Here’s a statement from Laurence Robertson, Conservative MP for Tewkesbury and chairman of the Commons’ Northern Ireland Affairs Committee,
I’ve always found it odd, wasteful, for the Conservative Party to be fighting against people in either the UUP or the DUP, most of whom we have very little disagreement with and who, by and large, vote with us in the House of Commons – what is the point?
In other words: “What’s the point of the Northern Irish Conservatives”?
The Northern Irish Conservatives now need to give themselves a good shake and get that message out to the unreconstructed wing of their own party, never mind the electorate.
ian can you delete the above comment please i got my facts wrong
Looks like you have a lot to delete Ian! Moderation required? Surely not!
I’m very pleased to see you taking this view on Robertson, Ian. We really have a lot of educating to do and the party conference is a great opportunity to get our opinion across as Seymour says.
Plain fact is that mainstream non sectarian national politics cannot be provided by the UUP or DUP. so its utter nonsense for the Conservatives not to offer it to the electorate here.
The opportunity to offer it through UCUNF has gone so all is left is to reinvent/rejuvinate the party locally.
I had it put to me once that the Conservative Party leadership “struggles to operate outside its own cultural sphere”. I think the PM is a notable exception to this (given, for example, the courageous and intuitive way he handled Saville), but I am concerned that otherwise this may basically be true.
Is it, in your view, really much different in Scotland from NI, for example?
Is Paul going to publish this list of MPs who oppose the NI Tories? Come on!
Truth is that NI is not high up the political agenda at Westminster and many members have little knowledge of NI.
The NI Tories have successfully changed the default position within the Party to support for the Party’s efforts to organise here. This goes right the way up the Party to David Cameron.
The default position used to be ‘keep out of NI, keep in with UUP’ but with one or two exceptions that is now gone. Indeed not even Laurence was suggesting supporting the UUP! After all they have no seats and no realistic chances of winning any on thir own
Some UUP supporters find this very upsetting. Of course Labour Lady Hermon killed any believe at Westminster that the UUP were ‘natural allies’
UCUNF was essentially about offering the UUP an honourable death and a new home for broad minded unionists
Of course we will need to maintain our information/education work at Westminster. The DUP MPs try to pass themselves off as ‘closet Tories’ at Westminster however 42 days, the bile directed at Cameron during the GE and the DUP attempts to jump into bed with Labour AFTER the election result mean their efforts are largely in vain.
(Oh that and the fact that they are nutters! Iris opened a lot of eyes at Westminster)
oh dear seems you are rattled bob are you a ni tory as well.Bob the tories have being caught out you ni tories spout your bile and you the ni tories are now nothing more than a bunch of hypercripes.And members of the public can see you for what you are only ian parsley comes out of this with any credit.
am afraid clarion i have hit the nail on the head as for moderation are you trying to censure me afraid of my comments afraid they expose the utter hyprocisy of the ni tories.you have being completly exposed and i will contiue to expose you ni tories publicly.you have lambasted the uup and i will return fire every chance i get.
there you are again clarion saying the uup cannot offer this cannot offer that nether can the tories try taking a look at yourself before trying to lecture others.no wonder you poll so badly here
I have a policy of explaining any moderation, and pretty well letting anything go.
All comments have been allowed on this thread bar the one where a deletion was requested.
On another thread, I removed the full text of Robertson’s article and replaced it with a link.
That is all the moderating I have done for several weeks.
Thank you ian very fair and refreshing to see.
Just to add in my opinion and this is relvant to this thread the one party that is streets ahead of any other party.on the issue of non sectarian politics is the alliance party and they have being brilliant
Clarion, Ian: is there going to be an NI Conservatives event or meeting at Conference? I’d like to attend.
I don’t know, though whatever happens I’ll be there in support of the Centre for Social Justice.
The NI Reception will be held at 9.30pm on Monday 4th October in Room 11B in the ICC centre within the secure zone. The room only holds 100 people so arrive early
re Reception email office@conservativesni.org and see if you can get an invite – security is infamously tight at NI events!